It seems that the Catholics want to take credit for the writing of Scripture, the preservation of Scripture, and the interpretation of Scripture, so that they can make us feel like we have to *owe* them for it, and that gives them some sort of control over us or makes us somehow indebted to them for it.
It seems like they just cannot stand the thought of someone doing something outside of their control; that if they can somehow own it and convince everyone else of that, they can control its use.
Sorry, not buying.....
But that is exactly what the leadership not only wants but needs over their membership. It is the same with all organizations and institutes but especially when there is a religious aspect as part of it....and we know what power does over time.
There was a reason why Jesus said 'no man can come to the Father except by me'.....and He does not share His position with any man.... ...And also why he said we would 'be free' thru Him alone and no other....He is enough... and He is sufficient for all that we need. We belong to Him not the other way around....though some certainly sound like He's the Genie in their lamp rather than 'King of Glory.'
BTW....Have you ever had a day where you just want so to be one to one with Him, face to face, eye to eye? How can one explain such longing of heart, mind and soul? Makes one feel like David who sought hard after God.....goes deep into ones very soul.
“It seems that the Catholics want to take credit for the writing of Scripture, the preservation of Scripture, and the interpretation of Scripture, so that they can make us feel like we have to *owe* them for it, and that gives them some sort of control over us or makes us somehow indebted to them for it.
It seems like they just cannot stand the thought of someone doing something outside of their control; that if they can somehow own it and convince everyone else of that, they can control its use.
Sorry, not buying.....”
So, scripture was preserved by whom? or what? There were no printing presses, most people were illiterate, there was really only the spoken word. So how did the Apostles teach? (I’m thinking they taught the way most Rabbis taught. Orally)
How was most teaching about Christ taught? Isn’t it safe to say that most teaching was oral? There were epistles but those was sent to the local bishops not to the Christians in the pews.
And another thing, why do you have this feeling of being not adequate enough? So the CC teaches that the scripture came through the Church. So what! You actually accept Catholic teaching, because you believe the Bible is the Word of God. You just don’t want to believe that the Catholic Church had anything to do with it.
It seems that the Catholics want to take credit for the writing of Scripture, the preservation of Scripture, and the interpretation of Scripture, so that they can make us feel like we have to *owe* them for it, and that gives them some sort of control over us or makes us somehow indebted to them for it.
We owe the Jews for most of Scripture, and the logic that being the instrument and steward of Holy Writ confers perpetual assured infallibility would require us to submit to the Jews, as (unlike Rome) the Jews are explicitly declared to be the instrument and steward of Holy Writ (Rm. 3:2l cf. 9:4) then existing, but this did not make those who sat in the seat of Moses assuredly infallible, nor was a perpetual, assuredly infallible magisterium necessary for the bulk of Scripture to become established as such, (Lk. 24:27,44) and for God to preserve Truth and a people. But God raises up men from without the formal magisterium if needed, to reprove such leaders who depart from the faith and cause souls to err, (Is. 9:16) and presume such things as teaching as dogma what is only the "tradition of the elders." (Mk. 6:1-13)
Nor is there any statement that all that the church magisterium (which SS affirms) will ever speak on faith and morals will be infallible. The church can speak infallible Scriptural truth, which even affirming the existence of God is, but the basis for this is Scriptural warrant and conflation and the manner of supernatural attestation that Scripture affirms being overall given to its truth claims. (Mk. 16:20; Jn 14:11; Acts 15:12-18; Rm. 15:19; Heb. 2:3,4). But Rome effectively declares truth by fiat, that it is infallible whenever it speaks in accordance with its infallibly defined subject and scope-based formula.
In addition, Catholics could not have certitude on the whole canon until 1400 years after the last book was written, which was the first infallible decree on it, and this differs from the canon of the EOs, as well as ours Rome, and may not have been exactly the same as that of Carthage and Hippo (debatable). See here
And as helpful as conciliar statements can be, this is not how Divinely inspired writings essentially were established as such, but this was and is due to their heavenly qualities and effects, and other supernatural attestation from God, and their progressive conflation complimentary to that which was first established as Holy Writ. The Scriptures and the power of God go together, as most supremely seen in the manifest regenerative effects of believing the gospel of grace through faith , and those who know them not do err. (Mt. 22:29)
God first revealed Himself to man and supernaturally attested to His reality and truth, (like to Abraham) and of the faith and character of those who believed and obeyed it and testified of it (like Moses). This revelation and testimony was progressively written and established as from God thru the aforementioned manner, and as they were they became the standard for obedience and by which further revelation and men of God were tested and established, as a continuing principle*. (Is. 8:20; Mt. 22:29-45; Lk. 24:27,44; Jn. 5:39,42; Acts 17:2,11; 18:28; 28:23; Heb. 1; 2:3,4, etc.)
