Reference: Tradition
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Col 2:8; Tit 1:14, a doctrine, sentiment, or custom not found in the Bible, but transmitted orally from generation to generation from some presumed inspired authority. In patriarchal times, much that was valuable and obligatory was thus preserved. But tradition has long been superseded by the successive and completed revelations of God's will which form the inspired Scriptures, the only perfect and sufficient rule of belief and practice. With this, even before the time of the Savior, Isa 8:20, all traditions were to be compared, as being of no value if they conflicted with it, added to it, or took from it, Re 22:19. The Jews had numerous unwritten traditions, which they affirmed to have been delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai, and by him transmitted to Joshua, the judges, and the prophets. After their wars with the Romans under Adrian and Severus, in view of their increasing dispersion over the earth, the Jews desired to secure their traditions by committing them to writing. Accordingly Rabbi Judah "the Holy," composed the Mishna, or second law, the most ancient collection of the Hebrew traditions, about A. D. 190-220. To this text two commentaries were afterwards added: the Gemara of Jerusalem, probably about A. D. 370; and the Gemara of Babylon, A. D. 500; forming, with the Mishna, the Talmud of Jerusalem and that of Babylon. The contents of these voluminous works poorly remunerate the student of the laborious task of reading them. Our Savior severely censured the adherents of such legendary follies in his own day, and reproached them with preferring the traditions of the elders to the law of God itself, and superstitiously adhering to vain observances while they neglected the most important duties, Mt 15:1-20; Mr 7:1-13. The traditions of the Romish church, with less apology than the ancient Jews had before the New Testament was written, are still more in conflict with the word of God, and still more deserving of the Savior's condemnation.
In 2Th 2:15; 3:6, "tradition" means inspired instructions from the lips of those who received them from God, and were authorized to dispense them in his name. These apostolic sayings were obligatory only on those who received them as inspired directly from the apostles. Had any of them come down to our times, the only means of endorsing them must be by showing their agreement with the word of God, since inspiration and miracles have ceased.
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[Seek] to the law and to the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.
Then scholars and Pharisees from Jerusalem come to Jesus, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. read more. And having answered, he said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God, because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and thy mother, and, He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him perish in death. But ye say, Whoever may say to the father or the mother, Whatever thou might have benefited from me is an offering. And he will, no, not honor his father or mother. And ye have annulled the command of God because of your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying, This people comes near me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips, but their heart is far distant from me. And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. And having called in the multitude, he said to them, Hear and understand. Not that which enters into the mouth defiles the man, but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles the man. Then having come near, his disciples said to him, Know thou that the Pharisees were offended when they heard the saying? But having answered, he said, Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant, will be uprooted. Leave them. They are blind leaders of blind men, and if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a ditch. And having answered, Peter said to him, Explain this parable to us. And Jesus said, Are ye also still without understanding? Do ye not yet understand, that everything entering into the mouth goes into the belly, and is cast out into a toilet? But the things coming out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and those things defile the man. For from the heart comes forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, FALSE witnessings, revilings. These are things defiling the man. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.
And the Pharisees, and some of the scholars, having come from Jerusalem, gathered in to him. And having seen some of his disciples eating their loaves with profane hands, that is, unwashed, they accused them. read more. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands carefully, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders. And coming from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they bathe. And there are many other things that they have taken in to retain: washings of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and beds.) Then the Pharisees and the scholars demand of him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands? And having answered, he said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far distant from me. But in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. For having set aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men: washings of pots and cups and many other such like things ye do. And he said to them, Well do ye reject the commandment of God, so that ye may keep your tradition. For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother, and, He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him perish in death. But ye say, If a man should say to his father or mother, Whatever ye might be benefited from me is Corban, that is, an offering, then ye no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother, annulling the word of God by your tradition that ye have delivered. And many such like things ye do.
Take heed lest there will be any man taking you captive through the love of wisdom and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ.
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that ye were taught, whether by word or by letter from us.
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition, which they received from us.
not giving heed to Jewish myths, and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.
And if any man takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life, and from the holy city, the things written in this book.
Easton
any kind of teaching, written or spoken, handed down from generation to generation. In Mr 7:3,9,13; Col 2:8, this word refers to the arbitrary interpretations of the Jews. In 2Th 2:15; 3:6, it is used in a good sense. Peter (1Pe 1:18) uses this word with reference to the degenerate Judaism of the "strangers scattered" whom he addresses (comp. Ac 15:10; Mt 15:2-6; Ga 1:14).
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Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. And having answered, he said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God, because of your tradition? read more. For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and thy mother, and, He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him perish in death. But ye say, Whoever may say to the father or the mother, Whatever thou might have benefited from me is an offering. And he will, no, not honor his father or mother. And ye have annulled the command of God because of your tradition.
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands carefully, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders.
And he said to them, Well do ye reject the commandment of God, so that ye may keep your tradition.
annulling the word of God by your tradition that ye have delivered. And many such like things ye do.
