Tractatus de divina traditione et Scriptura

The living magisterium is shown to be the perpetual organ of Christian Tradition from the express words of the Gospels and the Apostles.

« The same perpetuity and authority of the magisterium is shown by a more distinct consideration of the words of Christ and of the Apostles. For 1° by the same words by which Christ the Lord designated the Apostles as His authentic legates, furnished with the supernatural charism of truth, for handing down to the Churches the doctrine received from Himself or from the Holy Spirit, He at the same time instituted a perpetual succession of legates with the promised charism of truth, for integrally guarding the doctrine received from the Apostles and propagating it to posterity; 2° in this sense of a perennial succession the Apostles explained their office; yet 3° in the Apostles must be distinguished the extraordinary office personal to them, and the ordinary office in which alone, from the words recalled, a perpetual succession is understood to be instituted. »

In the preceding thesis, from the very mode of the first revelation and promulgation of the Gospel and from the proper character of the divinely instituted apostolate — and so rather from things and facts than from the analysis of words — we concluded that there is essential to the Christian economy, and therefore immutable, the authority of a personal magisterium, to which corresponds the obedience of faith; and consequently that, as of the first promulgation, so also of its preservation, the organ must be an authentic personal magisterium of the legates of God, and that the Scriptures cannot be regarded as either the sole or the chief organ. Now, from a more careful consideration of the words of Christ and of the explanation given by the Apostles, it must be shown that in the very positive institution of the apostolate as an authentic organ for the first promulgation of the Gospel, there was also instituted a perpetual apostolic succession as the authentic organ of the preservation and propagation of the Gospel. We shall consider first the institution itself by Christ, then its execution insofar as it is exhibited in the apostolic books, and lastly the distinction which obtains between the divine legates for the first preaching of the faith, and the divine legates for the custody of the faith handed down by the Apostles.

I. The Apostles are designated and constituted divine legates, and to them is promised the charism of infallibility for the sincere understanding and unblemished preaching of the whole of revealed doctrine, and consequently to them is conferred the authority of the magisterium, to which corresponds on the part of believers the duty of the obedience of faith. The chief testimonies pertinent here are read in John XIV. 16-18. 26; XVI. 13; Matt. XXVIII. 20. (with Mark XVI. 15. 16; Luke XXIV. 47-49; Acts I. 8.). Christ — as Matthew and Mark expressly note — invoking His supreme power in heaven and on earth, commands those eleven, whom long before, chosen out from the rest of the disciples, He had named His Apostles or legates (Luke VI. 13.), to teach or, as the Greek word has it, to make disciples (μαθητεύσατε) of all nations, to initiate them by the sacraments, and to teach them to observe all His precepts; with power and authority thus conferred He sets them apart from all others, who are made subject to them to be taught. They are ordained witnesses of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth — witnesses not by knowledge alone but by authority and imposed office. Hence those very men who at all times from the baptism of John unto the day when Christ was taken up into heaven had been in company with Him and with the Apostles were not thereby witnesses; but a singular election and ordination into the number of witnesses was necessary, Acts I. 21-26. Moreover, in this office imposed by Christ Himself of teaching with authority, of preaching, of bearing witness, Christ promises that He will be with them: « teach all nations... and behold I am with you » Matt. l. c.; for this very office of bearing witness He promises the Holy Spirit: « you shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon you, and you shall (that you may be) witnesses unto Me » Acts; Luke, in the cited chapters. The operation of the Holy Spirit is indeed manifold, but insofar as the office imposed by Christ of authentically teaching and bearing witness — which is proper to the Apostles — is regarded, there is immediately promised to them the Spirit of truth, to teach all things and to bring to mind all things whatsoever Christ had said to them; to teach every truth, even that which, while Christ was still visibly conversing with them, they could not yet bear, John, in the cited chapters.

By these promises, by this charism of truth, the infallibility of the Apostles as legates of God for the preaching and testimony of the whole of revealed doctrine is rendered certain.

