Yes, most definitely a Catholic teaching. But it is not a Biblical teaching.Originally posted by Sirach:
Thank you for your reply. The Catholic Church teaches that it was built by Christ.
Peter warned about such men:We see in Scripture that men will distort the meanings of Scriptures, therefore, if the Catholic Church was built by Christ then you should read the bible with Catholic Commentary.
2 Peter 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Where does the Bible speak of "the proper institution? Over and over again the Bible speaks or gives the example of sola scriptura. It admonishes us to:(Sirach continues):
[bold]Acts 20:29 [/bold]
I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock.
[bold]30 [/bold]And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after them.
[bold]2 Peter 3:15[/bold]
And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you,
[bold]16[/bold] speaking of these things 12 as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures.
[bold]17[/bold] Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability.
"distort to their own destruction" these are some pretty powerful words, we need the proper instruction to understand Scripture, just as the Eunuch did...
"Study to show ourselves approved unto God." Not to depend on an institution such as the magesterium.
"Search the Scriptures..." Not to depend on an institution such as the magesterium."
"This book of the law shall not depart out of they mouth but thou shalt meditate on it day and night..." Not to depend on an instituiton such as Magesterium,
"To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them," Not because they depend on an institution such as a Magesterium.
"This book is lamp unto our feet; a light unto our path"--not an institution such as the Mageserium
"And they seacrhed the Scriptures daily with all readiness of mind to see whether these things were so," instead of depending on an institution such as the Magesterium.
"And Philip began at the same Scripture and preached unto him Jesus," instead of interpreting to him the official position of Magesterium.
How arrogant to say that there was an institution around to claim that they had a "private interpretation" of the Bible which is the only correct one. They still make that claim today, which is directly contrary to Scripture.
2 Peter 1:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Acts 8:30-35 - And Philip running thither, heard him reading the prophet Isaias. And he said: Thinkest thou that thou understandest what thou readest?
31 Who said: And how can I, unless some man shew me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32 And the place of the scripture which he was reading was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb without voice before his shearer, so openeth he not his mouth.
33 In humility his judgment was taken away. His generation who shall declare, for his life shall be taken from the earth?
34 And the eunuch answering Philip, said: I beseech thee, of whom doth the prophet speak this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip, opening his mouth, and beginning at this scripture, preached unto him Jesus.
The first church was not a Catholic one, and thus the Ethiopian Eunuch, after he made a profession of faith in Christ, that is by faith and faith alone, trusted Christ; he went down into the water, and was immersed, and came up out of the water after being immersed. What do you know! He was a Baptist after all!If someone who was not from the first Church talked to this eunuch, they could easily lead in into destruction.

Sincere, but sincerly wrong and sincerely biased.I'm sure your priest was sincere in why you should read the Scriptures with a Catholic commentary because it is easy to get confused when reading them. The Scriptures are deep and without the right perspective on them, we could easily misunderstand them.
And the Catholics have no understanding of them at all. Just ask them what it means to be "born again?"
You should do that more often. But be more objective in your selection of commentaries. If you stick with you Catholic commentaries you will never come to a knowledge of the truth.Something that I used to do is group all the scriptures that talk about a subject together, I took notes... but now with the Internet and computers, it's much easier to search the bible for any given subject and read it all... saves a lot of writing![]()
God Bless!
Sirach
DHK