Now therefore why do ye challenge God, to place a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
And I advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my race, being a more extreme zealot of my paternal traditions.
Take heed lest there will be any man taking you captive through the love of wisdom and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ.
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that ye were taught, whether by word or by letter from us.
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition, which they received from us.
Knowing that ye were redeemed from your vain behavior inherited from fathers, not with perishable silver or gold,
Fausets
Greek paradosis, instructions "delivered" (1Co 15:3) as inspired, whether orally or in writing, by the apostles (2Th 2:15; 3:6,10). The only oral tradition designed by God to be obligatory on the church in all ages was soon committed to writing in the apostolic age, and recognized as inspired by the churches then having the gift of discerning spirits. Only in three passages (1Co 11:2 margin; 2Th 2:15; 3:6) has tradition a good sense; in ten a bad sense, man's uninspired tradition (Mt 15:2-3,6; Mr 7:3,5,8-9,13; Ga 1:14; Col 2:8). Jesus charges the Jews with "making the commandment of God of none effect through your tradition." Hilary the deacon says, "a surfeit to carnal sense is human tradition."
Tradition clogs heavenly perceptions. Paradosis is one of the only two nouns in 2,000 in the Greek Testament which numerically equals 666, the mark of the beast (Re 13:18). Tradition is the grand corrupter of doctrine, as "wealth" (euporia; Ac 19:25, the other equivalent of 666) is of practice. Only those words of the apostles for which they claim inspiration (their words afterward embodied in canonical writing) are inspired, not their every spoken word, e.g. Peter's dissimulation (Ga 2:11-14). Oral inspiration was needed until the canon of the written word was completed. The apostles' and evangelists' inspiration is attested by their miracles; their New Testament Scriptures had the additional test without which even miracles would be inconclusive (De 13:1-6), accordance with the existing Old Testament revelation (Ac 17:11).
When the canon was complete the infallibility was transferred from living men's inspired sayings to the written word, now the sole unerring guide, interpreted by the Holy Spirit; comparison of Scripture with Scripture being the best commentary (1Co 2:12-16; 1Jo 2:20,27; Joh 1:33; 3:34; 15:26; 16:13-14). The most ancient and universal tradition is the all-sufficiency of Scripture for salvation, "that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2Ti 3:15-17). The apostles never appeal to human tradition, always to Scripture (Ac 15:2,15-17; 17:11; 24:14; 1Co 15:3-4). If tradition must be followed, then we ought to follow that oldest tradition which casts away all tradition not in, or provable by, Scripture.
We receive the Christian Lord's day and infant baptism not on the inherent authority of the fathers, but on their testimony as witnesses of facts which give force to the infiltrations of Scripture. Tradition can authenticate a fact, but not establish a doctrine. Paul's tradition in 2Th 2:15 is inspired, and only continued oral in part until the Scripture canon was completed by John; altogether different from Rome's supplementary oral tradition professing to complete the word which is complete, and which we are forbidden to add to, on penalty of God's plagues written therein (Re 22:18). By adding human tradition Rome becomes parent of antichrist. How remarkable it is that from this very chapter (2Th 2:15), denouncing antichrist, she draws her argument for tradition which fosters antichristianity. Because the apostles' oral word, whenever they claim inspiration, was as trustworthy as the written word, it does not follow that the oral word of those neither apostles nor inspired is as trustworthy as the written word of those who were apostles or inspired.
No tradition of the apostles except their written word can be proved genuine on certain evidence. The danger of even a genuine oral tradition (which scarcely any of the so-called traditions are) is illustrated in the "saying" that went abroad among the brethren that John should not die, though Jesus had not said this, but "if I will that he tarry until I come, what is that to thee?" (Joh 21:22-23). We are no more bound to accept the fathers' interpretation (which by the way is the reverse of unanimous; but even suppose it were so) of Scripture, because we accept the New Testament canon on their testimony, than to accept the Jews' interpretation of the Old Testament because we accept the Old Testament canon on their testimony; if we were, we should be as bound to reject Jesus, with the Jews, as to reject primitive Scripture Christianity with the apostate church.
See the Church of England Articles 6, 8, 20, 22-34, on the due and the undue place of tradition in the church. What were once universal traditions (e.g. the epistles for centuries ascribed to 11 popes, from Anacletus, A.D. 101, to Victor I, A.D. 192, now universally admitted to be spurious) are no longer so regarded. Whately likened tradition to the Russian game a number sit in a circle, the first reads a short story in the ear of his next neighbour, he repeats it orally to the next, and so on; the last writes it as it, reaches him; the amusement is, when read and compared with the original story it is found wholly metamorphosed, and hardly recognizable as the same story.
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If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou have not known, and let us serve them, read more. thou shall not hearken to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams, for LORD your God proves you, to know whether ye love LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cling to him. And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage, to draw thee aside If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, who is as thine own soul, entices thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou have not known, thou,
But if thou utter this our business, then we shall be guiltless of thine oath which thou have made us to swear.
Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. And having answered, he said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God, because of your tradition?
