In my earlier discussions of traditions I pursued the origin of the word sacrament. I used it to emphasize how important it is to use words correctly. We move back now to our original discussion of tradition and the Great Tradition.
The New Testament Greek word we've often translated into our Bibles with the English word tradition originally meant to betray or deliver up someone. For instance, Judas betrayed Jesus to the High Priests. Pilate delivered Jesus up to the will of the mob. Paul was delivered into the hands of Romans. And Jesus gave himself for you and for me.
The verb was also used as a technical term among the Jews, referring to customs handed down. However, their customs often went beyond the direct teachings of the Torah. For instance, when Jesus and his disciples were accused of not washing their hands according to the Jewish tradition of the elders, Jesus replied, "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions" (Mark 7:1-9). After Jesus' resurrection and return to heaven, the deacon Stephen was accused of changing the customs (traditions) Moses had supposedly handed down to them (Acts 6:9-15). That finally led to his being stoned to death for heresy and false teaching.
Speaking of traditions, did you know that the Hebrew text of the Old Testament has certain fixed traditional divisions, pronunciations and modes of public recitation that have been handed down to us. Hebrew was actually the first classical language to have that done to it. These punctuations and divisions are called the Masorah or traditions; from the Hebrew word Masar, 'to hand down.' Some Jewish scholars propose that the nounMasorah is really from the Hebrew verb Asar, 'to bind or fetter,' suggesting that these same detailed instructions about the text are bound to it. They are traditions that must be handed down.
Christians inherited the work done by these Masoretes, who were Aramaic speaking Jews of Babylon and Palestine, living between 700 and 900 A.D. The work they produced is called the Masoretic text. We have retained these traditional chapters and verses also in our English translations, but they are traditions, not revelation.
Some have considered that some of those traditions may be mistaken and thus lead to a change in the way one might understand a given Bible passage. To get into that, however, will take us far afield in our discussion. Let us rather talk about the Greek New Testament and where the Greek noun for our English word tradition refers to the content of what is transmitted, not merely to the letters, punctuation and acts of transmitting the content.
For instance, Paul starts his letter to the Galatians by saying that he was once extremely zealous for the traditions of his fathers, but that all changed when God called him by his grace and revealed Jesus to him so that he might preach the gospel among the Gentiles (Galatians 1:14). In this context the Apostle is speaking about the things he used to do, like tithing, washing his hands, observing Sabbath, certain festivals and so forth. However, after his conversion, when he got into the mission field, he was concerned not about the outward acts and words themselves, but rather what they conveyed, namely the teachings.
In his first letter to the Corinthians Paul commends them for holding to the teachings, just as he had passed them on (1 Corinthians 11:2). His word for teachings is the same Greek word translated in his other letters as traditions. In this same verse the verb for pass on is the verbal form of the noun translated as either teaching or tradition. In the same chapter Paul says he is handing down or passing on to them what he received from the Lord about the Lord's Supper. A little later Paul uses the same verb when he speaks about how he handed down to them what he received about Christ's death and resurrection. Again, Paul warns the Colossians to beware lest they be cheated through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, rather than the gospel (Colossians 2:8).
The gospel is the good news about Jesus, and that is what is to be handed down. It is the Great Tradition. As we hand down the teachings (traditions) about Jesus, his life, death and resurrection and all that he taught us, the Holy Spirit teaches us to believe in Jesus. Jesus himself promised to send the Spirit of truth, who goes out from the Father. This Spirit, Jesus said, would bring glory to him by taking what is his and making it known to his disciples (John 14-16). Next time I'll tie together all these teachings about tradition and traditions in the Church.
The New Testament Greek word we've often translated into our Bibles with the English word tradition originally meant to betray or deliver up someone. For instance, Judas betrayed Jesus to the High Priests. Pilate delivered Jesus up to the will of the mob. Paul was delivered into the hands of Romans. And Jesus gave himself for you and for me.
The verb was also used as a technical term among the Jews, referring to customs handed down. However, their customs often went beyond the direct teachings of the Torah. For instance, when Jesus and his disciples were accused of not washing their hands according to the Jewish tradition of the elders, Jesus replied, "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions" (Mark 7:1-9). After Jesus' resurrection and return to heaven, the deacon Stephen was accused of changing the customs (traditions) Moses had supposedly handed down to them (Acts 6:9-15). That finally led to his being stoned to death for heresy and false teaching.
Speaking of traditions, did you know that the Hebrew text of the Old Testament has certain fixed traditional divisions, pronunciations and modes of public recitation that have been handed down to us. Hebrew was actually the first classical language to have that done to it. These punctuations and divisions are called the Masorah or traditions; from the Hebrew word Masar, 'to hand down.' Some Jewish scholars propose that the nounMasorah is really from the Hebrew verb Asar, 'to bind or fetter,' suggesting that these same detailed instructions about the text are bound to it. They are traditions that must be handed down.
Christians inherited the work done by these Masoretes, who were Aramaic speaking Jews of Babylon and Palestine, living between 700 and 900 A.D. The work they produced is called the Masoretic text. We have retained these traditional chapters and verses also in our English translations, but they are traditions, not revelation.
Some have considered that some of those traditions may be mistaken and thus lead to a change in the way one might understand a given Bible passage. To get into that, however, will take us far afield in our discussion. Let us rather talk about the Greek New Testament and where the Greek noun for our English word tradition refers to the content of what is transmitted, not merely to the letters, punctuation and acts of transmitting the content.
For instance, Paul starts his letter to the Galatians by saying that he was once extremely zealous for the traditions of his fathers, but that all changed when God called him by his grace and revealed Jesus to him so that he might preach the gospel among the Gentiles (Galatians 1:14). In this context the Apostle is speaking about the things he used to do, like tithing, washing his hands, observing Sabbath, certain festivals and so forth. However, after his conversion, when he got into the mission field, he was concerned not about the outward acts and words themselves, but rather what they conveyed, namely the teachings.
In his first letter to the Corinthians Paul commends them for holding to the teachings, just as he had passed them on (1 Corinthians 11:2). His word for teachings is the same Greek word translated in his other letters as traditions. In this same verse the verb for pass on is the verbal form of the noun translated as either teaching or tradition. In the same chapter Paul says he is handing down or passing on to them what he received from the Lord about the Lord's Supper. A little later Paul uses the same verb when he speaks about how he handed down to them what he received about Christ's death and resurrection. Again, Paul warns the Colossians to beware lest they be cheated through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, rather than the gospel (Colossians 2:8).
The gospel is the good news about Jesus, and that is what is to be handed down. It is the Great Tradition. As we hand down the teachings (traditions) about Jesus, his life, death and resurrection and all that he taught us, the Holy Spirit teaches us to believe in Jesus. Jesus himself promised to send the Spirit of truth, who goes out from the Father. This Spirit, Jesus said, would bring glory to him by taking what is his and making it known to his disciples (John 14-16). Next time I'll tie together all these teachings about tradition and traditions in the Church.
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So what do you think? I would love to see a few words from you.