So which is it chosen to lead or serve? Lead implies leadership. To serve implies subservience. Why is it not both/and?
The pope and the rest of the hierarchy do not rule, they serve under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
The pope is called the “Servant of the servants of God.”
If you read the rest of Matthew 18 Jesus teaches of the servants. After all the entire chapter starts with the question, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
The only accurate sentence in that is that the chapter stars with “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
I have read it more than once and the only servant is the one who refused to forgive the debt of another.
As for who is the greatest, Jesus says the one who has become like a child, the one who is humble like the child.
What is it that makes the child humble?
How humble is it to believe in one’s own infallibility in determining and interpreting Scripture?
>> How humble is it to believe in one’s own infallibility in determining and interpreting Scripture?<<
Infallibility in determining and interpreting scripture? Are you saying anyone who interprets or reads scripture must be infallible? Surely you jest. There is only one infallible and that is God Himself.
Speaking of infallibility
From the past and present, here are some things that have been said about papal infallibility by Catholics themselves:
“Unless I am convinced by the testimonies of Scripture or evident reason (for I do not believe either Pope or councils alone, since it is certain that they have both erred frequently and contradicted themselves)...I neither can nor wish to revoke anything.” (This was said by Martin Luther at Worms in 1521 while still a Catholic priest).
“No enlightened Catholic holds the pope’s infallibility to be an article of faith. I do not; and none of my brethren, that I know of do.” (This was said by Bishop John Purcell in the Campbell-Purcell Debate on the Roman Catholic Religion in 1837. The Debate was later printed in a book and Bishop’s Purcell’s statement is found on page 27. He made his remark before papal infallibility was decreed by the Vatican Council in 1870 to be an article of faith).
“Therefore, to resume, I establish: (1) That Jesus has given to His apostles the same power that He gave to St. Peter. (2) That the apostles never recognized in St. Peter the vicar of Jesus Christ and the infallible doctor of the church. (3) That St. Peter never thought of being pope, and never acted as if he were pope...I conclude victoriously, with history, with reason, with logic, with good sense, and with a Christian conscience, that Jesus Christ did not confer any supremacy on St. Peter and that the bishops of Rome did not become sovereigns of the church, but only confiscating one by one all the rights of the episcopate.” (This, along with many arguments against papal infallibility, was said by Bishop Joseph Strossmayer in his speech before the Vatican Council in 1870).
“It has now become quite clear that the conception of continuity, authority, infallibility of the Church and the Church’s teaching, on which there has not been sufficient reflection, has led the Catholic Church into a dangerous tight corner.” (This, alone with other doubts regarding papal infallibility, was said by Hans Kung, a prominent Catholic theologian, in his book, “Infallibility, An Inquiry,” 1971).