With this foundation supposed, it is evidently established that, by the same words by which the Apostles were instituted authentic legates, furnished with the charism of truth through the Holy Spirit and through the present guardianship of Jesus Christ, there was also instituted a perpetual apostolic succession furnished with the charism of truth through the Holy Spirit and through the ever-present guardianship of Jesus Christ, in the office of the divine legation for teaching and bearing testimony to the whole of revealed doctrine. For those words of Jesus Christ pertain to the Apostles not only as regarded personally, but insofar as they represent the perpetual series of their successors unto the consummation of the age. « All power is given to Me in heaven and on earth: going therefore teach all nations... and behold I am with you all days even unto the consummation of the age » ¹ Matt. XXVIII. 18. sq. « And I will ask the Father, and He shall give you another Paraclete, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth... He shall abide with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you » John XIV. 16. sq. Jesus Christ, therefore, and the Spirit of truth, is and abides unto the consummation of the age, forever with the Apostles teaching, baptizing, and keeping the baptized faithful in the faith — i.e., with the Apostles discharging their legation for Christ — lest these words perchance be absurdly twisted aside to the written doctrine abiding in books. But the Apostles regarded merely personally did not abide unto the consummation of the age teaching, baptizing, keeping the faithful in the faith, because they too « were hindered by death from continuing » (Heb. VII. 23.). Therefore the words of Christ, and consequently the legation, the authority of the magisterium, and the charism of truth enunciated in those words, pertain to the whole apostolic succession, which is instituted by these very words.

II. In the execution of this institution of Christ the Lord, we see the Apostles substituting for themselves others, who should be guardians of the deposit received from them and teachers through the Holy Spirit communicated to them and abiding in them. « Hold the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me... keep the good deposit by the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in us » 2. Tim. I. 13. 14. In this and in manifold other ways Paul, with the time of his departure now at hand, repeats to Timothy what Christ before His return to the Father had commanded the Apostles. Read 1. Tim. IV. 13. 14. 16; VI. 13. 14. 20; 2. Tim. I. 6. 8; Acts XX. 28-32.

Moreover, the Apostles bid these their immediate successors in their turn to substitute others under the same conditions, to whom they should commend the received deposit to be further guarded and propagated. « Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus; and the things which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses, the same commend to faithful men who shall be fit to teach others also » 2. Tim. II. 2; Tit. I. 5. 9. Clement of Rome, disciple of the Apostles and successor of Peter, in his First Epistle to the Corinthians, nn. 42. 44., thus describes this succession: « Christ was sent by God, and the Apostles by Christ... And so, going forth with the full persuasive power of the Holy Spirit (received from the Holy Spirit, μετα πληροφοριας πνευματος ἁγιου; cf. 1. Thess. I. 5.), they announced the coming of the kingdom of God. Preaching therefore the word through regions and cities, they appointed their firstfruits, after they had tested them by the Spirit, unto bishops and deacons of those who were to believe... They appointed the aforesaid, and afterwards gave ordinance that, when these should have departed, other approved men should succeed to their ministry » ².

Most luminously do the other ancient Fathers treat of this succession, among whom Irenaeus is to be read, l. III. c. 3. n. 1. But of the Fathers elsewhere.

According to this order of succession, then, which was instituted by Christ in the Apostles themselves as in juridical representatives and in the first stock of the whole series (above, n. I.), the Apostles also bid their immediate successors to keep the commandment « unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in His times the blessed and only mighty King of kings shall show » 1. Tim. VI. 14. 15. — just as the Apostles themselves had been bidden by Christ to teach « unto the consummation of the age ». Pastors and doctors, given by Christ Himself for the building up of the body of Christ and for the exclusion of errors, shall endure as long as the body which is the Church shall be in this stage, not yet consummated, namely, in all its members. « And He gave some apostles... and others pastors and doctors, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, until we all come into the unity of faith... unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ » ³ Eph. IV. 11-16. And concerning these men — ...who shall believe — in πιστευειν... κατεστησαν τους προειρημενους, και μεταξυ (cf. Act. XIII. 42.) επινομην δεδωκασιν, οπως εαν κοιμηθωσιν, διαδεξωνται ετεροι δεδοκιμασμενοι ἄνδρες τὴν λειτουργίαν αὐτῶν — « they appointed the aforesaid, and afterwards gave direction that, when these should have fallen asleep, other approved men should succeed to their ministry ».

