Here's the rest:
Yet another reason is that even after we had the New Testament canon of Scripture, after around the year 400, the local churches around the world did not unequivocally all possess a complete copy of the Bible. What the local churches did do, in order to be bona fide churches, was to adhere to authentic Sacred Tradition, as passed down from Christ and His Apostles, through the very early Magisterium of the Church (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 11: 2; 2 Thess. 2: 15).
One part of her definition was accurate, however: carrying out the Great Commission, if by Great Commission is meant what Jesus said in Matthew 28: 19-20: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.
During the course of conversation she repeatedly rejected the need for apostolic succession and therefore, necessarily, apostolic mandate and authority. Yet in the Great Commission in Matthew 28: 19-20 Jesus is speaking, specifically, to His original Apostles, to His infant C Church and not independent Christians (See also John 20: 21-23). Elsewhere in the NT Bible, which well get to soon, the importance of authentic apostolic succession, from the original Apostles, is repeatedly emphasized. In fact, it is considered soimportant, by the Apostles themselves, that the very first CChurch Council, in Jerusalem and depicted in Acts chapter 15, addresses this very issue.
Lets examine briefly the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 15, and how it demonstrates the importance of apostolic succession and mandate. In Acts 15 we see the very first Church Council, held in Jerusalem. Why? Why did the Apostles gather back together? What did they feel was so important that they should all stop what they were doing and regroup in Jerusalem?
Most Christians are familiar with some of the particulars, namely that they had a council to settle the issue about whether or not Christian converts, most notably Gentiles, should be required to follow the Old Covenantal ceremonial laws, the Mosaic Law with its dietary restrictions, circumcision, Saturday Sabbath, strict rules on who you could marry, etc. But WHY did they find it necessary to get back together and promulgate a final, definitive, authoritative decision on this issue? Simple. Because there were those, even way back then, who mistakenly believed that apostolic mandate was unimportant. That mistakenly thought that apostolic succession didnt matter. And just look at the chaos it caused, even way back then, in the early Church as depicted in the book of Acts. Those who believed this waystrayed, almost immediately,fromauthentic Christian doctrine.
Upon further examination of Acts 15 we see that what actually caused the problem was the exact sort of reasoning being advocated by our potential convert. Namely, a total disregard for apostolic mandate and succession. Lets look at what the apostles themselves said in condemning this sort of thing.
You see, some folks over in Antioch, Cilicia and Syria had taken it upon themselves to start up their own little churches, without any apostolic mandate and without any apostolic succession or authority. In other words, they did exactly what our potential convert is saying is perfectly fine. But the apostles didnt think it was fine. In fact, they thought that it was so grievous an offense against the Christian Faith that they called the very first Church Council to address it.
These independent Christians, over there in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia, were acting on their own, without proper authority. And in doing so they were distorting authentic Christian teachings. They were teaching false doctrines and upsetting people (verse 24). When the Apostles got wind of this they considered this such an enormous problem that they called the first recorded CChurch council and selected authentic representatives, with a proper mandate from the Apostles themselves, to go to these cities and correct the very problem that our potential convert does not see as problematic today. Namely, independent Christians preaching in Christs name without proper authority and mandate from the apostles themselves or those duly and authentically commissioned by them (or, as in todays case, without proper apostolic succession). Heres what the Apostles had to say about it, in their own words. (All words in brackets are mine, as are all emphases).
Then the apostles and presbyters [presbyters = priests, by the way], in agreement with the whole church [CChurch sense of the word, as discussed and explained earlier], decided to choose representatives [authentic representatives, not independents acting on their own] and to send them to Antioch with St. Paul and Barnabas. [They thought it so important that they even sent St. Paul, himself an Apostle, though not one of the twelve]. The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers. This is the letter delivered by them: The apostles and the presbyters, your brothers, to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia of Gentile origin: greetings. Since we have heard that some of our number [some of our number, so they were Christiansbut acting on their own] who went out without any mandate from us have upset you with their teachings[because they had distorted authentic Christian doctrine] and disturbed your peace of mind, we have with one accord [theres that unity again, also discussed earlier] decided to choose representatives and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 15: 22-26). The passage then goes on to explain what the authentic apostolic teaching is.
