Introduction to Doctrine 8 - Tradition
"Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle." (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
The word tradition literally means "a giving over by word of mouth or writing". It refers to teachings handed down from one person to another. Tradition is not in and of itself wrong; it is only wrong when opposed to the Word of God. In the early church, good tradition was the principal means of Christian instruction (Luke 1:2). Paul used this word to describe his teachings, especially at Corinth and Thessalonica (2 Thess. 3:6 also). False tradition ends up as heresy or apostasy.
Illustration: The religious leaders of Jesus' day erred in placing the traditions of men above the Word of God (Matt. 15:1-9). In contrast, Luke sifted through existing records and apparently interviewed witnesses in writing an inspired record to instruct Theophilus in the faith (Luke 1:1-4).
Application: Christians need to sit under the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, but when the content conflicts with the Scriptures, the teaching of men should be disregarded for the certain truth of the Bible.
The word tradition literally means "a giving over by word of mouth or writing". It refers to teachings handed down from one person to another. Tradition is not in and of itself wrong; it is only wrong when opposed to the Word of God. In the early church, good tradition was the principal means of Christian instruction (Luke 1:2). Paul used this word to describe his teachings, especially at Corinth and Thessalonica (2 Thess. 3:6 also). False tradition ends up as heresy or apostasy.
Illustration: The religious leaders of Jesus' day erred in placing the traditions of men above the Word of God (Matt. 15:1-9). In contrast, Luke sifted through existing records and apparently interviewed witnesses in writing an inspired record to instruct Theophilus in the faith (Luke 1:1-4).
Application: Christians need to sit under the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, but when the content conflicts with the Scriptures, the teaching of men should be disregarded for the certain truth of the Bible.
posted by Andrew Brown at 11:40 PM
2 Comments:
Dear Andrew,
Greetings from a fellow Pohagnite. I'm happy to see you mention the subject of Tradition, which is of utmost importance to all Christians.
The Bible is a product of Tradition. This does not mean that the Bible is inferior in any way to Tradition, no, just that the two must be understood together. This is the essence of the Ethiopian Eunuch's request (Acts 8:31-34). Indeed, the Bible itself can only be uderstood through Tradition and through the Bible itself, illustrating the perilous error of proof-texting.
This is what Father Jim Tucker meant when, linking to Ten Questions for Bible Christians, he said:
"Whenever anyone has asked me whether my religion is based on the Bible, I usually answer, 'No, the Bible is based on my religion.'"
I never understood the meaning of Tradition until I learned that the early Church had no definitive New Testament for several centuries. It used the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament containing the Deuterocanonical books that Luther threw out.
Yours,
Joshua
I am not interested in what "Father Jim Tucker" says on tradition nor any other man. Let's hear what Christ Himself says on tradition and the Bible which you say must be understood together. Jesus seems to say otherwise:
"Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the traditions of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!" Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of yoru tradition?" For God said, "Honor your father and mother" (Jesus quoting from Exodus 20:12 and Deut. 5:16) and "Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death." (Jesus this time quoting from Exodus 21:17 and Levitus 20:9) But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God," he is not to "honor his father" with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men." (Jesus quoting Isaiah 29:13) Matthew 15:1-9)
What Jesus said to the Pharisees and teachers of the law some 2,000 years ago, He says to "Roman Catholics" today.
www.reachingcatholics.org
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