R
Randy_Carson
Guest
When Paul preached the gospel to the Bereans, scripture records that “the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11). It can be argued that the Bereans actually did not practice sola scriptura as did the Thessalonians who actually rejected the gospel, but for the purposes of this discussion, the point will be conceded.
The Bereans could have searched the scriptures forever without finding the name of Jesus of Nazareth connected in any way with the coming messiah. Paul preached and interpreted the Old Testament passages that prophesied the coming of the messiah for the Bereans and made the necessary connection between the Old Testament prophecies and the death and resurrection of Jesus. Paul’s authoritative interpretation of the scriptures was required in order for the Bereans to correctly understand that Jesus was the messiah foretold in the Old Testament.
In light of this, is it really so different when the Catholic Church authoritatively teaches that Mary was assumed into heaven and that she is the Queen of Heaven? Like the Bereans, we can search in vain for explicit reference to these things, and yet, the Church, by virtue of its Apostolic Authority, has infallibly defined the doctrine of the Assumption by interpreting scripture. This verse, of course, is Revelation 12:1 which reads: “A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head”, and the Church sees a clear reference to Mary in this passage.
Authoritative Apostolic interpretation of scripture helps us to see the truths that we, like the Bereans, may not find if left to our own devices.
The Bereans could have searched the scriptures forever without finding the name of Jesus of Nazareth connected in any way with the coming messiah. Paul preached and interpreted the Old Testament passages that prophesied the coming of the messiah for the Bereans and made the necessary connection between the Old Testament prophecies and the death and resurrection of Jesus. Paul’s authoritative interpretation of the scriptures was required in order for the Bereans to correctly understand that Jesus was the messiah foretold in the Old Testament.
In light of this, is it really so different when the Catholic Church authoritatively teaches that Mary was assumed into heaven and that she is the Queen of Heaven? Like the Bereans, we can search in vain for explicit reference to these things, and yet, the Church, by virtue of its Apostolic Authority, has infallibly defined the doctrine of the Assumption by interpreting scripture. This verse, of course, is Revelation 12:1 which reads: “A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head”, and the Church sees a clear reference to Mary in this passage.
Authoritative Apostolic interpretation of scripture helps us to see the truths that we, like the Bereans, may not find if left to our own devices.