So those early Christians over in Antioch, Cilicia and Syria, acting withoutproper apostolic mandate, those Christians acting withoutapostolic authority, were, even in the very earliest times of the Christian Church, distorting Christian doctrine. So its not a new phenomenon. And it still happens, only worse, today. With all these independent and other Christians acting entirely on their own, just like we saw in the book of Acts, without proper apostolic mandate. Those Christians who, with no apostolic authority, go around starting up their own Christian churches. And just like back in the time of the book of Acts, they are still distorting Christian doctrine, even today.
The only men today who have proper apostolic mandate, who have proper apostolic authority, are those men who have received it through an unbroken chain of proper apostolic succession, in union with the pope. And thats only within the Catholic Church, the one and only Church that can trace her apostolic lineage all the way back through the 2000 year history of the Christian Church, all the way back to the original apostles and indeed to Jesus Christ Himself. And thats why apostolic succession does indeed matter very, very much.
There is further scriptural evidence and support for authentic apostolic succession. We see, regarding Judas in Acts 1: 20 that the office of apostle survives the man that fills it: May another take his office. And it is completed in Acts 1: 25-26, when Matthias succeeds Judas. Thats apostolic succession. And it matters. (For the OT parallel of this concept, see Isaiah 22: 15-22).
Then, later on, still in the book of Acts, look what we see the Apostles doing. We see Sts. Paul and Barnabas (Apostles, though not among the twelve) installing authentic presbyters in each local church:
They appointed presbyters for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith. (Acts 14: 23) So they are ordaining and installing authentic priests in the local churches. Notice that Christian lone rangers and independent Christians are notself-ordaining. No. Rather, the apostles are doing it, St. Paul is doing it. Thats apostolic succession. Thats apostolic mandate and authority. And it matters, according to Scripture.
We see the same exact thing elsewhere in the Bible. Just look at 2 Timothy 2: 1-2. Again, we see the Apostle Paul ordaining not only Timothy, but also instructing him on the next two succeeding generations of apostolic succession: You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. St. Paul is telling Timothy to pick out certain, particular faithful men and entrust them to authentically pass on the teachings. Thats apostolic succession. And it matters, according to St. Paul. St. Paul is not at all practicing, advocating or teaching that independent Christians should go out and self-ordain themselves as pastors, rustle up some followers, pitch a tent, and have a church. NO. He is practicing, advocating and teaching authentic apostolic succession, something that Protestant Christian churches along with all the myriad different independent Christian churches do not possess.
We see St. Paul doing the exact same thing in his letter to Titus. Here he does with Titus exactly what we saw him do in Acts and what we saw him do with Timothy, namely, setting up churches with authentic apostolically mandated priests, not independents acting on their own authority to set up their own little churches. St. Paul tells Titus: For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you, on condition that a man be blameless, married only once, with believing children who are not accused of licentiousness or rebellious. (Titus 1: 5-6) St. Paul appointed (ordained) Titus and instructed Titus to appoint (ordain) others. Again, thats apostolic succession for the churches, and it matters. We see it over and over again in Scripture. Apostolic succession is the proper scriptural model for the Church and for the churches. The only time we see the independent Christians acting on their own, without proper apostolic mandate, is that one time in Acts chapter 15 where it is resoundingly condemned by the Apostles. In fact, they thought it so serious of an offence against the true faith that they actually held the first Church council to try to get rid of it.
So, in summary, apostolic mandate and succession in the C Christian Church and in the local churches is the true and proper scriptural model of and for Christs Church. It is what was practiced, taught and advocated by Jesus and His Apostles. It mattered to them and it should matter to us. Thank God for Christs Catholic Church which, by the grace, guidance and protection of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, provides, proclaims and preserves authentic Christian teaching through the authentic apostolically mandated Christian Church. Praise God!
