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 But tradition has long been superseded by the successive and completed revelations of God's will which form the inspired Scriptures, the only perfect and sufficient rule of belief and practice.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 to the testimony if they will not speak according to this word, because no morning is in them.
Then came to Jesus from Jerusalem the scribes and Pharisees, saying, Wherefore do thy disciples pass by the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. read more. And he, having answered, said to them, Wherefore do ye also pass by the command of God by your tradition For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, he calumniating father or mother, in death let him die. And ye say, Whoever should say to father or mother, A gift, whatever thou shouldest be profited by me; And should not honour his father or his mother. And ye have annulled the command of God by your tradition. Hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draw near me with their mouth, and honour me with their lips; but their heart keeps off far from me. But they worship me in vain, teaching doctrines the commands of men. And having called the crowd, he said to them, Hear ye, and understand. Not that coming into the mouth pollutes the man; but that going forth out of the mouth, this pollutes the man. Then his disciples having come near, said to him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees, having heard the word, were scandalized? And having answered, he said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them go: they are blind guides of the blind. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. And Peter, having answered, said to him, Explain to us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet destitute of understanding? Do ye not yet understand, that everything going into the mouth proceeds to the belly, and is cast out in the privy? But the things going forth out of the mouth come from the heart, and these pollute the man. For from the heart come forth evil reflections, slaughters, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, defamations: These are the things polluting a man: but to eat with unwashed hands pollutes not a man.
And the Pharisees are gathered together to him, and certain of the scribes, having come from Jerusalem, And having seen some of his disciples with common hands, that is, unwashed, eating loaves, they rebuked. read more. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they vigorously wash hands, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And from the market-place, except they be immersed, they eat not. And there are many other things which they received to hold; the immersion of cups, and of measures, and of brazen vases, and of chairs.) Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Wherefore do not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands? And he having answered, said to them, That Esaias prophesied well concerning you, as it has been written, This people honour me with lips, and their heart keeps far from me. And in vain they revere me, teaching doctrines the commands of men. For having left the command of God, ye hold firmly to the tradition of men, the immersion of measures and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said to them, Well do ye abrogate the command of God, that ye might keep your tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and he reviling father or mother, in death let him die: And ye say, If a man say to father or mother, Corban, which is, a gift, whatever thou be profited by me; And ye permit him to do nothing more for his father or his mother Abrogating the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do.
See ye lest any be carrying you off by philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.
Therefore, brethren, stand, and hold firmly the doctrines which ye were taught, whether by the word, or by our epistle.
And we proclaim to you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you to shrink from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the doctrine which he received of us.
Not holding to Jewish fictions, and commands of men, having turned away from the truth.
And if any take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the book of life, and from the holy city, and from 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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Wherefore do thy disciples pass by the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. And he, having answered, said to them, Wherefore do ye also pass by the command of God by your tradition read more. For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, he calumniating father or mother, in death let him die. And ye say, Whoever should say to father or mother, A gift, whatever thou shouldest be profited by me; And should not honour his father or his mother. And ye have annulled the command of God by your tradition.
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they vigorously wash hands, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
And he said to them, Well do ye abrogate the command of God, that ye might keep your tradition.
Abrogating the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do.
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
And I advanced in Judaism above many like in my race, being more abundantly zealous of paternal traditions.
See ye lest any be carrying you off by philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.
Therefore, brethren, stand, and hold firmly the doctrines which ye were taught, whether by the word, or by our epistle.
And we proclaim to you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you to shrink from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the doctrine which he received of us.
Knowing that not with corruptible things, silver and gold, were ye redeemed from your vain mode of life transmitted 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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When there shall arise in the midst of you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he gave to thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come which he spake to thee, saying, We will go after other gods which we know not, and we will serve them, read more. Thou shalt not hear to the words of that prophet or to that dreamer of dreams: for Jehovah thy God tries you to know whether ye are loving Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall go after Jehovah your God, and ye shall fear him, and his commands shall ye watch, and to his voice shall ye hear, and ye shall serve him, and to him shall ye cleave. And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall die, for he spake a turning away from Jehovah your God, having brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed thee from the house of servants, to thrust thee away from the way which Jehovah thy God commanded to go in it: and put thou away the evil from the midst of thee. When thy brother, the son of thy mother, shall entice thee, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend who is as thy soul, in secret, saying, We will go and serve other gods which thou knewest not, thou, and thy fathers;
And if thou shalt announce this our word, and we were free from thine oath which thou didst cause us to swear.
Wherefore do thy disciples pass by the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. And he, having answered, said to them, Wherefore do ye also pass by the command of God by your tradition
And should not honour his father or his mother. And ye have annulled the command of God by your tradition.
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they vigorously wash hands, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Wherefore do not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?
For having left the command of God, ye hold firmly to the tradition of men, the immersion of measures and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said to them, Well do ye abrogate the command of God, that ye might keep your tradition.
Abrogating the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do.
And I knew him not: but he having sent me to immerse in water, this said to me, Upon whomsoever thou shouldest see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon him, this is he immersing in the Holy Spirit.
