In its document "Synodality in the life and mission of the Church" (2018, p. 67) the International Theological Commission, when discussing the issues of participation and authority in the synodal Church, points out that the Church is called to give expression to the participation of all the faithful, yet stresses at the same time that the authority of pastors is not a delegated and representative function of the people, being "a specific gift of the Spirit of Christ the Head for the upbuilding of the entire Body". The aim of this presentation is to critically analyse the Magisterial argumentation in favour of the thesis that pastoral authority in the Church is given directly by God and not directly by the people. Why does the Church teach that ecclesial authority is not delegated by and representative of the faithful? Is this argumentation correct and valid? Examined will be various theories of divine appointment and theories of popular delegation of power. Particular attention will be paid to the theories of Cajetan, Bellarmine, and Suarez. The question of the people's power to remove a heretical pope or bishop will be addressed as well.