"We Need the Magisterium to Interpret the Bible."

I grew up within Catholicism: CCD, the weekly mass, the sacraments, an altar boy, confirmation—the whole deal. However, I left during my freshman year in college when I became convinced of the truth of evangelical Protestantism. Ever since, I’ve embraced the protest in Protestant—not a mean-spirited, antagonistic, self-righteous protest, but a warm-hearted, people-loving, gospel-clarifying protest.

One of the common objections I’ve repeatedly heard from Catholic friends and acquaintances over the years is,

“We need the Magisterium to interpret the Bible. You Protestants don’t have any ultimate authority to appeal to. It’s like Judges, where everyone does what’s right in their own eyes. Doesn’t the ongoing division of Protestantism into its many denominations bear this out?”

On the surface, this is a compelling argument. However, it is a red herring.*

The issue of whether the Magisterium is needed to interpret the Bible is a worthwhile conversation, but it’s not the first one. Why not? Because Catholicism’s preeminent deficiencies are not its interpretations but its additions.

These additions are not merely different interpretations of the Bible, but additions to it. It’s these additions that raise significant questions about their interpretations. Therefore, we should start with them.

Catholicism argues that such additions are authorized by “Tradition” (whether quotes from early church fathers, extra-canonical books, etc.), which is given equal standing with the Bible. As their catechism states:

“Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence.”
— Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC] #82

This has given rise to a “three-legged stool” of authority within Catholicism: (1) Scripture, (2) Tradition, and (3) the Magisterium (the teaching ministry, led by the Pope). Such a multipronged authority structure is how extra-biblical additions arise, since there is no governing principle of “Scripture alone” to keep them out.

Consider these six Catholic additions to the Bible:

#1 The Pope

The current office of the Pope evolved from a humble Roman pastorate, which, over time, became a bishopric during the latter centuries of the Roman Empire. As the city of Rome was the emperor’s seat of power, it became increasingly common for Christian churches throughout the empire to look to the bishop of Rome similarly.

We get a sense of this, to this day, in his Romanesque titles, such as His Holiness, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Holy Roman Pontiff, Pontifex Maximus, Primate of Italy, Sovereign of the Vatican City State. It is not an exaggeration to say that the papal office is a vestige of the Roman Empire.

Such grand titles and assertions of worldwide authority over all Christians by a singular pastor are completely foreign to the Scriptures (CCC 882), as are claims to “papal infallibility” (CCC 891) and being “Peter’s successor” (CCC 880-881).

These are additions.

#2 Veneration of Mary

Veneration of Mary is also known as “Marian Devotion.” Mary is, of course, in the Bible. She is the young, godly woman who became the mother of the Messiah, Jesus. Her role in redemptive history is unique. She is an incredible example of faith. Her song of praise—the Magnificat—should be studied and personally applied (Luke 1:46-55). Her character is worthy of emulation.

Yet, the Scriptures do not teach us to pray to her, create shrines for her, or see her as a mediator of any kind. Catholicism encourages all of this (CCC 969). Further, it teaches that Mary was immaculately conceived (i.e., born and lived without sin; CCC 493), just like Jesus, and that her body was “assumed” into heaven (CCC 966). These are “dogmas” which Catholics must believe, yet none of this is in the Bible.

These are additions.

#3 Talking to the dead

Catholics are taught that they may speak with the dead, whether “Saints” or deceased family or friends, because they are all part of the “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). It is argued that the deceased are not dead, in terms of non-existence, but spiritually alive. In this state, “they do not cease to intercede with the Father for us” (CCC 956), so we “can and should ask them to intercede for us and for the whole world” (CCC 2683).

While Protestants agree that the dead continue to exist, and are even perhaps aware of happenings on earth, nowhere does the Bible teach us to pray to them, nor does it speak of their ongoing intercession for us. On the contrary, there are only warnings against communicating with the dead (Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Isaiah 8:19).