*Partial list of references to Divine written revelation being written (Scripture) and references to it, often showing it to be the standard for obedience, and establishment of truth claims: Ex. 17:14; 24:4,7,12; 31:18; 32:15; 34:1,27; 35:29; Lv. 8:36; 10:10; 26:46; Num. 4:5,37,45,49; 9:23; 10:13; 15:23; 16:40; 27:23; 33:2; 36:13; Dt. 4:13; 5:22; 9:10; 10:2,4; 17:18,19; 27:3,8; 28:58,61; 29:20,21,27; 30:10; 31:9,11,19,22,26; Josh. 1:8; 8:31,32,34,35; 10:13; 14:2; 20:2; 21:2; 22:9; 23:6; 24:26; Jdg. 3:4; 1Sam. 10:25; 2Sam. 1:8; 1Ki. 2:3; 8:53,56; 12:22; 2Ki. 1:8; 14:6; 17:37; 22:8,10,13,16; 23:2,21; 1Ch. 16:40; 17:3,9; 2Ch. 23:18; 25:4; 31:3; 33:8; 34:14,15,18,21,24; 34:30; 35:6,12; Ezra 3:2,4; 6:18; Neh. 6:6; 8:1,3,8,15,18; 9:3,14; 10:34,36; 13:1; Psa. 40:7; Is. 8:20; 30:8; 34:16; 65:6; Jer. 17:1; 25:13; 30:2; 36:2,6,10,18,27,28; 51:60; Dan. 9:11,13; Hab. 2:2;
Mat. 1:22; 2:5,15; 3:3; 4:4,6,7,10,14; 8:4,17; 11:10; 12:3,5,17; 13:35; 19:47,8; 21:4,13,16,42; 22:24,29,31; 24:15; 26:24,31,54,56; 27:9,34; Mark 1:2,44; 7:3,10; 9:12,13; 10:4,5; 11:17; 12:10,19,24,26 13:14; 14:21,47,49; Lk. 2:3,22,23; 3:4; 4:4,6-8,10,16,17,20; 5:14; 7:27; 10:26; 16:29,31; 18:31; 19:46; 20:17,28,37,42; 22:37, 24:22.27,32,44,45,46; Jn. 1:17,45; 2:17; 3:14; 5:39,45-47; 6:31,32,45; 7:19,22,23,42,52; 8:5,17; 10:34; 12:14,16; 15:25; 20:31; 21:24; Acts 1:20; 2:16-21,25-28,34,35; 3:22; 7:42; 8:28,30,32; 7:42; 3:33; 13:29,33,39; 15:5,15,21; 17:2,11; 18:24,28; 21:24; 23:5; 24:14; 26:22; Rom 1:2,17; 2:24; 3:4,10; 4:3,17,23; 8:36; 9:3,13,15,17,,33; 10:5,11,15,19; 11:2,8,26; 12:19; 14:11; 15:3,4,9,21; 16:16,26,27; 1Cor. 1:19,31; 2:9; 3:19; 4:6; 9:9,10; 10:7,11; 14:21; 15:3,4,45,54; 2Cor. 1:13; 2:3,4; 3:7,15; 4:13; 7:12; 8:15; 9:9; Gal. 3:10,13; 4:22,27; Eph. 3:3,4; Col. 4:16; 1Thes. 5:27; 2Tim. 3:15; Heb. 7:28; 8:5; 10:7,28; 13:22; 1Pet. 1:16; 5:12; 2Pet. 3:15,16; 1Jn. 2:21; 5:13; Rev. 1:3,11; 22:6,7;10,18,19 (Note: while the Bible reveals that there is revelation which is not written down, (2Cor. 12:4; Rv. 10:4) yet interestingly, i know of no place where the phrase “the word of God” or “the word of the Lord” refers to unwritten revelation that was not subsequently written.)