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 But tradition has long been superseded by the successive and completed revelations of God's will which form the inspired Scriptures, the only perfect and sufficient rule of belief and practice.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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Then some Scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do your disciples keep transgressing the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before eating?" read more. "And why do you also keep transgressing the command of God by your tradition?" he asked. "For God said, Honor your father and mother, and, Let him who reviles father or mother be put to death; but you say that whoever tells his father or mother, 'Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is dedicated to God,' is in no way bound to honor his father. Thus do you make void the word of God by your tradition! Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, saying. This is a people that honors me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, While they teach doctrines that are the commands of men." Then Jesus called the people to him and said: "Listen, and pay attention. It is not what goes into a man's mouth that defiles him, but what comes out of it, that defiles the man." Then his disciples came to him and said, "Do you know that the Pharisees were scandalized when they heard that saying?" He replied. "Any plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. "Let them alone. They are blind men leading the blind; and if one blind man leads another, both of them will fall into a ditch." Then Peter said to Jesus, "Explain the parable to us." He answered. "Are even you still without understanding? "Do you not know how all that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is afterward evacuated; while what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart??nd that is what defiles a man. For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, perjury, slander. These are the things that defile a man; to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."
One day the Pharisees came to him in a body with some Scribes who had come from Jerusalem. They had noticed that some of his disciples were eating with "common," that is to say, unwashed hands. read more. For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat until they have ceremoniously washed their hands in obedience to the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the market-place they do not eat without bathing first. and they have many other customs which they have received and observe, such as the washing of cups and jugs and copper pans. So the Pharisees and Scribes asked him. "Why do your disciples not follow the traditions of the elders? Why do they eat with 'common' unwashed hands?" "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, hypocrites," he answered. "As it is written, 'This people honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far from me; But in vain do they worship me, For their teaching is only human precepts.'" "You neglect the commandment of God, and hold fast the traditions of men." "It is praiseworthy, is it," he exclaimed, "to reject the command of God that you may keep your tradition! For although Moses said, Honor your father and mother, and Let him who curses father or mother suffer death, you say that if a man tells his father or mother, 'This money which otherwise you would have received from me, is Korban' (that is, a thing devoted to God), you exempt him from doing any service for his father or mother. Thus by your tradition which you have handed down you set at naught the word of God; and you do many other things like that."
Take care lest any man drag you away captive by his philosophy which is a vain deceit, following the traditions of men and the world's crude notions, and not Christ.
So, brothers, stand fast, and hold fast the teachings which you have been taught by me, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
I summon you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who leads an idle and disorderly life, which is not according to the rule you received from me.
so as to make them sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.
and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the Tree of Life, and in the Holy City, about which this book is written.
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 your disciples keep transgressing the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before eating?" "And why do you also keep transgressing the command of God by your tradition?" he asked. read more. "For God said, Honor your father and mother, and, Let him who reviles father or mother be put to death; but you say that whoever tells his father or mother, 'Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is dedicated to God,' is in no way bound to honor his father. Thus do you make void the word of God by your tradition!
For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat until they have ceremoniously washed their hands in obedience to the tradition of the elders;
"It is praiseworthy, is it," he exclaimed, "to reject the command of God that you may keep your tradition!
Thus by your tradition which you have handed down you set at naught the word of God; and you do many other things like that."
"Now then, why are you tempting God by laying on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear?
and how in my zeal for Judaism I outstripped many of my own age and nation, in my special zeal for the traditions of my forefathers.
Take care lest any man drag you away captive by his philosophy which is a vain deceit, following the traditions of men and the world's crude notions, and not Christ.
So, brothers, stand fast, and hold fast the teachings which you have been taught by me, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
I summon you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who leads an idle and disorderly life, which is not according to the rule you received from me.
For you well know that not with perishable things, with silver or gold, were you redeemed from the emptiness of your manner of life, received by tradition from your ancestors;
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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"Why do your disciples keep transgressing the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before eating?" "And why do you also keep transgressing the command of God by your tradition?" he asked.
is in no way bound to honor his father. Thus do you make void the word of God by your tradition!
For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat until they have ceremoniously washed their hands in obedience to the tradition of the elders;
So the Pharisees and Scribes asked him. "Why do your disciples not follow the traditions of the elders? Why do they eat with 'common' unwashed hands?"
"You neglect the commandment of God, and hold fast the traditions of men." "It is praiseworthy, is it," he exclaimed, "to reject the command of God that you may keep your tradition!
Thus by your tradition which you have handed down you set at naught the word of God; and you do many other things like that."
And I did not recognize him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and resting upon him, is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.'
For he whom God sent utters the words of God; for God does not give the Spirit sparingly.
"When the Comforter is come whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who comes forth from the Father, he will bear witness of me;
But when he is come, that Spirit of Truth, he will guide you into the whole truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but all that he hears he will speak, and will make known to you that which is to come. He will glorify me; for he will take of what is mine and will make known to you.