Concerning the signification of the word ἐπινομῇ there is dispute among the learned, whether there is to be understood precept, law, disposition (νομος), or the right of pasturing, of pasturing together with another, of pasturing on another's ground (ἐπινεμω). The former signification seems to me more obvious and more probable, both from the context and on account of the particle μεταξὺ, which certainly signifies hereafter, for future time, as is clear from the following period in this very 44th chapter of Clement. For the right of pasturing together the Apostles gave to the bishops constituted by them not for the future but at once; but they are rightly said to have given for future time — for all time, namely, unto the coming of the Lord — the mandate of constituting others and again others as successors in perpetual series. Moreover, even with the other signification admitted, by which some interpret ἐπινομὴν as the right of pasturing, others as the series of succession, the sense of the whole context remains the same for the cause which we now plead: by perpetual succession the office and charism of guarding the deposit passes on; for there were given by Christ pastors and doctors for the work of the ministry, « that we may now be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the wickedness of men, by cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive. » To the universality, therefore, to the whole body of « pastors and doctors » of which we shall presently speak, unto the consummation of the age, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, do the words pertain (of Christ and of the Apostles. « O Timothy, keep the deposit... what is Timothy today but either in general the whole Church (in believing) or in particular the whole body of prelates (in teaching) ⁴, who ought either themselves to possess the full knowledge of divine worship or to infuse it into others » Vincent. Lirin. commonit. n. 27.

III. One thing remains: that we show how there can be reconciled with the foregoing the distinction which obtains between the charism of the Holy Spirit as it was in the Apostles, and the charism of the same Spirit as it is in the apostolic succession. For if the last declaration of the will of Christ the Lord — « behold I am with you all days even unto the consummation of the age » — and the promise — « He shall give you another Paraclete, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth » — pertains not to the Apostles alone regarded personally, but to the whole apostolic succession, it would seem to follow that all the charisms comprehended in these words extend in equal manner to all the successors of the Apostles as to the Apostles themselves. But since the power in teaching and the operations of the Spirit of truth were in the Apostles far ampler than in their successors, the question is asked by what reckoning those promises, forever and unto the consummation of the age, as the words of Christ expressly have it, are to be understood.

That the matter may be explained, first the offices in the Apostles themselves must be considered, instituting a comparison with the offices of their successors from other heads of doctrine, if any are at hand; for in the cited words there is no mention of such a comparison, and so it is in those words, taken by themselves and separately, neither included nor excluded. After this comparison, then, it will easily be understood how, though not all the offices of the Apostles, yet that which is directly expressed in these words is promised as perpetual in a perennial succession.

1°. Three things are to be considered in the Apostles for the present matter: a) as they received revelation immediately from Christ or from the Holy Spirit, and were themselves constituted the authentic organs of new revelations by which the whole revelation should be completed and consummated; b) as they were furnished by Christ with the authority of pastors, doctors, and guardians of the faith each for the universal Church; c) as, to all in communion and unity with Peter and under Peter regarded as one episcopal body, was entrusted the office of feeding and teaching and the custody of the faith committed to them for the universal Church. This last in the Apostles could not be severed from the first and second, as a charism comprehended in that higher one; yet of itself it is separable, and with the first and second ceasing it can endure. In the apostolate the episcopate was included; yet if the former was personal and incommunicable, the latter could be communicable and to be propagated unto the consummation of the age.

