Peter's Primacy And Succession

[jasJis]

All Christians recognize Peter and his role, some question his PRIMACY too. What they do NOT implicity accept is succession. That is unique to the Catholic Church.

The above was quoted and posted by Bruce. It slays me that Protestants fail to see how obvious it is in Scripture and secular history. :scratch:

Okay, I've lit the match and tossed it. Please provide the fuel... :teach:

[cmotherofpirl]

This is the synopsis of what protestants have told me over the years:

We are supposed to believe Jesus spent 3 years schooling and training the Apostles, particularly Peter, to follow him, then the whole thing fell apart after He died [THis which really says a lot for His teaching ability, you'd think God could teach better than this. He did pretty well with Moses and those commandments.]

So then this invisible church survives 300 years of persecution, then when Constantine stops killing everybody, it gets organized, and promptly turns pagan because of masses of converts. THis corrupt group lasts until the 1500's when a possessed monk saves everybody, changes the God-inspired Bible to suit himself, and the invisible Church is miraclously restored to sight , although still in thousands of little clamoring parts, each claiming to be one faith, one baptism , with one Lord over all.

Or

we have a Church with a line of succession back to Jesus, with clear teachings on right and wrong going back to 33 AD. Run by people who are sinners, but keep the rudder pointed in the right direction, in spite of themselves.

So now we have a church on one side that says God did leave someone in charge and major decisions are protected by God, or thousands of competing groups, or the Jesus seminar types who vote on what Jesus really did or said, or if he even existed at all. [God is now what ever you want Him to be]

Logically who would you believe?

[Circle_Master]

how obvious it is in Scripture

why don't you go through the obvious verses for me on Petrine Succession please JasJis. I find that statement odd as my major is biblical studies, and we don't even have a section in any of our books for it!

[MC Just]

Cmom makes so much sense. The Catholic church did not fall into corruption and neither did christian mix with paganism, when Constantine became Catholic, his knee bent to the Pope, it wasnt the other way around and yes there were many other Popes before Constantine.

"Through Our Lord Jesus Christ our Apostles knew that there would be strife over the office of episcopacy. Accordingly, since they had obtained a perfect foreknowledge of this, they appointed those men already mentioned. And they afterwards gave instructions that when those men would fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry. Therefore, we are of the opinion that those appointed by the Apostles, or afterwards by other acclaimed men, with the consent of the whole church, and who have blamelessly served the flock of Christ in a humble, peaceable, and disinterested spirit, and have for a long time possessed the good opinion of all, cannot be justly dismissed from the ministry." St. Clement Of Rome ("The Epistle Of Clement To The Corinthians," c. 96 A.D.)

"When we refer them to that tradition which originates from the Apostles, which is preserved by means of the succession of presbyters in the churches, they object to tradition, saying that they themselves are wiser not merely than the presbyters, but than even the Apostles." St. Irenaeus ("Against All Heresies," c. 180 A.D.)

"Therefore, it is within the power of all in every church who may wish to see the truth to examine clearly the tradition of the Apostles manifested throughout the whole world. And we are in a position to reckon up those who were instituted bishops in the churches by the Apostles, and the succession of these men to our own times.... For if the Apostles had known hidden mysteries...they would have delivered them especially to those to whom they were also committing the churches themselves. For they were desirous that these men should be very perfect and blameless in all things, whom also they were leaving behind as their successors, delivering up their own place of government to these men." St. Irenaeus ("Against All Heresies," c. 180 A.D.)

"In this order, and by this succession, the ecclesiastical tradition from the Apostles, and the preaching of the truth, have come down to us. And this is most abundant proof that there is one and the same life-giving faith, which has been preserved in the church from the Apostles until now, and handed down in truth." St. Irenaeus ("Against All Heresies," c. 180 A.D.)

"It is necessary to obey the presbyters who are in the Church - those who, as I have shown, possess the succession from the Apostles. For those presbyters, together with the succession of the bishops, have received the certain gift of truth, according to the good pleasure of the Father. But we should hold in suspicion others who depart from the primitive succession and assemble themselves together in any place whatsoever. For they are either heretics or perverse minds, or else they are schismatics who are puffed up and self-pleasing.... Therefore, it behooves us to keep aloof from all such persons and to adhere to those who, as I have already observed, hold the doctrine of the Apostles." St. Irenaeus ("Against All Heresies," c. 180 A.D.)

