Church authority is a common talking point when assessing doctrine. Some churches even claim you cannot study scripture independently, you must accept their authority, even if their doctrine is so radically different from scripture that it's obvious they made it up.
Even the early Church struggled with this problem. Many people ran around claiming authority from Christ, even to the extent of battling the actual Apostles. Observe, for example, the following extract from 2 Corinthians 10: "For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
From this, we gather a number of things. First, there were those who criticised Paul. "His letters are powerful, his body is weak, and his speech is awful". Now that Paul is with the Lord, we sort of have the opposite problem. His letters, supposedly, are so weak as to require aids to interpretation via churches, usually one particular denomination, who now claim authority from "Apostolic Succession", or from some mythical oral tradition, or a special priestly order etc. Paul, they say, would be on their side, but his letters are insufficient to prove that on their own.
Second, note the folly of these people. They measure themselves by themselves, becoming unwise. Does this sound familiar? Is it not reminiscent of certain exclusionist churches who claim one must submit to their authority when interpreting scripture?
But finally, and most importantly, look at the highest authority Paul describes. He doesn't deny that he has authority, but He points out its origins. It comes from God, and for edification, not for re-defining scripture. In fact, elsewhere, the Apostles deny their own value in comparison to scripture. Paul, in particular, describes Himself as a steward of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1), curses anyone, including an Apostle, who would dare alter the Gospel (Galatians 1:8), submits himself to the test of scripture (Acts 17:11), and commands us not to think of men beyond what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6). In other words, if the Bible does not ascribe authority or attribute to a person or role, they don't legitimately have it. Yet, nowhere is any one person or role given any kind of authority to interpret scripture for the layperson. Instead, there are many places where the layperson is given authority to learn from scripture even over a legitimate teacher. We are not only to test our teachers against scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 John 4:1), but are even explicitly told to study scripture even in spite of legitimate teachers (e.g. Psalm 119:97-100).
It is worth noting that even Jesus, with all His authority, refused to use Himself as the sole standard. Of course, He never denied His authority, He explicitly affirmed it. Nevertheless, He didn't just lay down His law and go home. No, He sought extra witness, and was so confident, He even said not to believe Him if He didn't have it. Observe:
"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (John 5:30-39).
Here, Jesus describes four particular witnesses to Himself: John, the Father, the works Jesus does through the Father, and the scriptures. Note, though He is God Himself, He did not assert His authority over the scriptures, but rather, He appealed to the scriptures as a witness to Himself. The Father testified of Him through an audible voice, as well as granting Him the power to do great works in His name. John the Baptist, of course, simply testified "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water." and "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God." (John 1:29-34).
In John 10:34-38, we read another example of Jesus offering proof of His authority. "Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him." Much like our previous example, Jesus appeals to two witnesses: His works, which are from the Father, and, once again, to scripture, which He says cannot be broken.
All of this evidence militates against any Church that would dare exalt itself above the word of God. Few Churches would be daft enough to explicitly claim a higher authority than God, but far too many of them elevate themselves to a functionally higher position than Him by claiming sole right to interpret His word. For some Churches, this is merely through arrogance. They have their traditions, they can't support it with the word of God, they insist they have authority from Him anyway. Other Churches have a far greater problem. Much like the Pharisees, they may give lip service to scripture, but give their traditions much more weight. Yet scripture states its own purpose: "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
Let us therefore echo men like Jerome, who once said "that which hath not authority from scripture, we may as easily despise as approve". May we take captive every thought and bring it into obedience to Christ, not through an arrogant organisation, but through the word of God Himself, given to us to make us wise to salvation, for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. If any Church should teach otherwise, let them be anathema.