Apostolic Tradition

In 1979 Ralph Neighbour wrote a book, The Seven Last Words of the Church. Interesting title. What would they be? We’ve never tried it that way before. (or as I know it, We’ve never done it that way before.) That is what often comes to mind when we start talking about tradition in the church.

Essentially, tradition is the ways things have always been done. We celebrate July 4 with hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, and fireworks that night. Tradition. Open one present on Christmas Eve. Tradition. The church has these kind of traditions as well. I’ve heard it said, Do it twice and it’s a tradition. Tradition is comfortable. You know what’s going to happen when and how it is to be done. On the surface there’s nothing wrong with that. Sadly, traditions often become golden cows – We’ve never done it that way before and we can't do it that way. Ah, now we have a problem.

But that’s not the kind of tradition I’m talking about. I’m talking about Apostolic Tradition. “What in the world is that?” you may be thinking. It is the belief that the Apostles wrote some things down and delivered other things orally. The Bible would be the written down things, the inspired, authoritative Word of God. Apostolic Tradition would be the orally handed down things.

The Jews were a people of tradition. According to Mark 7:1-16 they had traditions that had supplanted the Word of God. But they also had tradition that ran alongside the Word of God and complimented it. The concept of Messiah can be found in the Scriptures, but it is also clearly in the tradition of the Jews. You see it in the Targums (paraphrase / interpretation of the Scripture). There are many Christians who totally dismiss the idea of authoritative Apostolic Tradition, yet these same brethren will refer to the traditional Jewish understanding of the Coming One. And I think rightly so.

The Apostles were Jews and were familiar with this idea of written Word and oral tradition going hand in hand. Is there any evidence in the Scriptures that the Apostles handed down oral instructions that were authoritative, that are not recorded in their writings? Yes, there is.

The word tradition, παράδοσις (paradosis), occurs thirteen times in the New Testament; it means “something given over by word of mouth; tradition.” Several times it refers to Jewish tradition as in the passage in Mark above. Other times it refers to something the Apostles handed over to the churches:

1 Corinthians 11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances [traditions], as I delivered them to you.

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

2 Thessalonians 3:6 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.

1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 
[While this does not use the word tradition, it does refer to oral instruction.]

The early church Fathers verify this. I was never taught this in Bible College, but all you have to do is read the Ante-Nicene Fathers (ante is before) - they still have the voices of the Apostles ringing in their ears!! Here’s just a short list:

Clement of Rome (AD 35-99)
"The apostles have preached the gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ [has done so] from God. Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ…. they appointed the first fruits [of their labours]… to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe. Our apostles … afterwards gave instructions, that when these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry."

Irenaeus (AD 130-202)
"The Church, though dispersed throughout the whole world, even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith…"

"But, again, when we refer them to that tradition which originates from the apostles, [and] which is preserved by means of the succession of presbyters in the Churches..."

"…since the apostles, like a rich man [depositing his money] in a bank, lodged in her hands most copiously all things pertaining to the truth: so that every man, whosoever will, can draw from her the water of life."

"For how should it be if the apostles themselves had not left us writings? Would it not be necessary, [in that case,] to follow the course of the tradition which they handed down to those to whom they did commit the Churches?"

Origen, of Alexandria (AD 185-254)
"Now it ought to be known that the holy apostles, in preaching the faith of Christ, delivered themselves with the utmost clearness on certain points which they believed to be necessary to every one, even to those who seemed somewhat dull in the investigation of divine knowledge... The particular points clearly delivered in the teaching of the apostles are as follow:—"

Is it surprising that the Apostles taught things they didn’t write down? Or that the Church would remember them? I wouldn’t be surprised. I still remember something Chuck Smith said at a Pastors Conference many years ago that greatly impacted me: “Always start on time – otherwise you are teaching them to be late.” And I did, too! I think of that every time a church begins the service later than the announced time….

So what is this Apostolic Tradition? What is it that the Apostles handed down orally? What was it they deposited in the Church?


Next Monday: The Rule of Faith