"It behooves us to learn the truth from those who possess that succession of the Church which is from the Apostles, and among whom exists that which is sound and blameless in conduct, as well as that which is unadulterated and incorrupt in speech...." St. Irenaeus ("Against All Heresies," c. 180 A.D.)

"No one will refute these heretics except the Holy Spirit bequeathed unto the Church, which the Apostles - having received in the first instance - have transmitted to those who have rightly believed. But we, as being their successors and as participators in this grace, high priesthood, and office of teaching - as well as being reputed guardians of the Church - must not be found deficient in vigilance." St. Hippolytus ("Refutation Of All Heresies," c. 225 A.D.)

"He cannot be reckoned as a bishop who succeeds no one. For he has despised the evangelical and apostolic traditions, springing from himself. For he who has not been ordained in the Church can neither have nor hold to the Church in any way.... How can he be esteemed a pastor, who succeeds to no one, but begins from himself? For the true shepherd remains and presides over the Church of God by successive ordination. Therefore, the other one becomes a stranger and a profane person, an enemy of the Lord's peace." St. Cyprian Of Carthage ("Letter To Magnus," c. 250 A.D.)

"The words of our Lord Jesus Christ are plain that He sent His Apostles and gave to them alone the power that had been given to Him by His Father. And we have succeeded to them, governing the Lord's Church with the same power." Seventh Council Of Carthage (c. 256 A.D.)

"The blessed Apostles, then, founded and built up the church in Rome. They committed the office of bishop into the hands of Linus. Of this, Linus, Paul makes mention in the Epistles to Timothy. To him succeeded Anacletus. After him, in the third place from the Apostles, Clement was allotted the office of bishop." St. Irenaeus ("Against All Heresies," c. 180 A.D.)

"But since it would take too long to set out here the successions of all the churches, we shall turn to that great, ancient and universally known church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles Peter and Paul, and we shall show that the tradition it has received of the apostles and the faith that it preaches to men has come down to our time through the regular succession of its bishops; and thus we shall confute all those who, in whatever way, whether by self-complacency, vainglory, blindness or error, enter into unauthorized assemblies. For it is with this Roman church, by reason of its more powerful pre-eminence that every other church, that is to say all the faithful everywhere, ought to agree, inasmuch as in this church the apostolic tradition has been preserved continuously by those who come from everywhere." St. Irenaeus ("Against All Heresies," c. 180 A.D.)

"Cornelius was made bishop by the judgment of God and of His Christ. This was by the testimony of almost all the clergy, by the election of the people who were then present, and by the assembly of ancient priests and good men.... This occurred when the place of Fabian, that is, when the place of Peter and the degree of the priestly chair, was vacant." St. Cyprian Of Carthage ("Epistle 53 to Antonius," c. 250 A.D.)

"On him (Peter) He builds the Church, and to him He gives the command to feed the sheep, and although He assigns a like power to all the apostles, yet He founded a single chair (cathedra), and He established by His own authority a source and an intrinsic reason for that unity.... If someone does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he (should) desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church?" St. Cyprian Of Carthage ("On the Unity of the Catholic Church," 251 A.D.)

"In the power of the same Holy Spirit, Peter, both the chief of the apostles and the keeper of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, in the name of Christ healed Aeneas the paralytic at Lydda, which is now called Diospolis (Acts 9:32-34)." St. Cyril of Jerusalem ("Catechetical Lectures" c. 350 A.D.)

"[Jesus said:] Simon, my follower, I have made you the foundation of the holy Church. I betimes called you Peter, because you will support all its buildings. You are the inspector of those who will build on Earth a Church for me. If they should wish to build what is false, you, the foundation, will condemn them. You are the head of the fountain from which my teaching flows; you are the chief of my disciples. Through you I will give drink to all peoples. Yours is that life-giving sweetness which I dispense. I have chosen you to be, as it were, the first-born in my institution so that, as the heir, you may be executor of my treasures. I have given you the keys of my kingdom. Behold, I have given you authority over all my treasures." St. Ephraim of Syria ("Homily 4," c. 351 A.D.)

"In the city of Rome the episcopal chair was given first to Peter, the chair in which Peter sat, the same who was head--that is why he is also called Cephas ['Rock']--of all the apostles, the one chair in which unity is maintained by all. Neither do the apostles proceed individually on their own, and anyone who would [presume to] set up another chair in opposition to that single chair would, by that very fact, be a schismatic and a sinner. . . . Recall, then, the origins of your chair, those of you who wish to claim for yourselves the title of holy Church." St. Optatus ("The Schism of the Donatists," c. 367 A.D.)

