Tradition What is the Tradition p It is

Tradition

What is the Tradition? p It is every teaching, other than the Holy Bible, that reached us through the entrustment of the Apostles and the Fathers. p It includes the writings of the Church Fathers, the decisions of the holy councils, the Church canons and regulations, beside the rituals and oral tradition

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (1) p The earliest written Law that reached us was written by Moses the prophet who lived in the fifteenth and fourteenth centuries B. C. p Man’s thought and behavior before the Law was led by man’s conscience on one hand Tradition on the other hand.

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (2) p In the Book of Genesis it is written that Abel the righteous brought fat portions of his flock. St. Paul explains this saying: “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain” Heb. 11: 4 p How did Abel know the idea of offering sacrifice to God? From where did he get that faith?

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (3) p The same applies to the burnt offerings which were offered by our fathers Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. p Also, this is applied on the idea of building altars by our fathers Noah (after the Flood), and Abraham who built an altar at the greet tree of Morah.

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (4) p It is written that Noah took from the clean animals and birds and sacrificed a burnt offering on the altar and the Lord smelt the soothing aroma (Gen. 8: 20, 21). p How did Noah know about offering a sacrifice from clean animals before Moses explain this in the Law?

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (5) p In the event of the meeting between Abraham and Melchizedek, it is written that Melchizedek “was the priest of God Most high” Gen. 14: 18 p How was the idea of priesthood, which gave Melchizedek the authority to bless Abram and which made Abram to give him the tenth of everything he had; known by that time?

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (6) p When God gave the written Law, He willed Tradition to remain as well. He commanded the fathers to commend and entrust the teachings to their children. p “Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep your self, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and grandchildren” Deut. 4: 9

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (7) p We also find that writers of the New Testamention information about events in the Old Testament that was received only from Tradition. p Example 1: St. Paul mentioned the names of the two witches who resisted Moses the Prophet “Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth” 2 Tim 3: 8

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (8) p Example 2: St. Jude in his epistle mentioned a dispute between Archangel Michael and Satan about the body of Moses “Yet Michael the Archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not to bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ‘the Lord rebuke you’ “ Jude 9

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (9) p Example 3: The Apostle Paul was describing the fear of the people on receiving the Law, he said: “ And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I am exceedingly afraid and trembling’ ’’ Heb. 12: 21 p This phrase attributed to Moses was not recorded either in the Book of Exodus or Deuteronomy.

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (10) p Example 4: St. Jude spoke about Enoch’s prophecy which is not mentioned in the Old Testament. He said: “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him” Jude 14, 15

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (11) p We notice also that the commandment of circumcision was entrusted to our father Abraham by God and commended to the people through Tradition before the existence of the written Law by Moses

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (12) p We find also in New Testament that a long time elapsed before there was any written gospel or epistle. For a period of approximately twenty years, people received the entire faith, the entire story of Christ together with His teachings and His redemption, through Tradition.

Tradition is older than the Holy Bible (13) p When the Lord began His teaching, He said to the people: “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” Mk. 1: 15 p There was no written gospel at that time but there was preaching of the good news representing the oral gospel or the Divine teaching which was taught through entrustment.

The Holy Bible does not mention everything (1) p It does not mention all that the Lord Jesus Christ did nor said. p St. John says “and there also many other things that Jesus did, which if they written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” Jn. 21: 25

The Holy Bible does not mention everything (2) p After the resurrection, the Lord met the two disciples of Emmaus, and “beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” Lk. 24: 27 p All these teachings, and others were not recorded in the Gospel.

The Holy Bible does not mention everything (3) p What about the forty days which the Lord spent with His disciples after His resurrection, speaking to them of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1: 3)? p We can not believe that His teachings were lost since they are so important. The only way for these teachings to reach us was through Tradition.

