Romans 3:2 ...First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.
That tells us that it was the Jews who God entrusted His word not the Catholics. The apocrypha WHICH THE CATHOLICS ADDED LATER was NOT part of scripture. This nonsense about the Protestants taking parts of scripture out is a lie. Protestants went back to what the Jews, to which God had entrusted His word, had decided was scripture.
>>Actually, when it comes to denomination, it first appears in 1Corinthians 1 10-16.<<
Again, absolute nonsense. Paul was scolding them for exactly what Catholics do. Catholics are the ones who proclaim "I follow Peter" or at least his successors. Did Peter die for you? Did the pope?
>>You appear to be taking the stance that you alone decide what is right, and that the Holy Spirit tells each person the proper interpretation of Scripture. Is that true?<<
1 John 2:26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
NOT the Catholic Church. NOT some "magisterium". And it will be you and you alone that answers, NOT some group. Put your faith in that group of it's leaders and suffer the fate of that leader or group. Time and time again it's shown how the Catholic Church has been teaching something other than what the apostles taught. Paul called those people accursed.
>>If that is true, then why do people have widely different opinions?<<
Probably the same reason the Catholic Church is wrong. Self interest rather than submitting oneself to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Many chose to allow others to make the decision thinking they will lesson the responsibility for themselves. Who knows? Jesus never said everyone would understand. Allow others to make your decisions for you as to what you believe and your faith is in them, not Christ.
>>we can’t all be right if we claim the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.<<
Do you listen to the Holy Spirit or the Catholic Church?
>>Regarding a hierarchy, Scripture is silent on what Jesus may or may not have said.<<
I think not.
Revelations 2:6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Nicolaitan means "conquerors of the people" or those who would lord it over the laity like the "magisterium" does. Then we have Jesus attitude toward the Pharisees which is analogous again to the Catholic Church hierarchy.
I will put my trust in the promised Holy Spirit to enlighten me as to what scripture teaches. Catholics put their trust in some fallible men who have proven themselves in many cases to be evil. Choose this day who you will serve.
Yes, the Jews are the Chosen People. The Septaguint was written by the Jews and decided by the Jews and codified in 130 BC, that would be before Catholics. Martin Luther decided to use what the Jews of his day were using and thus decided to throw out the books.
Again, you are confused. The Septuagint was what the Jews used, and used it before and during the time of Christ, and Gospel writers, and thus was included in the Canon.
“The translation of the Septuagint itself began in the 3rd century BCE and was completed by 132 BCE,[19][20][21] initially in Alexandria, but in time elsewhere as well.[7] The Septuagint is the basis for the Old Latin, Slavonic, Syriac, Old Armenian, Old Georgian and Coptic versions of the Christian Old Testament.[22]”
“Over several centuries of consideration, the books of the Septuagint were finally accepted into the Christian Old Testament, by A.D. 405 in the west, and by the end of the fifth century in the east. The Christian canon thus established was retained for over 1,000 years, even after the 11th-century schism that separated the church into the branches known as the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
Those canons were not challenged until the Protestant Reformation (16th century), when both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches reaffirmed them.”
I think you are confused. It is non-Catholics who broke off and said they followed Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, Wesley, Knox, etc.
You didn’t answer the question about what the Holy Spirit tells each person. Does each person receive the same message? If they don’t why not? I don’t think you can logically answer the question for the simple fact that not even non-Catholics agree amongst themselves.
You make a blanket statement the Catholic Church is “wrong,” yet you give no reason for your opinion.
Listening to the Catholic Church and the Holy Spirit are not incompatible. The logical fallacy you are using there is called false choice or option.
Your reference is not in context and is not relevant to a discussion of hierarchy, rather it is a specific reference to a specific group. Besides you are giving an interpretation.
While you are correct in the interpretation of Nicolas from Greek to English, the jury is still out if Revelation was speaking of the Deacon Nicolas, or in general. Those closest in time, such as Irenaeus, Epiphanius, and Clement, all finger him. However, some modern scholars disagree.
Regarding the Magisterium, it is not lorded over anybody. Anybody is free to accept or reject it.
While you place your trust in yourself, you seem to forget that your interpretation of the Bible and religion come from others. You are not the sole author of your opinion. Someone had to tell you about all the topics about which you claim knowledge. That is true for just about everybody in every field of knowledge. Even great discoverers have a foundation laid by someone else.
It is your choice to reject or accept the Church Jesus Christ founded 2000 years ago. It is your choice to accept the teachings of Jesus Christ as handed down to the Apostles. It is your choice to accept or reject the Church Fathers. These are your choices which you are free to make. Consider however, whether you trust in your opinions, which have been fostered in your life of less than 100 years, or the minds of almost 2000 years, specifically those who were disciples of the Apostles, as well as some of the greatest minds to ever walk the Earth.