[Dataman]

But all this raises a question (and here I apologize for offending our Protestant readers). If the Bible is to be our sole guide, why didn’t Christ himself write it?

Actually, He did: John Chapter 1.

Why didn’t he even expressly tell the Apostles to write it, as far as we know?

He foresaw it: John 16: 13-14. He commanded the Apostles to teach followers to observe all His teachings (Matthew 28:20). The statement presumes the existence of written accounts.

Why did he leave so much to chance?

Catholics believe Jesus is God. How does God leave anything to chance?

Yet he said: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” And so far this certainly appears true, though we know of no measures on his part to see to it that his words would be preserved.

The statement would seem to be true if we could separate His deity from His humanity. But Jesus wasn't just a man, was he?

[Natural Law]

Actually, the Bible as you know it was compiled by the Council of Nicea in which more than 400 books and works were considered. The final version met with the criteria established by the Emperor Constantine for mainly political reasons.