Reference: Tradition
American
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 But tradition has long been superseded by the successive and completed revelations of God's will which form the inspired Scriptures, the only perfect and sufficient rule of belief and practice.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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To the law and the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, for them there is no daybreak.
Then the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem come up to Jesus, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress what has been delivered by the ancients? for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. read more. But he answering said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching? For God commanded saying, Honour father and mother; and, He that speaks ill of father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or mother, It is a gift, whatsoever it be by which received from me thou wouldest be profited: and he shall in no wise honour his father or his mother; and ye have made void the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching. Hypocrites! well has Esaias prophesied about you, saying, This people honour me with the lips, but their heart is far away from me; but in vain do they worship me, teaching as teachings commandments of men. And having called to him the crowd, he said to them, Hear and understand: Not what enters into the mouth defiles the man; but what goes forth out of the mouth, this defiles the man. Then his disciples, coming up, said to him, Dost thou know that the Pharisees, having heard this word, have been offended? But he answering said, Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up. Leave them alone; they are blind leaders of blind: but if blind lead blind, both will fall into a ditch. And Peter answering said to him, Expound to us this parable. But he said, Are ye also still without intelligence? Do ye not yet apprehend, that everything that enters into the mouth finds its way into the belly, and is cast forth into the draught? but the things which go forth out of the mouth come out of the heart, and those defile man. For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnessings, blasphemies; these are the things which defile man; but the eating with unwashen hands does not defile man.
And the Pharisees and some of the scribes, coming from Jerusalem, are gathered together to him, and seeing some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, unwashed, hands, read more. (for the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands diligently, do not eat, holding what has been delivered by the ancients; and on coming from the market-place, unless they are washed, they do not eat; and there are many other things which they have received to hold, the washing of cups and vessels, and brazen utensils, and couches), then the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to what has been delivered by the ancients, but eat the bread with defiled hands? But he answering said to them, Well did Esaias prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as their teachings commandments of men. For, leaving the commandment of God, ye hold what is delivered by men to keep washings of vessels and cups, and many other such like things ye do. And he said to them, Well do ye set aside the commandment of God, that ye may observe what is delivered by yourselves to keep. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, he who speaks ill of father or mother, let him surely die. But ye say, If a man say to his father or his mother, It is corban (that is, gift), whatsoever thou mightest have profit from me by ... And ye no longer suffer him to do anything for his father or his mother; making void the word of God by your traditional teaching which ye have delivered; and many such like things ye do.
See that there be no one who shall lead you away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.
So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the instructions which ye have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.
Now we enjoin you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the instruction which he received from us.
not turning their minds to Jewish fables and commandments of men turning away from the truth.
And if any one take from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are 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 what has been delivered by the ancients? for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. But he answering said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching? read more. For God commanded saying, Honour father and mother; and, He that speaks ill of father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or mother, It is a gift, whatsoever it be by which received from me thou wouldest be profited: and he shall in no wise honour his father or his mother; and ye have made void the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching.
(for the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands diligently, do not eat, holding what has been delivered by the ancients;
And he said to them, Well do ye set aside the commandment of God, that ye may observe what is delivered by yourselves to keep.
making void the word of God by your traditional teaching which ye have delivered; and many such like things ye do.
Now therefore why tempt ye God, by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
and advanced in Judaism beyond many my contemporaries in my nation, being exceedingly zealous of the doctrines of my fathers.
See that there be no one who shall lead you away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.
So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the instructions which ye have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.
Now we enjoin you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the instruction which he received from us.
knowing that ye have been redeemed, not by corruptible things, as silver or gold, from your vain conversation handed down from your fathers,
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 among you a prophet, or one that dreameth dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass that he told unto thee, when he said, Let us go after other gods, whom thou hast not known, and let us serve them, read more. thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams; for Jehovah your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after Jehovah your God, and ye shall fear him, and his commandments shall ye keep, and his voice shall ye hear; and ye shall serve him, and unto him shall ye cleave. And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; for he hath spoken revolt against Jehovah your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw thee out of the way that Jehovah thy God commanded thee to walk in; and thou shalt put evil away from thy midst. 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 to thee as thy soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods (whom thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;
And if thou make known this our business, we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
Why do thy disciples transgress what has been delivered by the ancients? for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. But he answering said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching?
and he shall in no wise honour his father or his mother; and ye have made void the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching.
(for the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands diligently, do not eat, holding what has been delivered by the ancients;
then the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to what has been delivered by the ancients, but eat the bread with defiled hands?