a) Now that the first of these three was personal to the Apostles, so as in no way to have been communicable and therefore not promised to successors, is certain from elsewhere. For these receive revealed doctrine from the Apostles as a deposit to be guarded, and are bidden to abide in it. « But thou hast fully known my doctrine..., continue thou in those things which thou hast learned and which have been committed to thee, knowing of whom thou hast learned them » 2. Tim. III. 10. 14.; cf. 1. Tim. IV. 5.; 2. Tim. I. 13. Nothing is commended to the Churches more earnestly than that they abide in the doctrine which they had learned, in the tradition which they had received from the Apostles: Rom. XVI. 17.; 1. Cor. XI. 2.; Coloss. II. 7.; 2. Thess. II. 15.; Heb. XIII. 7-9. Christ through Himself and through the Holy Spirit taught the Apostles all things which He willed to be comprehended in revelation for the unity of faith for His Church: John XIV. 26.; XVI. 12. 13.; XVII. 17-21. But He revealed all these things — i.e., the whole deposit — not only to be believed and known, but to His legates for teaching: Matt. XVIII. 20.; John XVII. 17. 20. Therefore apart from all these things handed down by the Apostles, no other revelation pertaining to the deposit of the Church to come after the Apostles is not only not promised but is excluded. Hence as all the faithful « are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets » Eph. II. 20., so in every Christian age there have ever been held as synonyms not only apostolic doctrine and divinely revealed doctrine to be believed, but also non-apostolic doctrine and doctrine not pertaining to the deposit of Catholic revelation. Cf. Stapleton, Controvers. l. V. c. 7. This head, of revelation completed in the Apostles themselves, we shall demonstrate more carefully in its own place.

b) Moreover, that neither the second prerogative of the Apostles, which we indicated in the second place, passed to the individual successors, is equally manifest. For the authority and the right of pasturing of individual bishops is restricted to individual Churches, or at least is not extended to the universal Church. For the Apostles constituted, and bade to be constituted, bishops through the individual cities (κατα πόλιν) Tit. I. 5. 7., or as Clement of Rome speaks (see above), « the Apostles preaching the Gospel through regions and cities (κατα χωρας καὶ πόλεις), appointed the firstfruits thereof, approved by the Spirit, as bishops of those who were to believe (therein) » ep. I. ad Corinth. n. 42. Whence Peter, himself a « fellow-elder », admonishes the elders and pastors, whose chief prince is Christ Himself, not that each should feed the universal flock of God; but « feed, he says, the flock of God which is among you, exercising oversight » (ἐπισκοποῦντες, i.e., discharging the sacred office, from which already from the Apostles and ever afterwards they have been called Bishops) 1. Pet. V. 1-4. In almost the same way Paul exhorts the « elders of the Church » of Asia: « take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops to rule (ἐπισκοπους ποιμαινειν) the Church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood » Acts XX. 28. This passage, especially if it be compared at the same time with the other, of Peter, is most remarkable. While Paul in the last clause names the Church of God with the article (τὴν ἐκκλησιαν του θεου), purchased with the blood of God Himself, assuredly the universal Church is signified, not a particular one merely as a part of the whole. Moreover, the whole clause « to rule the Church of God » depends on the noun « bishops » of plural and indeterminate number, so that « to rule the Church of God » expresses the proper office and charism of bishops in common, and the sense is the same as if it were said: the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, whose — if regarded generically and in common — proper office is to rule the Church of God. But if they be regarded individually, and personally those whom Paul addresses, they are not placed individually to rule the universal Church of God; but each is bidden to feed that flock of his own wherein he has been placed through the charism of the Holy Spirit ⁵. (cf. Zaccaria, Antifebron. dissertat. II. c. 7.; Antifebronius vindicatus, T. I. dissert. III. c. 5. n. 9.). For the clause « wherein He hath placed you » is evidently restrictive, to the particular flock; and consequently the words of Paul — « to the flock wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you » — are parallel to those of Peter — « the flock which is among you ». Whence the epithet « the whole flock » (παντι τω ποιμνιω) signifies not absolutely universal, but that whole flock wherein each one has been placed. On the doctrine and practice of the whole of Christian antiquity see Franciscus Antonius Zaccaria in Antifebronio, l. c. Cf. Conc. Trid. sess. 23. cap. 4.; Conc. Vatican. Constit. I. de Ecclesia, cap. 3.

