Bible Readings — Bible Questions Answered

The Papacy and God’s Law

What else does the prophecy say the little horn would do? BR-ASI9 147.1

“And he shall think to change the times and the law.” Daniel 7:25, R.V. BR-ASI9 147.2

Note.—Of the power of the pope to alter divine laws a Catholic writer has the following to say: BR-ASI9 147.3

“The pope is of so great authority and power that he can modify, explain, or interpret even divine laws. . . . The pope can modify divine law, since his power is not of man, but of God, and he acts as vicegerent of God upon earth.”—Lucius Ferraris, Prompta Bibliotheca, “Papa,” art. 2, translated. BR-ASI9 147.4

The second commandment, which forbids making of, and bowing down to, images, is omitted in Catholic catechisms, and the tenth, which forbids coveting, is divided into two. BR-ASI9 147.5

As evidence of the change which has been made in the law of God by the papal power, and that it acknowledges the change and claims the authority to make it, note the following from Roman Catholic publications: BR-ASI9 147.6

“Q. Have you any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept? BR-ASI9 147.7

“A. Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her;—she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.”—Rev. Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism, “On the Obedience Due to the Church,” chap. 2, p. 174. (Imprimatur, John Cardinal McCloskey, archbishop of New York.) BR-ASI9 147.8

“Q. How prove you that the Church hath power to command feasts and holydays? BR-ASI9 149.1

“A. By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church. BR-ASI9 149.2

“Q. How prove you that? BR-ASI9 149.3

“A. Because by keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the Church’s power to ordain feasts, and to command them under sin: and by not keeping the rest by her commanded, they again deny, in fact, the same power.”—Rev. Henry Tuberville, D. D., An Abridgment of the Christian Doctrine, p. 58. BR-ASI9 149.4

“You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify.”—James Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of Our Fathers (1917 ed.), pp. 72, 73. BR-ASI9 149.5