Tradition Part 1

For many years I have heard and read sermons, tracts, and literature which made the idea of tradition the whipping boy of the Church. According to these sources, tradition is antithetical to true religion (this word has fared no better) and against everything that is holy, pure and good.

In the faith tradition of which I am a part (Classical Pentecostal), the very word “tradition” is anathema. Everyone would strenuously object to the term even being mentioned in connection with us. I have heard sermons decrying the evils of tradition and heard one preacher say that every mention of tradition in the Bible is a negative one.

That statement needs desperately to be challenged because it is a fine example of willful ignorance which is fueled by blindly following tradition. The Greek term used in the NT for tradition is paradosis. It is used 13 times in the New Testament (Matthew 15: 2-3 [used twice], Matthew 15: 6,Mark 7:3, Mark 7:5, Mark 7: 8-9 [twice], Mark 7: 13, I Corinthians 11: 2, Galatians 1:14, Colossians 2:8, II Thessalonians 2: 15, and II Thessalonians 3: 6.)

We may concede for the sake of argument that the Matthew, Mark, and Colossians passages speak negatively of tradition (although I would contend that point is arguable); however, the others listed cannot be considered negative toward tradition by any stretch of the imagination. Let’s look at them:

Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. (1 Corinthians11:2)

And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. (Galatians 1:14)

Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. (2 Thessalonians 2:15 )

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. (2 Thessalonians 3:6)

If anyone reads these as negative toward tradition per se, they are undoubtedly seeing something that I have completely overlooked and/or ignored. These don't even appear to be matters of interpretation. In fact, far from disparaging tradition, they are apparently promoting and encouraging it.

This should be sufficient to silence any blanket condemnation of tradition in itself. Whether tradition is positive or negative depends on how it is used, where it came from, and what kind of fruit it bears. It can be helpful, harmful or indifferent. As we will see in Part 2, it is never absent.