Indeed Peter’s words show it is actually God’s spirit producing the prophecy even though an individual may be speaking or writing.
In order to establish the early church these gifts of the spirit were given yet as Paul said (Heb. 5:14) those who were mature spiritually would be able to discern both right and wrong.
But in no case was it “private interpretation” as the source was God’s spirit.
Daniel studied Jeremiah’s prophecy and was able to give a prohecy about the 70 weeks. (Dan. 9:1)
“And searching therein we also see that it does not condemn “private interpretation,” in the sense of making judgments and discerning truth based upon evidence, use of reason, and examination of the Scriptures, as this is appealed to and affirmed in Scripture, even if it conflicts with those who sit in authority, as that is how the Lord Jesus gained followers and the church began.”
This was what Daniel was doing even though the full outworking he neither understood or lived to see.
“However, your church does not claim inspiration — whereby a man is so moved by the Holy Spirit that what he utters or writes are the very words of God — but infallibly claims she is protected from error by the Holy Spirit whenever she speaks in accordance with her infallibly defined criteria, whereby she makes nebulous oral Tradition equal to Scripture;” (from suppl. post)
The distinction made between inspiration and claims of infallibility seems a false one. If the Pope can speak as a representitive of God and at the same time admitt he is speaking without the possibility of error and hence must be obeyed how is that effectively different from claiming divine inspirtion and conformiy to it?
” If the Pope can speak as a representative of God and at the same time admit he is speaking without the possibility of error and hence must be obeyed, how is that effectively different from claiming divine inspiration and conformity to it?”
In terms of required obedience it does seem to be a distinction without a difference, though besides the difference btwn the Divinely inspired word of God and a human document that is protected from liability to error, there is a diffidence in what is being obeyed, that of Scripture “making known by God, supernaturally of some truth hitherto unknown, or at least not vouched for by Divine authority; whereas infallibility is concerned with the interpretation and effective safeguarding of truths already revealed.” (Catholic Encyclopedia>Infallibility)