Traditions

by G. Neely, Toronto, Canada | Category: General | Aug 1988

So, then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye were taught, whether by word, or by epistle of ours (2 Thes. 2:15).

Paul told the church in Thessalonica a very important thing in this verse:

"hold the traditions". The Greek word krateo is used to indicate a holding fast, a strong and mighty retention of the traditions. There was to be no letting go for any reason: not peer pressure, nor persecution, nor to increase the size of their church. Nothing was to cause them to let go of the things that Paul and others had passed on to them. The Greek word paradosis (tradition) simply means a passing down of teaching. The teaching that Paul had passed down was that of the Lord Jesus. It was the teaching or doctrine of the churches of God, and it was consistent in every church (1 Cor. 4:17).

Paul, writing to the church in Corinth said, "Now I praise you that he remember me in all things, and hold fast the traditions, even as I delivered them to you" (1 Cor. 11:2). It was absolutely essential that the churches held fast the traditions, for to let them go, or to be loose in their grip of them, would result in a breakdown in truth. For this reason, Paul, writing to the Thessalonians said, "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 they received of us" (2 Thes. 3:6). The reasons for the withdrawal are so that the disorderly brother will be ashamed, and also so that the rest of the church will not be adversely affected by his behaviour. The objectives of the withdrawal are all positive, not negative.

There is a great need, however, to ensure that the traditions being held on to are the traditions of God, not the traditions of men. The Lord condemned the Pharisees for failing to do this. "Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men" (Mark 7:1-13). These men were hypocrites.

Paul cautioned the Colossians, telling them to be careful, "lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of this world, and not after Christ" (Col. 2:8). It is not the holding of any tradition that is important, but the holding of the tradition of Christ. That tradition today is found in the Bible and must not be altered for any reason.

Paul told Timothy, "And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2). Our responsibility is twofold: to learn the traditions of the Lord, and to teach them faithfully to others, that the witness to the truth might be maintained, and the continuity of the testimony preserved.

G. Neely, Toronto, Canada | Aug 1988
General