And he will, no, not honor his father or mother. And ye have annulled the command of God because of your tradition.
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands carefully, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders.
Then the Pharisees and the scholars demand of him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?
For having set aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men: washings of pots and cups and many other such like things ye do. And he said to them, Well do ye reject the commandment of God, so that ye may keep your tradition.
annulling the word of God by your tradition that ye have delivered. And many such like things ye do.
And I had not known him. But he who sent me to immerse in water, he said to me, Upon whomever thou will see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, this is he who immerses in Holy Spirit.
For he whom God sent speaks the sayings of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.
But when the helper comes whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me.
However when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but as many things as he may hear, he will speak. And he will report to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me because he will receive from me, and will report to you.
Jesus says to him, If I want him to remain until I come, what is it to thee? Follow thou me. This saying therefore went forth among the brothers, that that disciple does not die. And yet Jesus did not say to him, that he does not die, but, If I want him to remain until I come, what is it to thee?
Therefore, no small dissension and debate having developed with Paul and Barnabus against them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some other men from them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about thi
And to this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written, After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David that has fallen. And I will rebuild the things of it that have been demolished, and I will restore it, read more. so that the rest of men might seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called upon them, says the Lord, who does these things.
But these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all willingness, examining the Scriptures daily, if it has these things this way.
But these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all willingness, examining the Scriptures daily, if it has these things this way.
to whom also (having assembled the workmen about such things) he said, Men, ye know that our prosperity is from this work.
But this I confess to thee, that according to the Way that they call a sect, so serve I the paternal God, believing all things written according to the law and the prophets,
But we did not receive the spirit of the world, but the spirit from God, so that we might know the things graciously given to us by God. Which things also we speak, not in things learned from mankind, in words of wisdom, but in things learned from Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things. read more. Now the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is unable to understand because they are evaluated spiritually. But truly the spiritual man evaluates all things, but he himself is evaluated by none. For who has known the mind of Lord that he will stand with him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Now I praise you, brothers, that ye remember me in all things and keep the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.
For I delivered to you at first what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures,
And I advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my race, being a more extreme zealot of my paternal traditions.
But when Peter came to Antioch I opposed him to the face, because he was blameworthy. For before certain men came from James he ate together with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing men of circumcision. read more. And the other Jews also joined in hypocrisy with him, so that even Barnabas went along with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly toward the truth of the good-news, I said to Peter before all, If thou being a Jew, live as a Gentile and not as a Jew, why do thou compel the Gentiles to live as Jews?
Take heed lest there will be any man taking you captive through the love of wisdom and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ.
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that ye were taught, whether by word or by letter from us.
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that ye were taught, whether by word or by letter from us.
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that ye were taught, whether by word or by letter from us.
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that ye were taught, whether by word or by letter from us.
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition, which they received from us.
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition, which they received from us.
For even when we were with you we commanded you this, that if any man will not work, neither let him eat.
And that from a babe thou have known the sacred writings, which are able to make thee wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for instruction, for reproof, for correction, for discipline in righteousness, read more. so that the man of God may be qualified, having been completed for every good work.
Here is wisdom: He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is a number of a man. And its number is 666
I testify to every man who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man should add to them, God will add to him the seven plagues that are written in this book.
Hastings
Morish
?????????. This may be described as that which is handed down as oral teaching. It may be from God, as in 2Th 2:15; 3:6; and 1Co 11:2 (where it is translated 'ordinance'), instruction handed down before the word of God was complete. Or it may be from man, as was the tradition of the elders of Israel, which was strongly denounced by the Lord, and declared to be a subverting of the commandments of God. Mt 15:2-6; Mr 7:3-13; Ga 1:14. In Col 2:8 it is the mere teaching of the moralists, of which much has survived to the present day. What man institutes, man holds to most tenaciously.
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Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. And having answered, he said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God, because of your tradition? read more. For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and thy mother, and, He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him perish in death. But ye say, Whoever may say to the father or the mother, Whatever thou might have benefited from me is an offering. And he will, no, not honor his father or mother. And ye have annulled the command of God because of your tradition.
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands carefully, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders. And coming from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they bathe. And there are many other things that they have taken in to retain: washings of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and beds.) read more. Then the Pharisees and the scholars demand of him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands? And having answered, he said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far distant from me. But in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. For having set aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men: washings of pots and cups and many other such like things ye do. And he said to them, Well do ye reject the commandment of God, so that ye may keep your tradition. For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother, and, He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him perish in death. But ye say, If a man should say to his father or mother, Whatever ye might be benefited from me is Corban, that is, an offering, then ye no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother, annulling the word of God by your tradition that ye have delivered. And many such like things ye do.
Now I praise you, brothers, that ye remember me in all things and keep the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.
And I advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my race, being a more extreme zealot of my paternal traditions.
Take heed lest there will be any man taking you captive through the love of wisdom and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ.
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that ye were taught, whether by word or by letter from us.
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition, which they received from us.
Watsons
TRADITION. See CABBALA.