When I was a Lutheran, at Seminary long before I became Catholic (25 years), I studied and wrote an exegetical paper on the Gospel of Matthew where I had inadvertently concluded the necessity of Apostolic Succession.
If you read closely, you will find that the Book of Matthew is not written to you (nor to anyone in 2019, nor to anyone in the first century).
The Book of Matthew is a set of descriptions: of Jesus and his fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, of his calling and training of Apostles, of his offering of himself to his disciples and to his Father, and of his resurrection and commissioning of his Apostles to make more disciples by baptizing them and teaching them all he these Apostles.
Matthew does not call the reader to be a disciple, does not tell the reader to believe, does not tell the reader he is now born again, etc.
Who is the reader of Matthew? Who am I reading Matthew?
I found that I was like an outsider in hiding, peeking in on the inner conversations and doings of Jesus and his select followers. I could hear words that the crowds did not hear (due to parables) because I could listen in on their private conversations, and I saw that Jesus was giving those twelve people inclusion in his Kingdom. To them only, but I, by my reading, could not count myself as one of them; I could only read about them and wish, perhaps, that somehow I might be one with them, but not from my reading.
How then could I be a legitimate disciple?
Something strange happens at the very end of Matthew’s Book; he shows Jesus sending his Apostles out to make more disciples. They are to do this by baptizing the new disciples and teaching them to observe all he commanded to these Apostles (even things we never see written in the Book).
Aha; that is the way to join Jesus - he sent these eleven Apostles; I just need to find one of them in person, and I will ask and press and beg to be included, because they alone can include me and teach me.
They are all dead, but there is evidence of them commissioning others to carry on their Apostolic work.
And there is record of this commissioning today, from our Bishops and Pope all the way back to Peter, Paul, and the other Eleven. Legitimate inclusion in the fellowship of the Apostles and the Kingdom in the World but not Of the World (not established by the world, but established by Jesus who is from Heaven - we know where he is from, though the world thinks he is from Nazareth alone).
Legitimate Participation, legitimate teaching and interpretation. I desire what is really real, not presumption that “The Bible says it, so it is said to me.” I need one of those Apostles, sent directly from Jesus or sent directly from one of those Apostles, to talk in person to me.
Catholicism is an “In Person” thing; it is not a “process” nor a set of principles. Our doctrine is not doctrine because it is self-evident, but because the person delivering it to me has Authority, he is one Sent to me by my King. I will listen to the Lord’s Anointed.
John Martin