Therefore the power of the Apostles as regards the universal Church, conferred on them individually by Christ, was personal, in which they were to have no successors. Into the individual successors of the Prince of the Apostles alone passes the power of ruling and authentically teaching the universal Church, because in Peter — not indeed simply the apostolate, but the primacy as the rock and foundation of the whole Church — was instituted perpetual, as long as the Church herself, founded on this rock, shall remain unconquered by the gates of hell, Matt. XVI. 19. But the demonstration of this truth pertains to another treatise.

c) Since from what has been demonstrated in parts I. and II. of this thesis it is established that the office of authentically teaching the universal Church and of guarding the whole deposit of faith under the promised guardianship of Jesus Christ and the assistance of the Holy Spirit was instituted in the Apostles themselves to be propagated by perpetual succession unto the consummation of the age; and since from what has been said in this part III. it is equally certain that this perpetuity was not instituted as regards the apostolate itself of new revelations and of universal magisterium with the charism of truth in individuals — that alone remains: that the Apostles, insofar as in them a perpetual succession was instituted with the charism of teaching and guarding the deposit for the universal Church, must be regarded in that manner alone which we indicated in the third place. Christ the Lord, namely, not only conferred on individuals the charism of the apostolate, but also instituted the whole college in union with Peter and under Peter the head as the first episcopal body, when to this body in this unity He said: « teach... and behold I am with you all days even unto the consummation of the age »; « He shall give you another Paraclete, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth. » But by this very act He instituted the episcopal body in that unity, with the charism of truth, to abide by perpetual succession unto the consummation of the age.

2°. With these things declared, the difficulty which is wont to be raised against the demonstration given in part I. of the thesis will easily be dispatched. The difficulty runs thus. In the words of Christ the Lord, Matt. XXVIII.; John XIV. — « teach all nations... and behold I am with you; He shall give you the Spirit of truth » — there is conferred or promised to the Apostles power and infallibility in teaching. If therefore those words were spoken to the Apostles insofar as they represented the whole series of their successors, the same power and infallibility in the same manner as to the Apostles has been promised to all their successors. But in the Apostles that charism extended both to new revelations through the Holy Spirit and to universal power and to infallibility in them individually. Therefore the same charisms should be deemed promised to the individual successors of them. But since this is manifestly false from elsewhere, the words cannot be understood as spoken to the Apostles as representing their successors, and therefore no promise for these is contained therein.

The answer is clear from what we have demonstrated both in part I. and in part III. a) In the words of Christ, Matt. XXVIII. and John XIV., there is expressly instituted a universal magisterium with the charism of truth as perpetual, and therefore to be not only in the Apostles but in their heirs, all days even unto the consummation of the age, forever. Therefore the mandate and promise of Christ in these words — « teach all nations, baptizing them, and behold I am with you even unto the consummation of the age, » « that the Spirit of truth may abide with you forever » — directly enunciate only the magisterium and the charism of truth joined with it as ordinary, i.e., to be propagated perennially to successors, and not all the charisms which perchance are established from elsewhere to have been conferred on the Apostles alone as extraordinary. b) The words are directed to the apostolic college in union with Peter — the words of the promise, John XIV., after it had already been promised to Peter that he alone among all the Apostles should be the rock of the whole Church, so that the gates of hell should never prevail against her (Matt. XVI.); the words of the mandate and institution, Matt. XXVIII., after Peter had already been singularly instituted the pastor and ruler of all the sheep of Jesus Christ (John XXI.). Hence the universal magisterium as ordinary, which is conferred by the words « teach all nations; baptizing them, teaching them (the baptized) to observe all things, » and the charism of truth joined with it which is likewise promised as ordinary — « and behold I am with you even unto the consummation, » « the Spirit of truth shall abide with you forever » — can be understood as promised and conferred to the whole college or to the apostolic body in union with its head and under its head Peter, not to individuals by themselves; and it must be so understood, because it is established from elsewhere (as we have demonstrated) that the universal magisterium, and the charism of infallibility joined with it, in the individual Apostles (except Peter the head), was not ordinary, of which there is direct treatment in Matt. XXVIII. and John XIV., but an extraordinary prerogative of the apostolate. c) The same holds altogether of the prerogative of new revelations. The words « teach all nations... teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and behold I am with you, » « the Spirit of truth shall abide with you forever, » of themselves promise and institute an infallible magisterium of revelation already made, but do not promise new revelations. When Christ the Lord promised in John XVI. 12. 13. that these should come through the Holy Spirit, He not only said nothing of perpetuity forever, all days even unto the consummation of the age; but He expressly had in view the Apostles personally, who as yet could not bear many things still to be said. At least, therefore, the words of Matt. XXVIII. and John XIV. can be understood of the infallible preaching of revelation already made and of the custody of the entrusted deposit, without being extended to the promise of new revelations; and that they must be so understood is established, because by those words there is instituted a magisterium and charism as ordinary, to endure perpetually, whereas the charism of new Catholic revelation is not perpetual in the Church of Jesus Christ, but was extraordinary, in no way to endure beyond apostolic times — as has already been proved from elsewhere, and shall be demonstrated below at length.

