Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Scope:Tradition, in the biblical context, refers to teachings, practices, and beliefs handed down from one generation to another. These can be oral or written and often encompass religious, cultural, and social elements. In the Bible, tradition can be seen both positively and negatively, depending on its alignment with God's commandments and revelation.
Old Testament Context:In the Old Testament, tradition is often associated with the transmission of God's laws and commandments. The Israelites were instructed to teach their children the statutes and ordinances given by God.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 emphasizes this: "These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
Tradition also included cultural practices and rituals, such as the Passover, which served as a memorial of God's deliverance from Egypt (
Exodus 12:24-27). These traditions were intended to remind the people of their covenant relationship with God and His mighty works.
New Testament Context:In the New Testament, tradition takes on a more complex role. Jesus Christ often confronted the religious leaders of His time regarding their adherence to human traditions that contradicted God's commandments. In
Mark 7:8-9 , Jesus rebukes the Pharisees and scribes: "You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men. He went on to say, 'You neatly set aside the commandment of God to maintain your own tradition.'"
The Apostle Paul, however, speaks of tradition in a positive light when it aligns with apostolic teaching. In
2 Thessalonians 2:15 , Paul exhorts the believers: "Therefore, brothers, stand firm and cling to the traditions we taught you, whether by speech or by letter." Here, tradition refers to the teachings and practices established by the apostles, which were rooted in the gospel of Christ.
The Role of Tradition in the Early Church:The early church grappled with the role of tradition, especially as it related to Jewish customs and the inclusion of Gentile believers. The Jerusalem Council in
Acts 15 addressed these issues, determining that Gentile converts were not bound by all Jewish traditions but were to abstain from certain practices that were inconsistent with Christian faith.
Tradition also played a role in the formation of the New Testament canon and the development of creeds and doctrinal statements. These traditions were intended to preserve the core truths of the Christian faith and provide a standard against heretical teachings.
Theological Implications:From a theological perspective, tradition is valuable when it serves to uphold and transmit the truths of Scripture. However, it becomes problematic when it supersedes or contradicts biblical revelation. The challenge for believers is to discern between traditions that are beneficial and those that are merely human constructs.
Practical Application:In contemporary Christian practice, tradition can be seen in liturgical forms, denominational distinctives, and cultural expressions of faith. Believers are encouraged to evaluate traditions in light of Scripture, ensuring that they enhance rather than hinder their relationship with God. As Paul advises in
Colossians 2:8 , "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ."
ATS Bible Dictionary
TraditionColossians 2:8Titus 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,Isaiah 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,Revelation 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,Matthew 15:1-20Mark 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.
In2 Thessalonians 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.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Any kind of teaching, written or spoken, handed down from generation to generation. In
Mark 7:3, 9, 13,
Colossians 2:8, this word refers to the arbitrary interpretations of the Jews. In
2 Thessalonians 2:15;
3:6, it is used in a good sense. Peter (
1 Peter 1:18) uses this word with reference to the degenerate Judaism of the "strangers scattered" whom he addresses (Comp.
Acts 15:10;
Matthew 15:2-6;
Galatians 1:14).
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The act of delivering into the hands of another; delivery.
2. (n.) The unwritten or oral delivery of information, opinions, doctrines, practices, rites, and customs, from father to son, or from ancestors to posterity; the transmission of any knowledge, opinions, or practice, from forefathers to descendants by oral communication, without written memorials.
3. (n.) Hence, that which is transmitted orally from father to son, or from ancestors to posterity; knowledge or belief transmitted without the aid of written memorials; custom or practice long observed.
4. (n.) An unwritten code of law represented to have been given by God to Moses on Sinai.
5. (n.) That body of doctrine and discipline, or any article thereof, supposed to have been put forth by Christ or his apostles, and not committed to writing.
6. (v. t.) To transmit by way of tradition; to hand down.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
TRADITIONtra-dish'-un: The Greek word is paradosis, "a giving over," either by word of mouth or in writing; then that which is given over, i.e. tradition, the teaching that is handed down from one to another. The word does not occur in the Hebrew Old Testament (except inJeremiah 39 (32):4; 41 (34):2, used in another sense), or in the Septuagint or the Apocrypha (except in 2 Esdras 7:26, used in a different sense), but is found 13 times in the New Testament (Matthew 15:2, 3, 6Mark 7:3, 5, 8, 9, 131 Corinthians 11:2Galatians 1:14Colossians 2:82 Thessalonians 2:15;2 Thessalonians 3:6).
