How does Paul, speaking of the man of sin, describe this same power?
Answer
"Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits
in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." 2 Thess. 2: 4.
NOTES - The following extracts from authoritative works, most of them by Roman Catholic
writers, will indicate to what extent the Papacy has done this:" All the names which are attributed to Christ in Scripture, implying His supremacy over the
church, are also attributed to the Pope."--Bellarmine, "On the Authority of Councils," book 2, Chap. 17.
'You thou art the shepherd, thou art the physician, thou art the director, thou art the husbandman;
finally thou art another God on earth."-From Oration of Christopher Marcellus in fourth session of Fifth
Lateran Council, Labbe and Cossart's "History of the Councils," published in 1672, V01. XIV, C01. 109.
'You not man, but God, not by human but rather by divine authority, releases those whom, on
account of the need of the churches or what is regarded as a benefit, the Roman pontiff (who is vicegerent
on earth, not of mere man, but of the true God) separates [from their churches ]" - 'The Decretals of
Gregory IX,' book 1, title 7, chap. 3.
"The Pope is the supreme judge of the law of the land. He is the vicegerent of Christ, who is not
only a priest for ever, but also King of kings and Lord of lords." -From the Civilta Cattolica, March M,
1871, quoted in "Vatican Council," by Leonard Woolsev Bacon, American Tract Society edition, page 220.
"Christ entrusted His office to the chief pontiff; . . . but all power in heaven and in earth had been
given to Christ; . . . therefore the chief pontiff, who is His vicar, will have this power."-Gloss on the
"Extravagantes Communes," book 1, "On Authority and Obedience," chap. i, on words Porro Subesse
Romano Pontiff. Canon law, published in 1556, Vol. III, "Extravagantes Communes," COL. 29.
"Hence the Pope is crowned with a triple crown, as king of heaven, and earth, and purgatory
(Infernorum).' .- "Prompta Bibliotheca," Ferraris, Vol. VI, page 26, article "Papa" (the Pope).
"All the faithful of Christ must believe that the Holy Apostolic See and the Roman pontiff
possesses the primacy over the whole world, and that the Roman pontiff is the successor of the blessed
Peter, prince of the apostles, and is true vicar of Christ, and the head of the whole church, and father and
teacher of all Christians, and that full power was given him in blessed Peter to rule, feed, and govern the
universal church by Jesus Christ our Lord.' - "Petri Privilegium," in section on "The Vatican Council and
Its Definitions," by Henry Edward Manning, Archbishop of Westminster (Roman Catholic), London,
Longmans, Green & CO., 1871, Page 214.
"We teach and define that it is a dogma divinely revealed; that the Roman pontiff, when he speaks
ex cathedra, that is, when in the discharge of the office of Pastor and Doctor of all Christians, by virtue of
his supreme apostolic authority he defines a doctrine regarding faith or morals to be held by the universal
church, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, is possessed of that infallibility with
which the divine Redeemer willed that His church should be endowed for defining doctrine regarding faith
or morals: and that therefore such definitions of the Roman pontiff are irreformable of themselves, and not
from the consent of the church." Id., page 218.
"Should Jesus Christ come in person from heaven into a church to administer the sacrament of
reconciliation, and should He say to a penitent, 'I absolve thee,' and should a priest sitting at His side in the
tribunal of penance pronounce over a penitent the selfsame words, 'I absolve thee,' there is no question that
in the latter case, as in the former, the penitent would be equally loosed from his sin."-"Jesus Living in the
Priest," by the Rev. P. Millet, S.J., English translation by the Rt. Rev. Thomas Sebastian Byrne, D.D.,
Bishop of Nashville; New York, Benziger Brothers, printers to the Holy Apostolic See, 1901, pages 23, 24.
Imprimatur, Michael Augustine, Archbishop of New York.
"They have assumed infallibility, which belongs only to God. They profess to forgive sins, which
belongs only to God. They profess to open and shut heaven, which belongs only to God. They profess to be
higher than all the kings of the earth, which belongs only to God. And they go beyond God in pretending to
loose whole nations from their oath of allegiance to their kings, when such kings do not please them. And
they go against God, when they give indulgences for sin. This is the worst of all blasphemies."-Adam
Clarke, on Dan. 7: 25.
What course on the part of children is well pleasing to the Lord?
What did Joseph, in Egypt, say when tempted to sin?
Of what sin were the Amorites specially guilty?
What is the first which He took away?
At Corinth what did he do on the Sabbath days?
What will be the third plague?
Who is the seed to whom this promise was made?
Questions & Answers are from the book Bible Readings for the Home Circle