For me - the strongest passages are Mt 18:15-18 and Acts 15
In the first, the Lord provides instruction on resolving disputes within the Church culminating with “Tell it to the Church and if they will not listen, even to the Church, treat them as a heathen and a tax collector”. This is followed immediately by granting the authority to “bind” or “loose”
'whatever".
Protestants will make two objections to this - the first being that the passage speaks of “sin” and not doctrine…to which you need only ask, “Is teaching a false gospel (wrong doctrine) a sin?” If teaching something that is false is a sin…then the passage applies to doctrinal issues as well as personal sin…
the Second objection, is how to define “Church”. The protestant will likely want to restrict this to the “local community”…
This is countered in two ways. First, agree that it certainly can apply to the local community…but it is not restricted to said community…This is where Acts 15 comes in.
In Acts 15 we see a dispute arise between members of two local communities. They argue - they bring in Paul and not even Paul can resolve the matter…so they take it to a meeting of the Church leadership…
This shows two distant church communities coming together - in council with the Church leadership - and the decision of said council being binding on the universal Church.
You can also make note that in the gospels the word “church” is used only twice. Both times in Mt - both times by Christ Himself - and both times associated with the granting of authority to bind and loose.
In addition to the above…
After all of the trading back and forth of this and that verse, meaning, interpretation translation etc…the ultimate question will have to be - which of our personal, prayerful, “Spirit Guided” - and yet conflicting understandings is correct? How do we resolve this issue? Who has the authority to determine???
What does Scripture say???
Scripture says it is “The Church”
The Church is the pillar and bulwark of Truth (1 Tim 3:15)
The Church has authority to bind and loose - whatever (Mt 16:17-19) (Mt 18:15-18)
The Church settles arguments between distant church communities in a wonderful example of the instructions given in Mt 18…(Acts 15)
The Church is the vehicle by which God reveals His Wisdom to the world. (Eph 3:8-12)
Christ and the Apostles exhort the faithful to unity…to be of one mind
Code:
John 17:20-21
20 "I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Rom 15:5-6
5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Cor 1:10
I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
2 Cor 13:11
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Php 1:27
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
1 Pet 3:8
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
All of these calls to unity, along with the instructions in the Gospel of Matthew and the example in Acts as well as Paul’s presenting his teachings to Peter and others to assure they are correct, the Church being the Pillar etc…
All point clearly to doctrinal unity within a visible and authoritative Church.
Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura) adherents can offer nothing scriptural in support of the (evangelical?) protestant view of “church” and “authority” that comes anywhere close to this preponderance of evidence for the RC/EO “Model” of Church structure and authority.
I say this with confidence because I have repeatedly asked protestant apologists to counter this evidence with “equally clear and compelling” evidence for what I call the “Protestant model” of locally independent church communities based on SS.
They just simply cannot do it…
Finally you might find some of
THIS useful. It is a blog post written in reply to a conversation I was having with a protestant. What you might find useful is how it speaks to the development of the Church structure as being a natural outgrowth of the desire on the part of true Christians to fulfill the exhortations to unity noted above.
Hope this helps some.
Peace
James
But I will add my 2 cents on the idea of the “3 legs” concept. I do not use that phrase myself, because to do so might give the confusing appearance that all 3––Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium––are the same type. The thing is, Scripture and Tradition are the sources of divine revelation, the two streams flowing from the same divine wellspring as Dei Verbum puts it. The Magisterium is then the body that interprets by the Spirit’s inspiration the teachings in that revelation. Sometimes saying 3-legs seems like Catholics believe the Magisterium is a 3rd source of divine revelation, which is it not. As Dei Verbum also says, the Magisterium is the servant of the other two.