Protestants believe in sola scriptura, which means the Bible is the ultimate authority for the Christian life. Catholics believe that Scripture and Sacred Tradition are both authorities, and the authoritative magisterium provides binding interpretations of them.

Here’s why Catholics can’t embrace sola scriptura.

The Bible itself rejects the idea.
Nowhere in Scripture does it claim to be the sole authority for the Christian life. Jesus doesn’t tell His apostles to write Gospels; rather, He commissions them to preach the Gospel.

If you claim that sola scriptura is true but can’t find it in the Bible, you’re appealing to another authority outside of Scripture.

The Bible offers Sacred Tradition as an authoritative guide.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:15, St. Paul says, “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.”

“By mouth or letter” sounds a lot like Scripture and Sacred Tradition!

In Matthew 16:18–19, Jesus tells Peter, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Catholics have traditionally pointed to this passage as evidence that Peter was given authority over the other apostles and the Church — an authority passed on to his successors, the popes.

However, in Matthew 18:18, Jesus tells all of the apostles, “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Does this prove that Peter actually has no special authority?

Not quite. But before explaining why, let’s look at the meaning behind the keys and the terms “binding” and “loosing.”

The Old Testament backdrop to Matthew 16 and 18

There are many patron saints. Some make total sense; others are more unusual. Did you know there are patron saints of unattractive people, motorcyclists, and comedians?

This begs the question: How did these saints become associated with their “fields of expertise”? And isn’t the concept of a patron saint too similar to the Greek and Roman deities and their various specialties?

Let’s explain.

Why do we invoke the saints for particular things?
Saints are “assigned” certain tasks because they have some affinity for them. Saint Monica is the patron of mothers because she suffered the heartbreak of having her son, St. Augustine, turn away from God. After many maternal prayers, he returned. So, mothers can look to her as one who understands the pain of wayward children.

St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of universities, and we know he taught at the University of Paris. St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, a fitting title for a man who preached to birds.

Saints don’t receive their specialty because they have sole providence over certain fields. St. Thomas can still intercede for your injured dog and St. Francis for your upcoming exam.

Do Catholics make the saints too much like pagan gods?