The Holy Bible does not mention everything (4) p The Church has been living these teachings according to the Lord’s saying: “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” Jn. 6: 63 p Therefore, we can say that Tradition is the life of the Church or it is the Living Church. p Many Apostles did not write epistles. Where are their teachings? Where is the work of the Divine inspiration in them? It is also not possible that some of the Apostles taught only what they wrote

The Apostles laid down disciplines for the Church. What are they ? (1) p It is unreasonable to accept that the Lord’s Apostles, after having received all those teachings from the Lord, left the Church without any disciplines or laws to direct her affairs. p St. John writes in his second epistle: “Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face” 2 Jn. 12

The Apostles laid down disciplines for the Church. What are they ? (2) p St Paul says in his first epistle to the Corinthians: “And the rest I will set in order when I come” 1 Cor. 11: 34 p He also says to his disciple Titus: “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you” Titus 1: 5 p He did not explain in the epistle how to appoint elders, with regards to the prayers, rituals, and necessary conditions thereof.

The Apostles laid down disciplines for the Church. What are they ? (3) p The same applies to what St. Paul said to his disciple Timothy: “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” 2 Tim 2: 2

The Apostles laid down disciplines for the Church. What are they ? (4) p From previous quotations, we notice that our Fathers the Apostles preferred sometimes to speak rather than to write. Their verbal teachings were entrusted from one generation to the next until they have reached us today. p Probably, the Apostles focused in their epistles on the main principles of faith and left the details of the disciplines and rituals to the practical arrangements in the churches.

The Apostles laid down disciplines for the Church. What are they ? (5) p To illustrate this point, we can refer to the consecration of Sunday as the Lord’s day. p All Christians, even those who do not regard the Tradition, consecrate Sunday instead of Saturday as the Lord’s day. From where derive this teaching? Is it from the Holy Bible or the Tradition?

St. Paul receiving teachings from the Lord (1) p Regarding the sacrament of the Eucharist, the Apostle says: “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread” 1 Cor. 11: 23 p Here the Apostle speaks about the entrustment he received from the Lord and which he commended to the church in Corinth.

St. Paul receiving teachings from the Lord (2) p The Holy Bible does not tell us how and when the Apostle Paul received it from the Lord. p He is giving us an idea about Church dogmas and how they entered the Church through entrustment.

Why Tradition is important ? (1) p Through Tradition we came to know the Bible itself. Divine Books were distinguished and were able to reach us through Tradition. p Through Tradition, the Church heritage, rituals, and disciplines have reached us.

Why Tradition is important ? (2) p Tradition preserved for us the sound doctrines that were handed from one generation to the next. If the interpretation of the Bible was left to the comprehension of each individual, we would have various sects and denominations not sharing the same faith.

Sound and Vain Traditions (1) p Those who reject Tradition build their objection on the pretext that the Lord Jesus Christ rejected Tradition when He reproached the scribes and Pharisees. p “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? ” Matt. 15: 3

Sound and Vain Traditions (2) p They also use the pretext of the Apostle’s words, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” Col. 2: 8

Sound and Vain Traditions (3) p In our discourse about Tradition, we do not mean the vain traditions laid down by men nor do we mean those traditions which are not in accord with the doctrine and spirit of the Bible. But we mean the sound Tradition that conforms with: p The teachings of the Lord Christ, which have reached us through entrustment.

Sound and Vain Traditions (4) p The Apostolic Tradition, that reached us through entrustment from one generation to the other. p The Ecclesiastical Tradition, decreed by the holy Ecumenical councils regarding the Church canons and disciplines which we received from the fathers.

Sound and Vain Traditions (5) p That is what St. Paul confirmed by saying “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions, which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle” 2 Thess. 2: 15 p “But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us” 2 Thess 3: 6

Sound and Vain Traditions (6) p “Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions as I delivered them to you” 1 Cor. 11: 2

Conditions of Sound Tradition (1) p It should not be incompatible with the Holy Bible. p It should not contradict other Church Traditions. p It should be accepted by the Churches.

Church authority in teaching and legislation (1) p This authority was given to the Apostles: “…whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” Matth 18: 18 p The Church commenced this duty of hers by holding the first Church Council in Jerusalem (45 A. D. )

Church authority in teaching and legislation (2) p The Council discussed the acceptance of the Gentiles, and the Apostles decision was “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangles, and from sexual immorality” Acts 15: 28 -29

Church authority in teaching and legislation (3) p Therefore, holy councils, local and ecumenical, were held by the authority of teaching and legislation which the Lord endowed upon priesthood. p These councils have laid down decisions and disciplines for the Church which have been included in the Church Tradition.