"[Christ] made answer: 'You are Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church . . .' Could he not, then, strengthen the faith of the man to whom, acting on his own authority, he gave the kingdom, whom he called the rock, thereby declaring him to be the foundation of the Church [Matt. 16:18]?" St. Ambrose of Milan ("The Faith," c. 379 A.D.)

"They (the Novatian heretics) have not the succession of Peter, who hold not the chair of Peter, which they rend by wicked schism; and this, too, they do, wickedly denying that sins can be forgiven (by the sacrament of confession) even in the Church, whereas it was said to Peter: 'I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.'" St. Ambrose of Milan ("On Penance," 388 A.D.)

"It is to Peter that He says: 'You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church' (Matthew 16:18). Where Peter is, there is the Church. And where the Church, no death is there, but life eternal." St. Ambrose of Milan ("Commentary on Twelve Psalms of David" c. 389 A.D.)

"(Pope) Stephen . . . was the blessed Peter's twenty-second successor in the See of Rome." St. Jerome ("Against the Luciferians" c. 383 A.D.)

"'But,' you [Jovinian] will say, 'it was on Peter that the Church was founded' [Matt. 16:18]. Well . . . one among the twelve is chosen to be their head in order to remove any occasion for division." St. Jerome ("Against Jovinian," c. 393 A.D.)

"I think it is my duty to consult the chair of Peter, and to turn to a church (Rome) whose faith has been praised by Paul. I appeal for spiritual food to the church whence I have received the garb of Christ." St. Jerome ("Letter 15," 396 A.D.)

"I follow no leader but Christ and join in communion with none, but the chair of Peter. I know that this is the rock on which the Church has been built. Whoever eats the Lamb outside this house is profane. Anyone who is not in the ark of Noah will perish when the flood prevails." St. Jerome ("Letter 15," 396 A.D.)

"Simon Peter, the son of John, from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, brother of Andrew the apostle, and himself chief of the apostles, after having been bishop of the church of Antioch and having preached to the Dispersion . . . pushed on to Rome in the second year of Claudius to over-throw Simon Magus, and held the sacerdotal chair there for twenty-five years until the last, that is the fourteenth, year of Nero. At his hands he received the crown of martyrdom being nailed to the cross with his head towards the ground and his feet raised on high, asserting that he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord." St. Jerome ("Lives of Illustrious Men," c. 396 A.D.)

"If all men throughout the world were such as you most vainly accuse them of having been, what has the chair of the Roman church done to you, in which Peter sat, and in which Anastasius sits today?" St. Augustine of Hippo ("Against the Letters of Petilani" c. 402 A.D.)

"Among these [apostles] Peter alone almost everywhere deserved to represent the whole Church. Because of that representation of the Church, which only he bore, he deserved to hear 'I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.'" St. Augustine of Hippo ("Sermon 295," c. 411 A.D.)

"If the very order of episcopal succession is to be considered, how much more surely, truly and safely do we number them from Peter himself, to whom, as to one representing the whole Church, the Lord said, 'Upon this rock I will build my Church...' Peter was succeeded by Linus, Linus by Clement, Clement by Anacletus, Anacletus by Evaristus...." St. Augustine of Hippo ("Letter 53," 412 A.D.)

"Who is ignorant that the first of the apostles is the most blessed Peter?" St. Augustine of Hippo ("Commentary on John," c. 416 A.D.)

"Steadfast in the fear of God, and in faith immovable, upon [st. Patrick] as upon Peter the [irish] church is built; and he has been allotted his apostleship by God; against him the gates of hell prevail not." St. Sechnall of Ireland ("Hymn in Praise of St. Patrick," c. 444 A.D.)

Edited December 30, 2003 by MC Just

[cmotherofpirl]

why don't you go through the obvious verses for me on Petrine Succession please JasJis. I find that statement odd as my major is biblical studies, and we don't even have a section in any of our books for it!

Would you like as to recommend a reading list?

[Circle_Master]

no, I just want the verses explained. jasjis said it was obvious.

Edited December 30, 2003 by Circle_Master

[MC Just]

I. Ordained Leaders Share in Jesus' Ministry and Authority

Matt. 10:1,40 - Jesus declares to His apostles, "he who receives you, receives Me, and he who rejects you, rejects Me and the One who sent Me." Jesus freely gives His authority to the apostles in order for them to effectively convert the world.

