Tradition St Mark Coptic Orthodox Church Saint Paul

Tradition St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church Saint Paul Servant Preparation Program May 30, 2004 • Charlotte, NC http: //www. coptic. org/stmarknc Tradition and the Bible

What is Tradition? • Tradition is all the teachings we received from the apostles and the fathers other than what is written in the Holy Bible, perhaps on different matters, but not contradicting to it. Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible • It returns back to the days our father Adam. • Moses, the writer of the Pentateuch lived in the fifteenth and the fourteenth centuries BC. Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

How were the people led before the written law? • Conscience • Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

Examples of Tradition • Abel and Cain offerings: Gen. 4: 4, Heb. 11: 4 • The burnt offerings of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, … üNoah: Gen. 8: 20 üAbraham: Gen. 12: 7 • Noah and the clean and unclean animals üGen. 8: 20, 21 • Melchizedek, the priest of God, Most High üGen. 14: 18 -20 üHow was priesthood known? üThe authority to be greater than Abraham: Heb. 7: 6, 7 üThe authority to bless Abraham and to receive the tithes. Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

Examples of Tradition • How were the tithes known? üMelchizedek: Gen. 14: 20 üJacob: Gen. 28: 22 • The House of God üHow did our father Jacob know the words “House of God”? üHow did he know the way of consecrating the House of God and the use of oil? Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

When God gave the written law, He also maintained Tradition • Examples: S Ex. 13: 14 -16 Deut. 4: 9 Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

In the New Testament • Some things were referred to, not written in the Old Testament üJannes and Jambres: 2 Tim. 3: 8 üArchangel Michael and the body of Moses: Jude 9 üBalaam in Nu. 24: 25 and Rev. 2: 14 and 2 Pet. 2: 15 üEnoch Jude 14, 15 Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

In the New Testament • Many years elapsed in which there were no written gospel or epistle. Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

The Lord Jesus Christ founded the Traditions in the New Testament • He did not write a gospel. • He started to teach and preach: Mk. 1: 15 • He made disciple and He commanded them to go everywhere and preach and teach and make disciples: Mk. 16: 15 Mt. 28: 19, 20 Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

The Holy Bible did not mention everything • The Gospel did not mention all the works done all the words said üWorks: Jn. 21: 25 üWorks: Jn. 20: 30, 31 üThe miracles: Lk. 4: 40, Mt. 4: 23 Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

The Holy Bible did not mention everything • The Gospel did not mention all the works done all the words said üThey sung a hymn: Mt. 26: 30 üThe disciples of Emmaus: Lk. 24: 27 üThe forty days after resurrection: Act. 1: 3 Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

The Holy Bible did not mention everything • The Gospel did not mention all the works done all the words said üDo you think that the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount in Mt. 5, 6, 7 is the only Sermon the Lord delivered in more than three years? Where are the other sermons and teachings? Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

Tradition is the church life or the living church • • The church regulations Liturgies Rituals Sacraments Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

The Apostolic teachings are also received through tradition • Many apostles did not write any epistle. • Even what the apostles have written is very little of their teachings. üJude: one chapter üJames: one epistle Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

The Apostolic teachings are also received through tradition • Certainly, the apostle founded regulations • • • for the church; where are they? 2 Jn. 12 3 Jn. 13, 14 St. Paul to the Corinthians: 1 Cor. 11: 34 Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

The Apostolic teachings are also received through tradition • St. Paul to his disciple Titus: Tit. 1: 15 • St. Paul to Timothy: 2 Tim. 2: 2 • Keeping Sunday instead of Saturday is a tradition; not written in the Bible Tradition and the Bible • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC