KJV Acts 17:10-13
10. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
(They were told by NO ONE what the scriptures meant.)
KJV 2 Peter 1:16-20
16. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
The trouble with AUTHORITY telling you what scripture MEANS should be obvious to everyone: i.e. 'authority' has to be right!
KJV Luke 12:12
For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
KJV John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
KJV 1 John 2:26-27
26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
PRE-CISELY! And that's exactly why the idea of infallibility is a necessary corrolary to ecclesiastical authority. That's why the Church is the "pillar and ground of the truth". Even the Orthodox Churches, who reject the Papal claims, believe that the Church is infallible through the Ecumenical Councils.
For my money, that's a better deal than everybody thinking they're right but no one actually knowing if they are.