They concluded they needed to be commissioned by Christ.  They specifically rejected any notion of a culturally-conditioned origin of a male-only priesthood because that would require teaching that Jesus was limited in his divine role as Savior by the times and mores, which He was not as the Church has always taught. He fully fulfilled his earthly mission and provided everything necessary for salvation.

John Paul II taught "the Church has no authority whatsoever" because it did not, anymore than it had authority to delete a sacrament or add another.

Circumcision, beards, and marriage are red herrings as the constant practice of the Church since Apostolic times attests.