Instead, more simply, Jesus taught that we can pray directly to the Father (Matthew 6:6), with him as our ultimate mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), and the Spirit as our intercessor (Romans 8:26-27).

Anything else is an addition.

#4 Canonization of Saints

Over centuries, Catholicism created a special category of “the faithful”, called “Saints”, to put them forth “as models and intercessors” (CCC 828). To be recognized as a Saint requires confirmation of miracles performed and heroic virtue that is discerned through a formal process. There are currently over 10,000 officially recognized Saints, with Mary as the greatest (CCC 971).

Those within Catholicism are not only encouraged to emulate their faith, but to pray to them (see #3 above). Shrines, holy sites, relics, statues, candles, charms, and various trinkets are created to further their veneration.

While Protestants agree that the history of the Church is filled with exemplary models of faith, nowhere do the Scriptures designate a special status for them, nor appoint a process for determining them, nor encourage veneration of them. Instead, in the New Testament, a “saint” refers to anyone who has repented of their sin and placed their faith in Jesus.

Such “Sainthood” is an addition.

#5 Purgatory

Catholicism teaches that Purgatory is a place of purification for those who have died and remain “imperfectly purified” before heaven. Those who go to purgatory are assured of their salvation, but have not yet “[achieved] the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (CCC 1030-1032).

Yet, no such place, nor purification process, is described in the Bible. This unbiblical teaching has led countless to think that it doesn’t matter what they believe, or how they live, because there is always Purgatory to fall back on. This is not true.

Such teaching puts souls in danger while being told they are safe. Instead, as the author of Hebrews says, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). In other words, judgment follows death, not purgatory.

Purgatory is an addition.

#6 Indulgences

Catholicism also teaches that the “Church” has a “treasury of merit” of Jesus and the faithful, which it alone stewards (CCC 1478). Such “treasures” are usually dispensed through an indulgence, which is “a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven” (CCC 1471). These indulgences are received under “certain prescribed conditions” and can be applied to yourself or the “souls of the deceased.”

The offering of indulgences is not a relic of the past. You can receive indulgences from the Catholic Church today through various prescribed means, usually through a combination of being sincerely repentant, desiring to live a holy life, receiving the “sacraments” of Penance and Holy Communion, praying for the Pope, making a pilgrimage, visiting special churches, and/or attending special masses.

This elaborate system is man-made. There is nothing about a “treasury of merit,” “indulgences,” needing to pay for sins of “whose guilt is already forgiven,” or applying our merits to the souls of others in the Bible.

Indulgences are an addition.

Catholicism is an interconnected system, not a buffet

These are merely six significant examples of Catholicism’s unbiblical additions. We could add many others, such as sacramentalism, the mandatory celibacy of the priesthood, the “Church” as mediator, holy water, sites and vestments, the Apocrypha, and so on.

In light of such additions, we should be seriously concerned with Catholic teaching.

Notice we haven’t even touched on biblical interpretations yet, such as baptismal regeneration, justification through obedience, or definitions of theological terms (grace, faith, mortal versus venial sins, etc.).

Some may say, “Well, I’m not sure about [fill in any addition], but I like the rest.” That’s understandable. However, that is to view Catholicism as a buffet, where we take or leave what we please. However, it’s not a buffet, but a system. It all hangs together. To accept Catholicism is to accept the system as a whole.

Additions are the most obvious misinterpretations

So, what do we say to the claim that “We need the Magisterium to interpret the Bible”?

To put it mildly, we should be very suspicious of any biblical interpreter, whether individual or institution, who adds to the Bible. After all, what confidence can we have in someone’s interpretation of the Bible if they are so willing to add to it? Very little.

That’s what makes this argument a red herring. It distracts from the real issue. After all, additions are the most obvious misinterpretations, and when it comes to the gospel, they are also the most dangerous.

*A red herring is a logical fallacy of introducing a topic to divert attention from the main issue.