Matt. 16:19; 18:18 - the apostles are given Christ's authority to make visible decisions on earth that will be ratified in heaven. God raises up humanity in Christ by exalting his chosen leaders and endowing them with the authority and grace they need to bring about the conversion of all. Without a central authority in the Church, there would be chaos (as there is in Protestantism).

Luke 9:1; 10:19 - Jesus gives the apostles authority over the natural and the supernatural (diseases, demons, serpents, and scorpions).

Luke 10:16 - Jesus tells His apostles, "he who hears you, hears Me." When we hear the bishops' teaching on the faith, we hear Christ Himself.

Luke 22:29 - the Father gives the kingdom to the Son, and the Son gives the kingdom to the apostles. The gift is transferred from the Father to the Son to the apostles.

Num 16:28 - the Father's authority is transferred to Moses. Moses does not speak on his own. This is a real transfer of authority.

John 5:30 - similarly, Jesus as man does nothing of His own authority, but He acts under the authority of the Father.

John 7:16-17 - Jesus as man states that His authority is not His own, but from God. He will transfer this authority to other men.

John 8:28 - Jesus says He does nothing on His own authority. Similarly, the apostles will do nothing on their own authority. Their authority comes from God.

John 12:49 - Father's authority is transferred to the Son. The Son does not speak on his own. This is a transfer of divine authority.

John 13:20 - Jesus says, "he who receives anyone who I send, receives Me." He who receives the apostles, receives Christ Himself. He who rejects the apostles and their successors, rejects Christ.

John 14:10 - Jesus says the Word He speaks is not His own authority, but from the Father. The gift is from the Father to Jesus to the apostles.

John 16:14-15 - what the Father has, the Son has, and the Son gives it to the apostles. The authority is not lessened or mitigated.

John 17:18; 20:21 - as the Father sends the Son, the Son sends the apostles. The apostles have divinely appointed authority.

Acts 20:28 - apostles are shepherds and guardians appointed by the Holy Spirit / 1 Peter 2:25 - Jesus is the Shepherd and Guardian. The apostles, by the power of the Spirit, share Christ's ministry and authority.

Jer. 23:1-8; Ezek. 34:1-10 - the shepherds must shepherd the sheep, or they will be held accountable by God.

Eph. 2:20 - the Christian faith is built upon the foundation of the apostles. The word "foundation" proves that it does not die with apostles, but carries on through succession.

Eph. 2:20; Rev. 21:9,14 - the words "household," "Bride of the Lamb," the "new Jerusalem" are all metaphors for the Church whose foundation is the apostles.

II. Authority is Transferred by the Sacrament of Ordination

Acts 1:15-26 - the first thing Peter does after Jesus ascends into heaven is implement apostolic succession. Matthias is ordained with full apostolic authority. Only the Catholic Church can demostrate an unbroken apostolic lineage to the apostles through the sacrament of ordination and thereby claim to teach with Christ's own authority.

Acts 1:20 - a successor of Judas is chosen. The authority of his office (his "bishopric") is respected notwithstanding his egregious sin. The necessity to have apostolic succession in order for the Church to survive was understood by all. God never said, "I'll give you leaders with authority for about 400 years, but after the Bible is compiled, you are all on your own."

Acts 1:22 - literally, "one must be ordained" to be a witness with us of His resurrection. Apostolic ordination is required in order to teach with Christ's authority.

Acts 6:6 - apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination). This authority has transferred beyond the original twelve apostles as the Church has grown.

Acts 8:17; 19:6 - Luke clearly states that the Holy Spirit is transferred beyond the original apostles by the laying on of hands, which is the sacrament of Holy Orders, or ordination.

Acts 9:17-19 - even Paul, who was directly chosen by Christ, only becomes a minister after the laying on of hands by a bishop. This is a powerful proof text for the necessity of sacramental ordination in order to be a legitimate successor of the apostles.

Acts 13:3 - apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination). This authority must come from a Catholic bishop.

Acts 14:23 - the apostles and newly-ordained men appointed elders to have authority throughout the Church.

Acts 15:22-27 - preachers of the Word must be sent by the bishops in union with the Church. We must trace this authority to the apostles.

2 Cor. 1:21-22 - Paul writes that God has commissioned certain men and sealed them with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee.

Col 1:25 - Paul calls his position a divine "office." An office has successors. It does not terminate at death. Or it's not an office.

