HAVING RIGHTFUL AUTHORITY TO INTERPRET THE BIBLE

Photo: Monica Bravo / Pinterest

Introduction

Who have authority to interpret and who's no authority? How 3 branches and over 45,000 clashes with the written sacred word?

Catholic Side

The Catholic Church teaches that Christ entrusted the Magisterium (the living teaching office of the Church) with the sole authority to provide an authentic and definitive interpretation of the Word of God. This authority is exercised by the Pope and the bishops in communion with him. Interpretation is not based on the Bible alone but rests on the "threefold cord" of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium, which are considered inseparable. Catholics believe this authority was handed down from Jesus to the Apostles and their successors, ensuring the Church remains the "pillar and bulwark/foundation of the truth"(1 Timothy 3:15)

Protestant

Most Protestant denominations adhere to the principle of Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) and the Priesthood of All Believers. Every believer has the right and responsibility to read and interpret the Bible for themselves, guided by the Holy Spirit. This view asserts that the Bible is clear ("perspicuous") enough in its essential message for an ordinary person to understand what is necessary for salvation. Protestants often maintain that the Bible is its own best interpreter; difficult passages should be clarified by referring to clearer ones. 

Lutheran focuses on the "normative core message" of the Gospel (justification by grace) as the primary lens for interpretation. They utilize the Book of Concord (1580) as a guiding document to ensure interpretations remain faithful to this core. Reformed (Calvinist) emphasizes God's sovereignty and interprets the Bible as a unified revelation of His redemptive plan. They believe the Holy Spirit provides "internal testimony" to the heart of the individual believer to recognize and understand scriptural authority. Baptist stresses the autonomy of the local church and the "priesthood of all believers," meaning each individual is responsible for interpreting and practicing the Word as guided by the Holy Spirit. 

Orthodox

Like Catholicism, the Orthodox Church emphasizes that the Bible cannot be interpreted in isolation from the Church’s Tradition. Authority resides in the Church as a collective whole, particularly through the consensus of the Ecumenical Councils and the writings of the Early Church Fathers.The Bible is viewed as the "book of the Church," and its meaning is found within the liturgical and traditional life of the community. 

Outside 3 branches

Outside of the primary Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox traditions, various denominations and movements hold distinct views on who possesses the rightful authority to interpret religious truth.

Restorationism is built on the belief that a "Great Apostasy" corrupted the original Christian church, requiring a divine restoration of authority. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS)'s authority rests in Modern Prophets and Apostles. Interpretation is guided by a "living oracles" principle, where current revelation to the Prophet (President of the Church) and other general authorities can clarify or add to the biblical record through additional scriptures like the Book of Mormon. Seventh-day Adventists, however, while maintaining sola scriptura, they emphasize that Scripture is its own interpreter (the analogy of Scripture). They also hold the writings of Ellen G. White as a "continuing and authoritative source of truth" that provides comfort, guidance, and instruction for the church. Jehovah’s Witnesses' authority is centralized in the Governing Body, a small group of elders who provide "spiritual food" and authoritative interpretations of the Bible for the global community. 

Quakers reject the need for any external human intermediary, such as a priest or a formalized creed. The "Inner Light", authority resides in the direct, personal experience of the Holy Spirit within each individual. Interpretation is not static; Quakers believe in "continuing revelation," where God continues to speak directly to individuals and the community. Scripture is often viewed as a secondary authority that must be illuminated by the same Spirit that originally inspired it. 

Anglican and Methodist: Often use Prima Scriptura, where the Bible is the primary authority but is interpreted alongside tradition, reason, and experience (often called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral in Methodism). However, Anglicanism positions itself as a "middle way" between Roman Catholicism and Radical Protestantism. Unlike many Protestant groups, Anglicans explicitly elevate "Reason"—the critical application of the mind—as a necessary tool to interpret how Scripture and Tradition apply to contemporary contexts. 

Anabaptist and Radical Traditions emphasize the "priesthood of all believers" but often place a unique weight on the local community. Rather than a centralized hierarchy or purely individualistic interpretation, the right to interpret is often seen as a communal task. The Holy Spirit is believed to guide the gathered local congregation as they read and apply the text together in their specific context. Interpretation is a collective community experience. While the "priesthood of all believers" is upheld, the community works together to reach a consensus on meaning rather than relying on a central hierarchy.

Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, while often falling under the Protestant umbrella, these movements emphasize a unique source of interpretive authority. Authority can be exercised through spiritual gifts such as prophecy or "words of knowledge." These spontaneous revelations from the Holy Spirit are often used to interpret how biblical principles apply to specific, immediate situations for individuals or congregations. While viewing Scripture as authoritative, they place a heavy emphasis on the ongoing work and direct revelation of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life to illuminate the text. 

In the context of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), the rightful authority to interpret the Bible is held exclusively by its Executive Minister and authorized Ministers. The INC teaches that God’s words are "hidden in mystery" (Romans 16:25) and cannot be understood through human wisdom or academic study alone. Authority is granted only to those "sent" by God. The church maintains that the late Felix Y. Manalo was the "Last Messenger" in these last days, specifically commissioned by God to preach and interpret the true meaning of the Scriptures. This authority is believed to reside within the Church Administration. Current ministers under the leadership of the Executive Minister are the only ones recognized as having the divine guidance necessary to teach the Gospel without error. Based on 2 Peter 1:20, the INC rejects "private interpretation," asserting that ordinary members or outside scholars cannot accurately interpret the Bible's message without the guidance of the commissioned messengers. 

Analogical Battle

In Catholic theology, the Magisterium refers to the official teaching authority of the Roman Catholic Church, exercised by the Pope and the bishops. Because it is a complex concept involving authority, interpretation, and service, several common analogies are used to explain its role: (1) Three-Legged Stool is the most common analogy for the "Deposit of Faith." The stool represents the foundation of Christian belief, which requires three legs to stand. Aside Sacred Scripture, the other is Sacred Tradition the living transmission of the Gospel through the Church. The Magisterium is the official teaching office that interprets both Scripture and Tradition. If any one leg is removed, the "stool" of faith cannot support itself. (2) Just as the Supreme Court interprets the Constitution to settle legal disputes and clarify the law for the nation, the Magisterium interprets the "Constitution" of faith (Scripture and Tradition) to clarify doctrine for the faithful. It ensures that individual interpretations do not lead to chaos or contradictory beliefs.

(3) The Magisterium acts like a rigorous historian who examines ancient sources. Just as an historian does not "create" history but identifies and organizes the most authentic sources to build an accurate narrative, the Magisterium identifies and protects the "authentic" elements of Tradition and Scripture to present a unified teaching. (4) An analogy from Catholic Stand compares the Church to a manual transmission car: The Car represents the Church moving toward its destination (Heaven).The Engine/Fuel represents he Holy Spirit and the Sacraments. The Magisterium (The Clutch) represents the mechanism that allows the engine’s power to be transmitted to the wheels smoothly. Without the clutch (Magisterium), the vehicle cannot shift gears or move forward effectively. 

Several analogies illustrate these Protestant views on biblical interpretation: Martin Luther famously compared the Bible to a "mighty tree" where every word is a branch. He stated that he had "shaken every one of these branches" to discover its meaning, suggesting that any diligent believer can and should engage directly with the text. While all believers have the right to read the Bible, some Protestant traditions distinguish between the "amateur" reader and the "professional" minister. This analogy suggests that while anyone can read a medical journal, they should still listen to a trained doctor; similarly, while all can read Scripture, trained ministers provide a "higher ranking" interpretation based on professional study.

Some describe the Bible as a "reference manual" or "life manual". In this analogy, the text is considered clear enough (the doctrine of perspicuity) that an ordinary person can understand its essential message for salvation without an external authority. Protestants believe the Bible's central message is clear enough for any person of average intelligence to understand. A common analogy is that Scripture is a "light" (Psalm 119:105) meant to illuminate the path for everyone, not just a specialized elite.The Holy Spirit is viewed as the "only reliable interpreter," who illuminates the mind of the individual believer to understand spiritual truths.

Protestants often cite the Bereans (Acts 17:11), who are commended for testing even an Apostle’s teaching against the Scriptures. This serves as an analogy for the believer's right and duty to judge any human teaching by the biblical text. While all have the right to interpret, some traditions acknowledge a hierarchy of readings, comparing ministers to "professionals" with specialized training who help guide "amateur" readers. 

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