"If I choose that he remain until I come," said Jesus, "what is that to you? Do you follow me." Accordingly the report spread among the brothers that this disciple should not die; but Jesus did not say that he was not to die, but said, "If I choose that he remain until I come, what is that to you?"
Now when dispute and controversy sprang up between them and Paul and Barnabas, the brethren appointed Paul and Barnabas, and certain others, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
"And this is in harmony with the language of the prophets, which says. "After these things I will return, And I will rebuild David's fallen tent; And I will build again its ruins, And I will set it up; read more. "So that the rest of men may seek after the Lord, Even all the Gentiles, who are called by my name,
The Jews of Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they very readily received the message with all readiness of mind, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether these things were so.
The Jews of Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they very readily received the message with all readiness of mind, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether these things were so.
He gathered them together with others of like occupation, and said: "Men, you know that by this business we make our money.
"But this I confess to you, that I worship the God of our ancestors, according to the Way which they call a heresy, believing everything that is according to the Law, or is written in the Prophets,
But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which comes forth from God, that we may realize the blessings freely given us by God. Of these high themes we speak in words not taught by human philosophy, but by the Spirit; interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men. read more. The unspiritual man rejects the teachings of God's Spirit; for him it is folly. He cannot understand it, for it is spiritually discerned, But the spiritual man discerns everything, yet is himself discerned by no one. For what man understands the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him?
Indeed I praise you for remembering me in everything, and because you are holding fast to the traditions just as you received them.
For the very first thing I taught you was that I had myself been taught, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture,
and how in my zeal for Judaism I outstripped many of my own age and nation, in my special zeal for the traditions of my forefathers.
But when Cephas came to Antioch I resisted him to his face, because he stood self-condemned. For until certain men came from James he used to eat with the Gentile Christians, but when they came, he began to draw back and to separate himself, because he was afraid of the circumcision party. read more. And the rest of the Jewish Christians also dissimulated with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not walking a straight path, in the presence of the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all. "If you, although you are a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, why do you try to compel the Gentiles to become Jews?
Take care lest any man drag you away captive by his philosophy which is a vain deceit, following the traditions of men and the world's crude notions, and not Christ.
So, brothers, stand fast, and hold fast the teachings which you have been taught by me, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
So, brothers, stand fast, and hold fast the teachings which you have been taught by me, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
So, brothers, stand fast, and hold fast the teachings which you have been taught by me, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
So, brothers, stand fast, and hold fast the teachings which you have been taught by me, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
I summon you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who leads an idle and disorderly life, which is not according to the rule you received from me.
I summon you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who leads an idle and disorderly life, which is not according to the rule you received from me.
For indeed when I was with you, I used to charge you, "If any man will not work, he shall not eat."
and how from a child you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every Scripture, seeing that it is God-breathed, is also profitable for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, read more. so that the man of God may himself be complete, and completely equipped for every good work.
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is 666.
I testify to every man who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add to them, God will 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 your disciples keep transgressing the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before eating?" "And why do you also keep transgressing the command of God by your tradition?" he asked. read more. "For God said, Honor your father and mother, and, Let him who reviles father or mother be put to death; but you say that whoever tells his father or mother, 'Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is dedicated to God,' is in no way bound to honor his father. Thus do you make void the word of God by your tradition!
For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat until they have ceremoniously washed their hands in obedience to the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the market-place they do not eat without bathing first. and they have many other customs which they have received and observe, such as the washing of cups and jugs and copper pans. read more. So the Pharisees and Scribes asked him. "Why do your disciples not follow the traditions of the elders? Why do they eat with 'common' unwashed hands?" "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, hypocrites," he answered. "As it is written, 'This people honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far from me; But in vain do they worship me, For their teaching is only human precepts.'" "You neglect the commandment of God, and hold fast the traditions of men." "It is praiseworthy, is it," he exclaimed, "to reject the command of God that you may keep your tradition! For although Moses said, Honor your father and mother, and Let him who curses father or mother suffer death, you say that if a man tells his father or mother, 'This money which otherwise you would have received from me, is Korban' (that is, a thing devoted to God), you exempt him from doing any service for his father or mother. Thus by your tradition which you have handed down you set at naught the word of God; and you do many other things like that."
Indeed I praise you for remembering me in everything, and because you are holding fast to the traditions just as you received them.
and how in my zeal for Judaism I outstripped many of my own age and nation, in my special zeal for the traditions of my forefathers.
Take care lest any man drag you away captive by his philosophy which is a vain deceit, following the traditions of men and the world's crude notions, and not Christ.
So, brothers, stand fast, and hold fast the teachings which you have been taught by me, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
I summon you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who leads an idle and disorderly life, which is not according to the rule you received from me.
Watsons
TRADITION. See CABBALA.