1 Tim. 3:1 - Paul uses the word "episcopoi" (bishop) which requires an office. Everyone understood that Paul's use of episcopoi and office meant it would carry on after his death by those who would succeed him.

1 Tim. 4:14 - again, apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination).

1 Tim. 5:22 - Paul urges Timothy to be careful in laying on the hands (ordaining others). The gift of authority is a reality and cannot be used indiscriminately.

2 Tim. 1:6 - Paul again reminds Timothy the unique gift of God that he received through the laying on of hands.

2 Tim. 4:1-6 - at end of Paul's life, Paul charges Timothy with the office of his ministry . We must trace true apostolic lineage back to a Catholic bishop.

2 Tim. 2:2 - this verse shows God's intention is to transfer authority to successors (here, Paul to Timothy to 3rd to 4th generation). It goes beyond the death of the apostles.

Titus 1:5; Luke 10:1 - the elders of the Church are appointed and hold authority. God has His children participate in Christ's work.

1 John 4:6 - whoever knows God listens to us (the bishops and the successors to the apostles). This is the way we discern truth and error.

Exodus 18:25-26 - Moses appoints various heads over the people of God. We see a hierarchy, a transfer of authority and succession.

Exodus 40:15 - the physical anointing shows that God intended a perpetual priesthood with an identifiable unbroken succession.

Numbers 3:3 - the sons of Aaron were formally "anointed" priests in "ordination" to minister in the priests' "office."

Numbers 16:40 - shows God's intention of unbroken succession within His kingdom on earth. Unless a priest was ordained by Aaron and his descendants, he had no authority.

Numbers 27:18-20 - shows God's intention that, through the "laying on of hands," one is commissioned and has authority.

Deut. 34:9 - Moses laid hands upon Joshua, and because of this, Joshua was obeyed as successor, full of the spirit of wisdom.

Sirach 45:15 - Moses ordains Aaron and anoints him with oil. There is a transfer of authority through formal ordination.

III. Jesus Wants Us to Obey Apostolic Authority

Acts 5:13 - the people acknowledged the apostles' special authority and did not dare take it upon themselves.

Acts 15:6; 16:4 - the teaching authority is granted to the apostles and their successors. This teaching authority must be traced to the original apostles, or the authority is not sanctioned by Christ.

1 Cor. 5:3-5; 1 Tim. 1:20; Gal 1:8; Matt 18:17 - shows the authority of the elders to excommunicate / anathemize ("deliver to satan").

2 Cor. 2:17 - Paul says the elders are not just random peddlers of God's word. They are actually commissioned by God.

2 Cor. 5:20 - we are "ambassadors" for Christ. This means that the apostles and their successors share an actual participation in Christ's mission, which includes healing, forgiving sins, and confecting the sacraments.

2 Cor. 10:8 - Paul acknowledges his authority over God's people which the Lord gave to build up the Church.

1 Thess. 5:12-13 - Paul charges the members of the Church to respect those who have authority over them.

2 Thess. 3:14 - Paul says if a person does not obey what he has provided in his letter, have nothing to do with him.

1 Tim. 5:17 - Paul charges the members of the Church to honor the appointed elders of the Church.

Titus 2:15 - Paul charges Timothy to exhort and reprove with all authority, which he receive by the laying on of hands.

Heb. 13:7,17 - Paul charges the members of the Church to remember and obey their leaders who have authority over their souls.

1 Peter 2:18 - Peter charges the servants to be submissive to their masters whether kind and gentle or overbearing.

1 Peter 5:5; Jude 8 - Peter and Jude charge the members of the Church to be subject to their elders.

2 Peter 2:10 - Peter warns the faithful about despising authority. He is referring to the apostolic authority granted to them by Christ.

3 John 9 - John points out that Diotrephes does not acknowledge John's apostolic authority and declares that this is evil.

Deut. 17:10-13 - the Lord commands His faithful Israel to obey the priests that He puts in charge, and do to all that they direct and instruct. The Lord warns that those who do not obey His priests shall die.

Num. 16:1-35 - Korah incited a "protestant" rebellion against God's chosen Moses, and Korah and his followers perished.

Sirach 7:29-30 - with all your soul fear the Lord and honor His priests, love your Maker and do not forsake His ministers. God is not threatened by the authority He gives His children! God, as our Loving Father, invites us to participate in His plan of redemption with His Son Jesus. Without authority in the Church, there is error, chaos and confusion.

[MC Just]

no, I just want the verses explained. jasjis said it was obvious.

