Because He appointed them to represent Him following His ascension. Specifically them: 12 men to judge the 12 tribes of Israel in the regeneration.
It's based on what I see in the scriptures...nothing more.
Regardless of time period or dispensation, the authority was given specifically to the apostles.
Aye, I say that it is "deeply entrenched in MAD" because no non-MADist would approach it the way you are approaching it imo.
I'm only going on what I see in the scriptures. I see Jesus appointing 12 and empowering them specifically, since they were appointed to be judges in the regeneration. There is zero indication that they were transferring that authority to anyone else. And Matthias can't be used as a counter to this, as he filled the office of Judas, bringing the number back to the 12 required to sit on the 12 thrones over the 12 tribes in the regeneration. He became one of the Twelve.
There's no biblical support for a priest claiming that authority from the chosen apostles.
Apostolic succession.
There certainly is such evidence, both in the New Testament (Titus 1:5, Judas' replacement, 2 Timothy 2:2) and in the writings of the Early Church (Ignatius, Irenaeus). Even in the OT we see Moses passing down his own position, we see Elijah pick Elisha, we see the passing down of the priestly position in the tribe of Levi from generation to generation, etc. And the idea that Christ picked Apostles to head His Church but expected the church to die out once those Apostles died isn't feasible, and is not commonly held in non-MAD circles. Any historian would tell you how crucial that Apostolic succession of Christianity was to the existence of Christianity today as well as the purity of the teachings. The Protestants have what you claim the early Church had, and they have broken into more than 30,000 denominations. We see nothing of the sort from the early Christians, for although there were always those who wanted to break off, the one thing that held the Church together was the fact that some could legitimately claim Apostolic authority.
Hope you are well :cheers: