Tradition of Men
Tradition – customs and practices from the past that are passed on as accepted
standards of behavior for the present. The handing down of opinions, stories from
father to son, by oral communication, a statement so handed down.
God did institute for the fathers to teach their children (Deuteronomy 6:6-7) “and
these words which I command you this day, shall be in your heart. And you shall
teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your
house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lay down, and when you rise
up”. This sounds like all the time.
Traditions should be based only on the word of God. God warns “do not add to or
take away from My word”. Remember the Israelites, many times picked up the
traditions of the people around them and began to serve other gods. Certain
holidays were instituted by God Himself and were designed to celebrate and remind
the people of what God had done. But the people began to worship the Lord Yahweh
the way other people worshipped their gods. God tells them in Isaiah 1:13-14 “bring
no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination to Me, the new moons and
Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the solemn
meeting. Your new moon and your appointed feasts, My soul hates; they are a
trouble to Me, I am weary to bear them”.
Traditions of the fathers – this collection was believed to be equal to the written law.
The Pharisees used the expression “tradition of the elders” when speaking to Jesus
about hand washing (this was washing their hands in a special way) “then came to
Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem saying. Why do your disciples
transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat
bread. But He answered and said to them, why do you also transgress the
commandments of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying honor your
father and mother and, he that curses father or mother, let him die the death. But
you say, whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, it is a gift, by whatsoever
you might be profited by me (whatever I have that would help you, has been given to
God). And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have you made
the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. You hypocrites, well did
Isaiah prophecy of you saying. This people draw near to Me with their mouth, and
honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship
Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:1-9 and Mark 7:1-
13).
Jesus strongly criticized the scribes and Pharisees for the way these traditions were
enforced (Matthew 23). Jesus noted that keeping the tradition had become more
important than the moral and personal effect of the teaching.
Oral tradition – this oral law consisted of traditional interpretations that had been
handed down from teacher to pupil. In the course of the passing on of the tradition,
further explanation of basis principles were added.
There is little doubt that in the earliest period, the words and work of Jesus was
passed on by word of mouth. You see this by the crowns of people who would come
out to hear Jesus.
Paul warns in Colossians 2:6-8 “as you have therefore received Christ Jesus the
Lord, so walk you in Him. Rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as
you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware less any man
spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the
rudiments of the world, and not after Christ”.
Paul also warns in II Thessalonians 2:14-15 “whereto He called you by our gospel, to
the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast,
and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word or our epistle”.
He goes on to tell them “now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly,
and not after the tradition which he received of us”.
Traditions can be effective expressions of faith, but only when there is real faith
behind them. Jesus told the crowd that many religious Jews who should be in the
kingdom would be excluded because of their lack of faith. Entrenched in their
religious traditions, they could not accept Christ and His new message. We must be
careful not to become so set in our religious habits that we expect God to work only in
specified ways. Don’t limit God by your mind set and lack of faith (Romans 4:1-12).
There are traditions of men which say that God doesn’t heal any more, and there are
no miracles; they ended when the Bible was completed. There are traditions which
say that God wants you poor, some even take a vow of poverty. And some
dominations are teaching this to their congregation. We have to examine what we will
follow. The Bible tells us to study to show ourselves approved, a workman which
need not to be ashamed. Check out where the tradition comes from. The Bereans
heard the word of Paul and then they checked the scriptures to see if it was so, and
so should we. We have to examine why we do what we do.
Doctors will tell people that certain illnesses pass down through family lines, well, that
is a fact, but because you have been born again, you have a new family line, and
sickness is not a part of your new family line because of the new covenant of the
blood of Jesus. Jesus bore our grief and carried our sorrows on the cross (Isaiah 53:
4-5 and II Peter 2:24).
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: March 28, 2008
Tradition – customs and practices from the past that are passed on as accepted
standards of behavior for the present. The handing down of opinions, stories from
father to son, by oral communication, a statement so handed down.
God did institute for the fathers to teach their children (Deuteronomy 6:6-7) “and
these words which I command you this day, shall be in your heart. And you shall
teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your
house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lay down, and when you rise
up”. This sounds like all the time.
Traditions should be based only on the word of God. God warns “do not add to or
take away from My word”. Remember the Israelites, many times picked up the
traditions of the people around them and began to serve other gods. Certain
holidays were instituted by God Himself and were designed to celebrate and remind
the people of what God had done. But the people began to worship the Lord Yahweh
the way other people worshipped their gods. God tells them in Isaiah 1:13-14 “bring
no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination to Me, the new moons and
Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the solemn
meeting. Your new moon and your appointed feasts, My soul hates; they are a
trouble to Me, I am weary to bear them”.
Traditions of the fathers – this collection was believed to be equal to the written law.
The Pharisees used the expression “tradition of the elders” when speaking to Jesus
about hand washing (this was washing their hands in a special way) “then came to
Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem saying. Why do your disciples
transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat
bread. But He answered and said to them, why do you also transgress the
commandments of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying honor your
father and mother and, he that curses father or mother, let him die the death. But
you say, whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, it is a gift, by whatsoever
you might be profited by me (whatever I have that would help you, has been given to
God). And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have you made
the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. You hypocrites, well did
Isaiah prophecy of you saying. This people draw near to Me with their mouth, and
honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship
Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:1-9 and Mark 7:1-
13).
Jesus strongly criticized the scribes and Pharisees for the way these traditions were
enforced (Matthew 23). Jesus noted that keeping the tradition had become more
important than the moral and personal effect of the teaching.
Oral tradition – this oral law consisted of traditional interpretations that had been
handed down from teacher to pupil. In the course of the passing on of the tradition,
further explanation of basis principles were added.
There is little doubt that in the earliest period, the words and work of Jesus was
passed on by word of mouth. You see this by the crowns of people who would come
out to hear Jesus.
Paul warns in Colossians 2:6-8 “as you have therefore received Christ Jesus the
Lord, so walk you in Him. Rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as
you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware less any man
spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the
rudiments of the world, and not after Christ”.
Paul also warns in II Thessalonians 2:14-15 “whereto He called you by our gospel, to
the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast,
and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word or our epistle”.
He goes on to tell them “now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly,
and not after the tradition which he received of us”.
Traditions can be effective expressions of faith, but only when there is real faith
behind them. Jesus told the crowd that many religious Jews who should be in the
kingdom would be excluded because of their lack of faith. Entrenched in their
religious traditions, they could not accept Christ and His new message. We must be
careful not to become so set in our religious habits that we expect God to work only in
specified ways. Don’t limit God by your mind set and lack of faith (Romans 4:1-12).
There are traditions of men which say that God doesn’t heal any more, and there are
no miracles; they ended when the Bible was completed. There are traditions which
say that God wants you poor, some even take a vow of poverty. And some
dominations are teaching this to their congregation. We have to examine what we will
follow. The Bible tells us to study to show ourselves approved, a workman which
need not to be ashamed. Check out where the tradition comes from. The Bereans
heard the word of Paul and then they checked the scriptures to see if it was so, and
so should we. We have to examine why we do what we do.
Doctors will tell people that certain illnesses pass down through family lines, well, that
is a fact, but because you have been born again, you have a new family line, and
sickness is not a part of your new family line because of the new covenant of the
blood of Jesus. Jesus bore our grief and carried our sorrows on the cross (Isaiah 53:
4-5 and II Peter 2:24).
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: March 28, 2008