1. Meaning in Jewish Theology:
The term in the New Testament has apparently three meanings. It means, in Jewish theology, the oral teachings of the elders (distinguished ancestors from Moses on) which were reverenced by the late Jews equally with the written teachings of the Old Testament, and were regarded by them as equally authoritative on matters of belief and conduct. There seem to be three classes of these oral teachings:
(a) some oral laws of Moses (as they supposed) given by the great lawgiver in addition to the written laws;
(b) decisions of various judges which became precedents in judicial matters;
(c) interpretations of great teachers (rabbis) which came to be prized with the same reverence as were the Old Testament Scriptures.
It was against the tradition of the elders in this first sense that Jesus spoke so pointedly to the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 15:2Mark 7:3 f). The Pharisees charged Jesus with transgressing "the tradition of the elders." Jesus turned on them with the question, "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?" He then shows how their hollow traditionalism has fruited into mere ceremonialism and externalism (washing of hands, vessels, saying "Corban" to a suffering parent, i.e. "My property is devoted to God, and therefore I cannot use it to help you," etc.), but He taught that this view of uncleanness was essentially false, since the heart, the seat of the soul, is the source of thought, character and conduct (Mark 7:14 f).
2. As Used in 1 Corinthians and 2 Thessalonians:
The word is used by Paul when referring to his personal Christian teachings to the churches at Corinth and Thessalonica (1 Corinthians 11:22 Thessalonians 2:15;2 Thessalonians 3:6). In this sense the word in the singular is better translated "instruction," signifying the body of teaching delivered by the apostle to the church at Thessalonica (2 Thessalonians 3:6). But Paul in the other two passages uses it in the plural, meaning the separate instructions which he delivered to the churches at Corinth and Thessalonica.
3. As Used in Colossians:
The word is used by Paul inColossians 2:8 in a sense apparently different from the two senses above. He warns his readers against the teachings of the false teachers in Colosse, which are "after the tradition of men." Olshausen, Lightfoot, Dargan, in their commentaries in the place cited., maintain that the reference is to the Judaistic character of the false teachers. This may be true, and yet we must see that the word "tradition" has a much broader meaning here than in 1 above. Besides, it is not certain that the false teachings at Colosse are essentially Jewish in character. The phrase "tradition of men" seems to emphasize merely the human, not necessarily Jewish, origin of these false teachings.
The verb paradidomi, "to give over," is also used 5 times to express the impartation of Christian instruction:Luke 1:2, where eyewitnesses are said to have handed down the things concerning Jesus;1 Corinthians 11:2, 23 and 15:3 referring to the apostle's personal teaching;2 Peter 2:21, to instruction by some Christian teacher (compare1 Peter 1:18).
LITERATURE.
Broadus, Allen, Meyer, commentaries onMatthew 15:2; Swete, Gould, commentaries on Mark (7:3); Lightfoot, Meyer, commentaries onGalatians 1:14; Lightfoot, Olshausen, Dargan (American Commentary), commentaries onColossians 2:8; Milligan, commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 2:15 and 3:6); Weber, Jewish Theology (Ger., Altsyn. Theol.); Pocock, Porta Mosis, 350-402; Schurer, HJP, II, i, section 25; Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, II, chapter xxxi; Josephus, Ant, XIII, x, 6. Charles B. Williams
Greek
3862. paradosis -- a handing down or over, atradition... a handing down or over, a
tradition. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration:
paradosis Phonetic Spelling: (par-ad'-os-is) Short Definition: an
...3970. patroparadotos -- one who kills one's father
... inherited From pater and a derivative of paradidomi (in the sense of handing over
or down); traditionary -- received bytradition from fathers. see GREEK pater....
1485. ethos -- custom, a usage (prescribed by habit or law)
... Cognate: 1485 (from 1486 , "to be accustomed") custom; behavior based ontradition
(a habit) fixed by the religious social life of a nation. See 1486 ()....
1486. etho -- to be accustomed, part. custom
... 1486 (cognate with 1485 , "behavior based ontradition or custom") -- doing what
one is to do, ie on the basis of or (see Mt 27:15; Lk 4:16; Ac 17:2)....