For, leaving the commandment of God, ye hold what is delivered by men to keep washings of vessels and cups, and many other such like things ye do. And he said to them, Well do ye set aside the commandment of God, that ye may observe what is delivered by yourselves to keep.
making void the word of God by your traditional teaching which ye have delivered; and many such like things ye do.
And I knew him not; but he who sent me to baptise with water, he said to me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding on him, he it is who baptises with the Holy Spirit.
for he whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives not the Spirit by measure.
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes forth from with the Father, he shall bear witness concerning me;
But when he is come, the Spirit of truth, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but whatsoever he shall hear he shall speak; and he will announce to you what is coming. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and shall announce it to you.
Jesus says to him, If I will that he abide until I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. This word therefore went out among the brethren, That disciple does not die. And Jesus did not say to him, He does not die; but, If I will that he abide until I come, what is that to thee?
A commotion therefore having taken place, and no small discussion on the part of Paul and Barnabas against them, they arranged that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others from amongst them, should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
And with this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written: After these things I will return, and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which is fallen, and will rebuild its ruins, and will set it up, read more. so that the residue of men may seek out the Lord, and all the nations on whom my name is invoked, saith the Lord, who does these things
And these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, receiving the word with all readiness of mind, daily searching the scriptures if these things were so.
And these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, receiving the word with all readiness of mind, daily searching the scriptures if these things were so.
whom having brought together, and those who wrought in such things, he said, Men, ye know that our well-living arises from this work,
But this I avow to thee, that in the way which they call sect, so I serve my fathers' God, believing all things which are written throughout the law, and in the prophets;
But we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things which have been freely given to us of God: which also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, communicating spiritual things by spiritual means. read more. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him; and he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned; but the spiritual discerns all things, and he is discerned of no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, who shall instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Now I praise you, that in all things ye are mindful of me; and that as I have directed you, ye keep the directions.
For I delivered to you, in the first place, what also I had received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures;
and advanced in Judaism beyond many my contemporaries in my nation, being exceedingly zealous of the doctrines of my fathers.
But when Peter came to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be condemned: for before that certain came from James, he ate with those of the nations; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those of the circumcision; read more. and the rest of the Jews also played the same dissembling part with him; so that even Barnabas was carried away too by their dissimulation. But when I saw that they do not walk straightforwardly, according to the truth of the glad tidings, I said to Peter before all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as the nations and not as the Jews, how dost thou compel the nations to Judaize?
See that there be no one who shall lead you away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.
So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the instructions which ye have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.
So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the instructions which ye have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.
So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the instructions which ye have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.
So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the instructions which ye have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.
Now we enjoin you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the instruction which he received from us.
Now we enjoin you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the instruction which he received from us.
For also when we were with you we enjoined you this, that if any man does not like to work, neither let him eat.
and that from a child thou hast known the sacred letters, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Every scripture is divinely inspired, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; read more. that the man of God may be complete, fully fitted to every good work.
Here is wisdom. He that has understanding let him count the number of the beast: for it is a man's number; and its number is six hundred and sixty-six.
I testify to every one who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any one shall add to these things, God shall add to him the plagues which 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 what has been delivered by the ancients? for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. But he answering said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching? read more. For God commanded saying, Honour father and mother; and, He that speaks ill of father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or mother, It is a gift, whatsoever it be by which received from me thou wouldest be profited: and he shall in no wise honour his father or his mother; and ye have made void the commandment of God on account of your traditional teaching.
(for the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands diligently, do not eat, holding what has been delivered by the ancients; and on coming from the market-place, unless they are washed, they do not eat; and there are many other things which they have received to hold, the washing of cups and vessels, and brazen utensils, and couches), read more. then the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to what has been delivered by the ancients, but eat the bread with defiled hands? But he answering said to them, Well did Esaias prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as their teachings commandments of men. For, leaving the commandment of God, ye hold what is delivered by men to keep washings of vessels and cups, and many other such like things ye do. And he said to them, Well do ye set aside the commandment of God, that ye may observe what is delivered by yourselves to keep. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, he who speaks ill of father or mother, let him surely die. But ye say, If a man say to his father or his mother, It is corban (that is, gift), whatsoever thou mightest have profit from me by ... And ye no longer suffer him to do anything for his father or his mother; making void the word of God by your traditional teaching which ye have delivered; and many such like things ye do.
Now I praise you, that in all things ye are mindful of me; and that as I have directed you, ye keep the directions.
and advanced in Judaism beyond many my contemporaries in my nation, being exceedingly zealous of the doctrines of my fathers.
See that there be no one who shall lead you away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.
So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the instructions which ye have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.
Now we enjoin you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the instruction which he received from us.
Watsons
TRADITION. See CABBALA.