The Papacy and Church Authority

In scripture, Jesus gave his apostles different authorities over teaching and managing the faith. Peter also received authorities unique to himself in scripture. During their lives they taught the faith and transcribed the messages that would become known to us as the Gospels that are based on their personal experience of the story of Our Lord. The apostles also passed on the authority they were given over the faith to their successors and began the . This Apostolic Succession lasts to this day and is what gives the church authority over the faith. No man may say that the authority given by Jesus may ever be null or void. This is what unifies the church and what gives the church its ability to make claims over the interpretation of scripture and of the faith.

>Apostolic Succession is not in scripture!
This is not true but also not necessary ad the promises of authority is readily apparent in scripture. There is no reason to limit their authority to what they had written down. It is a historical fact that they did pass down their authority to successors.
If you want to see succession in scripture look at the appointing of Matthias in the book of Acts after the fall of Judas. We also have the mention of the "laying on of hands" procedure to appoint bishops in 1 Tim 4:14.

>But the apostles sinned too!
This is also very true but just because one sins does not mean they cannot teach the word of God truthfully. In fact, that Jesus gave authority to people still capable of sinning shows a trust in their teaching of the faith.
Personally, that his apostles still remained culpable of sin during this time is a great lesson to us that despite our sin we can still have hope to press forward into something greater.

>What is the pope in all this?
The papacy is the position Peter held. He is not the mediator between God and the people but fulfills the position Peter had in his time.

>But wasn't Peter the bishop of Antioch, not Rome?
Peter began three churches. Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria. In Antioch and Alexandria, Peter founded the church, appointed a Bishop, and left. At Rome he stayed and ran his church until his martyrdom. Peter's church he kept himself in and established his chair as head of was the one of Rome. The church leaders at the time acknowledge this. A good example of this acknowledgement is that during the councils assembled by the whole church body (the Ecumenical Councils) there was the order of the churches provided. They listed Rome first, which would not be the case if Antioch was actually the successor of Peter.
I believe it was St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Antioch, who wrote, "We had Peter, but we gave him up to Rome."

>How is the pope infallible? Must we obey his every word?
No. Infallibility is a power the pope may exercise in his position to make an infallible statement about the faith and morality but it doesn't mean that the pope is constantly using that power every time he speaks. Papal Infallibility has only been exercised 2-3 times in all of the history of the successors of Peter.
This infallibility ability of Peter's position comes from the unique authorities given by Jesus to him.