From what has been said it is also clear that the prerogative of universal and infallible magisterium did not stand in the Apostles in altogether the same way as the other prerogative of promulgating new revelation. The former was ordinary to the apostolic college in union with and subordination to its head Peter, as it juridically represented the perpetually future teaching Church — i.e., the Catholic episcopate formed and informed by its head, the perennial successor of Peter; likewise, by force of the primacy, just as the universal magisterium so also the charism of infallibility joined with it was ordinary to Peter, and thus both conferred to be transmitted by hereditary right to his individual successors in the primacy; to the remaining Apostles, by force of the apostolate, in no way hereditary, each was extraordinary in individuals. On the contrary, the other prerogative, of new revelation, was extraordinary to Peter no less than to the other Apostles, whether regarded individually or all together, and to be propagated neither to the successors of Peter nor to the whole episcopate.

If there should still be need to answer in form the difficulty proposed at the outset, take it thus. I distinguish the major: that by those words found in Matt. XXVIII. and John XIV. there is promised to the Apostles that power and infallibility in teaching which shall endure all days even unto the consummation of the age, and forever, that is, the ordinary — and that therefore these words directly refer to the whole apostolic body in union with Peter the head, not to individuals by themselves, and to the infallibly teaching and guarding of revelation already made, not to new revelation — I concede the major. That by these words directly are enunciated all charisms of power and infallibility, even the extraordinary, which are established from elsewhere to have been conferred on the Apostles by force of the apostolate — I deny the major. Whence also I distinguish the consequent of the major: that power and infallibility which by these words has been promised as ordinary to the apostolic college in union with Peter has also been promised in the same manner to the successors — i.e., to the whole body of successors in union with the successor of Peter — I concede the consequent; that any power and infallibility whatever, even the extraordinary, of which there is establishment in the Apostles, whether all or individual, from elsewhere but not directly from these words — I deny the consequent. By the same reckoning I distinguish the minor: that new revelation and universal power and infallibility in individual Apostles pertained to the extraordinary charisms, of which there is establishment not directly from these words but from elsewhere — I concede the minor; that these extraordinary charisms are directly enunciated by these words, by which are promised gifts to endure forever, all days even unto the consummation of the age — I deny the minor. Whence it is clear what of truth and what of falsity underlies the final conclusion.

I have said, however, that by the words of Matt. XXVIII. and John XIV. there is directly enunciated only the ordinary office in the apostolic college, insofar as the office is there joined with the promise of perpetuity; for prescinding from this institution of propagation to successors, I do not deny that the mandate of teaching all nations and the promise of the guardianship of Christ and of the Spirit of truth, in those same words, indirectly and in an ampler signification, can at the same time also extend to the extraordinary charisms of the apostolate.