Some Thoughts on Apostolic Succession

Common Protestant Objection to Apostolic Succession:
Neither the Son of God, nor the apostles, ever claimed they would have successors.>>>>> 

Have you ever considered these passages in relation to apostolic succession?

1. 2 Timothy 2:2
and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

There is certainly an infallible apostolic teaching that needs to be passed on to faithful men who will teach other faithful men so the truth of the Gospel can be transmitted without error to future generations. 

Do you see my point? I don’t think that Protestants would disagree with it, but some might just because it is a Catholic making it. 

2. 1 Corinthians 11:2
Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 

Notice that there were apostolic traditions that the Christians at Corinth were supposed to be maintaining. So, we have apostolic teachings that define doctrine. We have apostolic traditions that govern gathered worship and the Eucharist. 

3. You have Jesus handing the keys of the Kingdom to Peter. Check out the book of Acts to see the prominent role Peter played. Check out the end of the Gospel of John as well to see how Jesus commissioned Peter to feed His sheep and lambs. John was a witness of that, so it wasn’t just Peter making things up. 

Peter given the keys of the Kingdom and using them.
Peter made the rock upon which Jesus would build His Church.
Peter being commissioned to feed the sheep and lambs. 

Matthew 16:18
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock[b] I will build my church, and the gates of hell[c] shall not prevail against it. 

Now, your Protestant point of view will take you straight to what you think those passages cannot mean. Why not consider another point of view? What do those passages mean? You will at least see why all of Christiandom except Protestants see in that a primary role for the Bishop of Rome. 

It could be that everyone else is wrong and has been wrong for a long, long time, but it could be that Protestants are wrong. 

Relate it to the Trinity if you like. Where is the Trinity in the Bible? I believe it is there, but it is the Church that defined it as dogma. 

Now, you may not agree, but at least you might be able to see that there is a Biblical basis for Catholic traditions. The Church’s teachings are not just made up out of thin air.