By What Authority?

Authority

"And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, 'By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?'"

Luke 12:27
The religious leaders of Jesus' day demanded to know by what authority he taught the things he did and worked the miracles he did.
It is important to determine by what authority any religious body claims to speak. This, in fact, is the intent behind the second of the Ten Commandments (by the Catholic numbering), which forbids taking the name of the Lord in vain . This prohibition was originally intended not against profanity (if that even existed at the time), but rather against presuming to speak for God, i.e., to falsely claim to speak in His name, as false prophets did.
So the question is appropriate: does the Watchtower Society speak with authority from God? Does the Catholic Church? Let's examine the facts and see ...
  • Which religion has a better historical and Scriptural claim to authority: The Watchtower or the Catholic Church?
I invite your engagement with me on these questions. You may leave comments below, but please be sure to read our policy on commenting before doing so.
Thank you!

Watchtower View

The Watchtower Society and the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses claim to derive their authority from a perceived divine appointment or anointed commission. They believe that they are appointed by Jehovah God to provide spiritual guidance and direction to the worldwide community of Jehovah's Witnesses.

They base this claim on their interpretation of biblical scriptures, particularly passages such as Matthew 24:45-47, that they believe support the idea of a "faithful and discreet slave" class entrusted with the responsibility of dispensing spiritual food to God's people.

The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses is claimed to be the modern embodiment of this 'faithful and discreet slave' class. They claim that Jehovah God directs them through his holy spirit to interpret scripture and make decisions on behalf of the Jehovah's Witness organization. However, it is important to note that they insist they are "neither inspired nor infallible". Nevertheless they believe they are "spirit directed", and thus Jehovah's Witnesses are required to follow their doctrinal and moral direction.

Catholic View

Coming soon!

Summary

Coming soon!