For he whom God sent speaks the words of God: for God gives not the Spirit by measure.
And when the Intercessor should come, which I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, which comes from the Father, he shall testify of me:
And when he should come, the Spirit of truth, he shall guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he should hear, shall he speak: and he shall announce to you the things coming. He shall honour me: for he shall take of mine, and announce to you.
Jesus says to him, If I will him to remain till I come, what to thee? follow me. Then went out the word to the brethren, That this disciple dies not: and Jesus said not to him, That he dies not; but, If I will him to remain till I come, what to thee?
Therefore dissension and no small discussion having been to Paul and Barnabas with them, they arranged for Paul and Barnabas to go up, and certain others of them, to the sent and elders in Jerusalem about this question.
And with this the words of the prophets agree: as has been written, After these will I return, and rebuild the tent of David, having fallen; and its things undermined will I rebuild, and set it upright: read more. So that they remaining of men might seek out the Lord, and all the nations upon whom my name has been called upon them, says the Lord, making all these.
And they were of more noble birth than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all willingness, and examined the writings daily, if these things might hold thus.
And they were of more noble birth than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all willingness, and examined the writings daily, if these things might hold thus.
Whom having collected together and the workmen of such things, he said, Men, ye know that out of this work is our good food.
And this I confess to thee, that according to the way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of the fathers, believing all things written in the law and the prophets:
And we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit from God; that we might know things bestowed upon us as a gift by God. Which also we speak, not in words taught of man's wisdom, but in them taught of the Holy Spirit; examining spiritual things by spiritual. read more. And the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: and he cannot know, for they are spiritually examined. And the spiritual truly examines all things, and he is examined by no one. For who knew the mind of the Lord, who shall instruct him And we have the mind of Christ.
And I approve you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and as I have delivered to you, do ye hold the traditions.
For I delivered to you among the first, what I also received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the writings;
And I advanced in Judaism above many like in my race, being more abundantly zealous of paternal traditions.
And when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to the face, for he was to be rebuked. For before certain came from James, he ate with the nations: and when they came, he drew down, and separated himself, being afraid of them of the circumcision. read more. And the rest of the Jews also dissembled with him; so that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they went not upon the strait road according to the truth of the good news, I said to Peter before all, If thou, being a Jew, livest according to the nations, and not according to the Jews, why forcest thou the nations to live as the Jews?
See ye lest any be carrying you off by philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.
Therefore, brethren, stand, and hold firmly the doctrines which ye were taught, whether by the word, or by our epistle.
Therefore, brethren, stand, and hold firmly the doctrines which ye were taught, whether by the word, or by our epistle.
Therefore, brethren, stand, and hold firmly the doctrines which ye were taught, whether by the word, or by our epistle.
Therefore, brethren, stand, and hold firmly the doctrines which ye were taught, whether by the word, or by our epistle.
And we proclaim to you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you to shrink from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the doctrine which he received of us.
And we proclaim to you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you to shrink from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the doctrine which he received of us.
For also when we were with you, this we proclaimed to you, that if any will not work, neither should he eat.
And that from infancy thou hast known the holy letters, able to render thee wise to salvation by faith which in Christ Jesus. All writing divinely inspired, and profitable for doctrine, for refutation, for correction, for instruction in justice: read more. That the man of God might be perfect, finished for every good work.
Here is wisdom. Let him having intelligence calculate the number of the wild beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number Six hundred and sixty-six.
For I testify to every one hearing the words of the prophecy of this book, If any add to these things, God will add to him the blows 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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Wherefore do thy disciples pass by the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. And he, having answered, said to them, Wherefore do ye also pass by the command of God by your tradition read more. For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, he calumniating father or mother, in death let him die. And ye say, Whoever should say to father or mother, A gift, whatever thou shouldest be profited by me; And should not honour his father or his mother. And ye have annulled the command of God by your tradition.
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they vigorously wash hands, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And from the market-place, except they be immersed, they eat not. And there are many other things which they received to hold; the immersion of cups, and of measures, and of brazen vases, and of chairs.) read more. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Wherefore do not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands? And he having answered, said to them, That Esaias prophesied well concerning you, as it has been written, This people honour me with lips, and their heart keeps far from me. And in vain they revere me, teaching doctrines the commands of men. For having left the command of God, ye hold firmly to the tradition of men, the immersion of measures and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said to them, Well do ye abrogate the command of God, that ye might keep your tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and he reviling father or mother, in death let him die: And ye say, If a man say to father or mother, Corban, which is, a gift, whatever thou be profited by me; And ye permit him to do nothing more for his father or his mother Abrogating the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do.
And I approve you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and as I have delivered to you, do ye hold the traditions.
And I advanced in Judaism above many like in my race, being more abundantly zealous of paternal traditions.
See ye lest any be carrying you off by philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.
Therefore, brethren, stand, and hold firmly the doctrines which ye were taught, whether by the word, or by our epistle.
And we proclaim to you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you to shrink from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the doctrine which he received of us.
Watsons
TRADITION. See CABBALA.