Strong's Hebrew
4687. mitsvah -- commandment... command (15), commanded (7), commandment (34), commandments (118), commands (2),
obligation (1), prescribed (2), terms (1), things (4),
tradition* (1), what (1
...376. ish -- man
... 1), swordsmen* (1), this one (1), this one and that one (1), those (1), those who
(3), tiller* (1), together* (1), traders* (2),tradition* (1), traveler* (1...
Library
The Influence ofTradition.
... IV. THE INFLUENCE OFTRADITION. "Making the word of God of none effect through
your traditions: and many such like things ye do.""Mark 7:13....
Tradition
... The DESIRE of AGES Chapter 42Tradition.... In the presence of the multitude they said,
"Why do Thy disciples transgress thetradition of the elders?...
TheTradition of the Apostles Secured by Other Excellent...
... SECT. VI. Thetradition of the apostles secured by other excellent instructions;
I. Thetradition of the apostles secured by other excellent instructions; II....
The oneTradition of the Faith, which is Substantially Alike in...
... Chapter XXVIII."The OneTradition of the Faith, Which is Substantially Alike in
the Churches Everywhere, a Good Proof that the Transmission Has Been True and...
TheTradition of the Church Prior to that of the Heresies.
... The Stromata, or Miscellanies. Book VII. Chapter XVII."TheTradition of
the Church Prior to that of the Heresies. Those, then, that...
Papal Infallibility Explained, and Tested byTradition and...
... A HISTORY OF THE CREEDS OF CHRISTENDOM 34. Papal Infallibility Explained, and Tested
byTradition and Scripture.... [328]. Papal Infallibility tested byTradition....
Since Custom and AncientTradition have Prevailed that the Bishop...
... Canon VII. Since custom and ancienttradition have prevailed that the Bishop
of ??lia i.? Since custom and ancienttradition have...
Rejection of theTradition of the Elders.
... THE CRISIS IN CAPERNAUM REJECTION OF THETRADITION OF THE ELDERS.... "Ye leave
the commandment of God, and hold fast thetradition of men."....
Concerning the Pharisees and Scribes who came and Inquired, Why do...
... Book XI. 8. Concerning the Pharisees and Scribes Who Came and Inquired, Why
Do Thy Disciples Transgress theTradition of the Elders?...
The Heretics Follow Neither Scripture norTradition.
... Against Heresies: Book III Chapter II."The heretics follow neither Scripture
nortradition. 1. When, however, they are confuted...
Thesaurus
Tradition (13 Occurrences)... committed to writing. 6. (vt) To transmit by way of
tradition; to hand down.
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
TRADITION. tra-dish'-un
...Mamre (10 Occurrences)
... The one site which has a claim on grounds other thantradition is that called Khirbet
and `Ain Nimreh (literally, the "ruin" and "spring" of "the leopard...
Golgotha (4 Occurrences)
... Thistradition apparently originates with Jerome (346-420 AD), who refers to (3),
to condemn it, and says that "outside the city and without the gate there are...
Traditional (3 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Of or pertaining totradition; derived fromtradition; communicated from
ancestors to descendants by word only; transmitted from age to age without...
Nahum (3 Occurrences)
... The Four Traditions Onetradition, which cannot be traced beyond the 16th century
AD, identifies the home of Nahum with a modern village Elkush, or Alkosh, not...
Deluge (17 Occurrences)
... del'-uj 1. The Biblical Account 2. "Noah's Log Book" 3. The EgyptianTradition 4.
The IndianTradition 5. The ChineseTradition 6. The GreekTradition 7. The...
Melchizedek (12 Occurrences)
... speculation. It is an oldtradition among the Jews that he was Shem, the
son of Noah, who may have survived to this time. Melchizedek...
Melchisedec (10 Occurrences)
... Beitrage zur Assyriologie, IV, 101;, 279;, cited by GA Smith, Jerusalem, II, 8,
note 1). It thus becomes clear that possiblytradition identified Melchizedek...
Lamentations (6 Occurrences)
... The spirit, tone, language, and subject-matter are in accord with the
testimony oftradition in assigning it to him. According to...
Noah (55 Occurrences)
... Unrestrainedtradition would have been sure to distort the proportions, as is
shown by what actually occurred in other accounts of the Ark....
Resources
Should Catholic tradition have equal or greater authority than the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgHow should a Christian view tradition? | GotQuestions.orgHow much of the Bible was transmitted by oral tradition? | GotQuestions.orgTradition: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
