Many of us cringe if someone starts talking about being loyal to tradition. We think of formal churches with their ornate ritual and Gothic architecture, the priestly garb of their ministers, and the lack of spontaneity in their services. But how does Scripture use the term?
The word “tradition” is a translation in the New Testament of the Greek word paradosis, the noun form from paradidomi, meaning “to give over, to deliver or to pass on.” It is used in Matthew 17:22 by Jesus, “The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men.”
He was about to be handed over to the hands of His enemies. Tradition, then, is a teaching or practice which has been handed over to the next generation for its preservation and continued practice.
Perhaps many think of tradition in a bad sense. Jesus was surrounded by the scribes and Pharisees and was challenged by them, “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread” (Mt. 15:2).
Jesus replied, “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mt.15:3-9).
Jesus castigated them for supplanting the teaching of God’s Word with their additional doctrines, their traditions. In Mark 7 there is the parallel passage where the Pharisees and their traditions are condemned. The Law itself was complex enough and very burdensome for the people to keep, but the legalistic spirit of the rabbis kept on adding rules and regulations. In Matthew 23, where Jesus delivers a scathing condemnation of them, He said, “They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers” (Mt. 23:4). Paul was caught up in this system, “being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers” (Gal. 1:14).
The Bible, however, does speak of tradition in a good sense. Jaroslav Peliken differentiates between tradition and traditionalism, calling tradition “the living faith of the dead” and traditionalism “the dead faith of the living.” It is an insightful analysis. But this “living faith” which many have, from which “dead” has it been passed on? For the Church does this mean the creeds, practices, and pronouncements of 2,000 years of Church history? If so, which of all of these contradictory and confusing traditions is one to follow?
The Bible distinguishes between two kinds of tradition. There is the “tradition of men” (Col. 2:8) and there is the tradition of the apostles. Paul could write the believers in Thessalonica, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word, or our epistle” (2 Thess. 2:15). Later in the same epistle he wrote, “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). Strong words indeed! The apostles claimed the authority of the Lord Jesus as they preached the gospel and established churches, laying down a pattern of doctrine and practice (Mt. 28:18-20). They were foundational in the Church (Eph. 2:20).
In writing to a church struggling with moral and doctrinal problems, Paul exhorted the believers, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you” (1 Cor. 11:1-2). There was a universal, apostolic tradition to which Paul could appeal. To those who questioned his teaching Paul could write, “But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God” (1 Cor. 11:16). Anyone who would challenge Paul in this area was warned that he was going contrary to the practice of all the churches.
Later in this epistle Paul claimed the very authority of God for his teaching. “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14:37). Paul claimed for these “traditions” of the apostles the same authority that Moses claimed as he descended from Mt. Sinai to the people of Israel. This is the Word of God, just as authoritative as if Christ personally spoke it. Apostolic tradition is authoritative.
Since the first century, with the decease of the apostles, no man has been able to make such valid claims for inspiration and authority. The only source of direction for the churches is now the written Word of God itself. No church should appeal to church history for its guidance and authority. One may study the past to learn lessons and to avoid making the same mistakes, but the authority for doctrine and practice must be only the Word of God, the Bible.
It is very easy to lapse into traditionalism and to make one’s own practices a legalistic norm. The Scripture indicates the early churches had their meetings on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, the day when He arose (Acts 20:7). But there is no biblical direction as to the time of day. You may prefer the Lord’s supper at 9:30, but have no right to demand that all other churches conform. A church may prefer to sit in a circle at the Breaking of bread, but there is no apostolic directive to this end. The Scripture teaches modesty but does not demand a certain dress code for women, as some religious groups do today.
It is very easy to lapse into traditionalism; that can be deadening. We may celebrate the Lord’s Supper every Sunday, but if the heart has gone out of the meeting, it becomes a dead form. Some churches adopt a regular liturgy and know their parts by rote. Others decry that but still fall into a lifeless pattern–a hymn and a prayer, a hymn and a prayer–with few heart-warming expressions of thanks or exercised prayers. If someone would stand and give a heartfelt exhortation, he would be viewed as out of place. “We are comfortable; do not disturb us.” Traditionalism!
Yes, we believe in traditions, the traditions of the apostles. When churches appeal to other traditions, they lay themselves open to all sorts of error and confusion. Isaiah cried, “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isa. 8:20). It is always healthy for a church to evaluate its beliefs and practices in the light of God’s Word, not to appeal to its traditions. The Spirit of God is still eager to lead God’s people into all truth.