There ya go.

[Circle_Master]

Well, if i understand this right. And if you believe everything you just wrote then every bishop ever ordinated had complete apostolic authority to write Scripture and to declare the Word of God.

You wrote that elders received complete apostolic authority, and you wrote that by ordination it was completely transferred.

Please correct me before I can go any further to see if you really believe this, or you just pasted this without reading it.

[MC Just]

This is exactly what the Church teaches. This is what we believe, the scriptures prove this and so does History. I provided a bunch of Early Church Father writings dealing with Apostolic Authority and Succession along with the Scripture Verses. As Jasjis said "Isnt it plain in Scripture and History"??

[Circle_Master]

So why do no writings by any apostles ever contradict themselves, and the Catholic church hold them to be infallible, when your own ordained clergy often disagree?

[MC Just]

They are human beings. They sin and they do fall short. We never said they are perfect. Satan goes to Church too and he tries his best to mislead them.This doesnt mean our teaching on Apostolic succession and Authority is false and neither can you use that against it.

[jasJis]

Well, if i understand this right. And if you believe everything you just wrote then every bishop ever ordinated had complete apostolic authority to write Scripture and to declare the Word of God.

You wrote that elders received complete apostolic authority, and you wrote that by ordination it was completely transferred.

Please correct me before I can go any further to see if you really believe this, or you just pasted this without reading it.

Sigh.

Why do you so work against us?

Where did any of those Scriptures say that "every biship ever ordinated had complete apostolic authority to write Scripture and to declare the Word of God."? That is so nonsensical and not at all what Apostolic Succession is. Why did you post something so ludicrous?

Do you want to seriously and honestly discuss these issues or not? If you just want to flame with wild accusations and nonsense, you are just annoying and not helping anyone. (Except for lurkers that are reading our posts and becoming edified.) But you seem much more intelligent and sincere then that. So what's the deal?

[Bruce S]

They are human beings. They sin and they do fall short. We never said they are perfect. Satan goes to Church too and he tries his best to mislead them.This doesnt mean our teaching on Apostolic succession and Authority is false and neither can you use that against it.

Oh, when you are wrong, it is just people of flesh, but when you claim to be right, it is of God.

Good God Man, talk about doublespeak.

Just WHEN IS the Catholic Church wrong? Ever??

Sheesh, even diehard Protestants don't claim ANYTHING but scripture is right, and EVEN THEN, they are not in agreement with what it means.

Oh...

I forgot, the Catholic Church has ALL the answers here. Of course, that is only when they are right, if not, it is fallible men, but men when right are the Magisterium, except when they are wrong, then they are not.

Circles.

[Circle_Master]

Where did any of those Scriptures say that "every biship ever ordinated had complete apostolic authority to write Scripture and to declare the Word of God."? That is so nonsensical and not at all what Apostolic Succession is. Why did you post something so ludicrous?

Acts 1:22 - literally, "one must be ordained" to be a witness with us of His resurrection. Apostolic ordination is required in order to teach with Christ's authority.

Acts 6:6 - apostolic authority is transferred through the laying on of hands (ordination). This authority has transferred beyond the original twelve apostles as the Church has grown.

Acts 15:22-27 - preachers of the Word must be sent by the bishops in union with the Church. We must trace this authority to the apostles.

Col 1:25 - Paul calls his position a divine "office." An office has successors. It does not terminate at death. Or it's not an office.

Acts 15:6; 16:4 - the teaching authority is granted to the apostles and their successors. This teaching authority must be traced to the original apostles, or the authority is not sanctioned by Christ.

1 Cor. 5:3-5; 1 Tim. 1:20; Gal 1:8; Matt 18:17 - shows the authority of the elders to excommunicate / anathemize ("deliver to satan").

Deut. 17:10-13 - the Lord commands His faithful Israel to obey the priests that He puts in charge, and do to all that they direct and instruct. The Lord warns that those who do not obey His priests shall die.

I cringe at some of these texts and how they are used, but it was written not by me, so have fun. The only solution to what you said is if you believe the Apostles did not have authority to write Scripture. If you have another solution go ahead.

They are human beings. They sin and they do fall short. We never said they are perfect. Satan goes to Church too and he tries his best to mislead them.This doesnt mean our teaching on Apostolic succession and Authority is false and neither can you use that against it.

Do you deny the sinful nature of Paul and the other Apostles? What makes them write inerrantly and no one else afterwards if your bishops all have the office of apostleship?