Who Has Authority to Interpret God’s Word?

Jesus gave authority to interpret his teachings—i.e., God’s word—to the apostles and their successors. This is first seen in the Great Commission, where Jesus directs his apostles to make disciples of all nations, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). Here we see that long before any of the books of the New Testament were written, Jesus gives the apostles authority to faithfully teach his unwritten teachings—and by extension those contained in the written Old Testament.

The apostles’ God-given authority is affirmed elsewhere, as Christ’ teachings are referred to as “the apostles’ teaching” in the early Church (Acts. 2:42). The authority of the Church and thus the apostles is also affirmed by St. Paul (1 Tim. 3:15). Consequently, it is the apostles and their successors who have the God-given authority to interpret the New Testament when its books are first written and then ultimately compiled.

Jesus appointed Peter and his successors as the head of the apostles. For more on this topic, please see my article “Pentecost and the Papacy.”