Protestants and Holy Scripture

I have thought recently about the preeminence Protestants give to the Bible in their various confessions. However good their intentions might be, their view is fundamentally injured by the absence among them of a governing magisterium and an ultimate human authority - both of which the Catholic Church possesses.

Lacking a supreme human element causes them to exalt Holy Scripture beyond a reasonable degree, beyond the degree to which Our Savior intended it - namely, to the status almost of a rule-book, having it count for themselves what the Pentateuch counted for the Hebrews. But the Hebrews had a priestly class who interpreted this Law of Moses when disputes arose.

As to the physical form which Holy Scripture takes, in essence, they almost commit idolatry, idolizing the physical form of the book in which it appears, because there is no Blessed Sacrament to worship, and no priest in whom to reverence the Person of Jesus Christ. Or, because they have no physical thing upon which to focus their attention and devotion, of necessity the Holy Bible, the most precious thing to them, takes this role.

The Word of God is only alive through the Church.

Hence, we Catholics say "The Church says...", whereas Protestants say, "The Bible says..."