OceanSide church of Christ

 Previous Return to Articles Next 

THE MAGISTERIUM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (1)

Victor M. Eskew

 

            Unless you are familiar with the Catholic faith you have probably never heard of something within the Catholic Church called The Magisterium.  However, you have heard of the pope, the college or body of bishops, and papal infallibility.  All of these things are involved in a study of “The Magisterium.”  Let’s do some examination of this authoritative body within Catholicism.

            In The Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Magisterium is defined on page 24.  They tell us that when Christ instituted the Twelve, “he constituted {them} in the form of a college or permanent assembly, at the head of which he placed Peter, chosen from among them.”  From this they reason that just as “by the Lord’s institution, St. Peter and the rest of the apostles constitute a single apostolic college, so in like fashion the Roman Pontiff, Peter’s successor, and the bishops, the successors of the apostles, are related with and united to one another.”  We have already studied the doctrine that affirms Peter was the first pope of the church.  There is no evidence that Peter was ever the pope.  Too, there is no evidence that the Lord intended for there to be what is called apostolic succession.  In fact, there is Bible teaching that teaches to the contrary. 

When Jesus was in the upper room on the night before His crucifixion, He took time to teach, warn, and promise the Twelve several things.  In Luke 22:28-30, He made this promise to them:  “Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.  And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”  The Catholic Church believes that the authority of the apostles only lasted while these men were alive.  Not so!  Jesus told these men that they would receive the Holy Spirit, and He would guide them into all truth (John 16;13).  These men wrote that truth down and we possess it now in written form (2 Tim. 3:16-17).  By means of this truth, the apostles continue to rule and reign within the kingdom of God.  These men are still the foundation of the precious church of our Lord.  “Now therefore ye are not more strangers and foreigners,” Paul told the Ephesians, “ But fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Eph. 2:19-20).  Jesus is till the head of the church (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18).  The apostles, through the New Testament, continue to sit upon thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, a figurative term that describes the church or spiritual Isreal. 

            There are two components of the Magisterium, the pope and the college of bishops.  These two components must act together in order for them to exercise authority within the Catholic Church.  The Catechism confirms this in regard to the bishops on pages 254-255.  “The college or body of bishops, has no authority unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter’s successor, as its head.  Yes, this group exercises supreme and full authority over the universal Church, “but this power cannot be exercised withut agreement of the Roman Pontiff.”

Remember, the bishops are said to occupy the seat of the Twelve today.  These men are not free to make decisions on their own.  They must come together with the pope to exercise their supreme authority.  Two arguments need to be considered by those who agree with this organizational structure.  First, Paul was an apostle.  He was converted in the city of Damascus.  In the book of Galatians, he tells us of his movements after his conversion.  “Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me: but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.  Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.  But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother” (Gal. 1:17-19).  After that one visit with Peter and James, Paul says it was another fourteen years before he went up Jerusalem again.  Was Paul making decisions for the churches?  Was he exercising his authority as an apostle?  Was he doing these things without the affirmation of Peter and the other apostles?  The answer is:  “Yes.”  How could Paul do such things without being assembled with the Magesterium? 

            Second, we read of only one gathering of the apostles to discuss an issue in the church.  Some refer to this gathering as “The Jerusalem Council” (Acts 15).  The question involved circumcision and the Old Law (Acts 15:1, 5).  It should be kept in mind that the church did not have the written Word at the time of this gathering.  Our question is:  “Why don’t we see more gatherings of the “Magesterium” of the first century?  They should have been meeting on numerous occasions to discuss issues within the early church.  This is not what we find.  Ultimately, the apostles were scattered all over the world to proclaim the gospel of Christ (See Matt. 28:20; Mark 16:15).  They did not constantly gather in Rome as an authoritative body over the church.  These men were preaching and teaching the gospel by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  They did not need to assemble together with Peter as their overseer to make judgments about the church. 

            In our next article, we will examine the purposes of the Magisterium.  Too, we will discuss the doctrine of the infallibility of the pope.