Tradition (paradosis) is a good word, but commonly begets conflicted meanings in the treatment of the word. The Apostle Paul used it positively in the text cited here. The negative perception of it is partly drawn from Jesus’ discourse with Jewish leaders on growing traditional teachings of the forefathers substituted for Scripture. (Matthew 15 and Mark 7) We may be tempted to throw out a useful word, tradition, because it was wrongly used by religious leaders as noted by Jesus, quoting from Isaiah. (29:13) Isaiah’s word is translated, precept (mitzvah), a rule or command to others. What happened was that the generations of the forefathers, to make things easier for themselves and the people, made certain rulings that became commands, and were ultimately given authority as great, or greater, than Scripture. The error, seen by Isaiah hundreds of years before Christ, continued in Jesus’ day. Correction had not been made. Authoritarian traditions (teachings) had increased. It was this very issue from which the Apostle Paul ultimately claimed deliverance. He returned to the Old Testament the exclusive authority that belonged to it. This does not mean he rejected traditions, but put them in their place. What he had formerly taken so seriously as God’s requirement, was now seen for what it was, extrabiblical. Helpful traditions were not binding, but guiding. Binding tradition was to have foundation from Scripture. Tradition is limited, to be measured by Scripture. The point made is that traditions do not have the authority of Scripture. One ought to protect constructive traditions but they do not bear revealed information without biblical support. Misguided traditions need amendment to right them.
Traditional exercises might be resurrected in the church to resuscitate the church’s devotional spirit. Perusing the magnificent devotional material of the centuries, one wonders why it has been generally overlooked. For groups of Christians to meet informally, or families alone, to read regularly selected writings, letters, sermons of some of the greats of Christian history would create a salutary effect for the spiritual lives of believers. To read and discuss the ideas of devotion found in the writings and letters of hundreds of persons from ancients, through Augustine, Francis, Maimonides, Aquinas, a Kempis, Luther, Calvin, Donne, Wycliffe, Kierkegaard, Pascal, Edwards, Bonhoeffer and a panoply of others. Many are little known but they mined fertile fields of devotion. That literature with comparative readings from Scripture would likely inspire us to become better Christians, so to lift to higher spiritual elevations.
On several occasions, Bernard Ramm, the apologist writer, and I discussed the mutual feeling we had that Christian life was currently too diluted, and sometimes poorly represented because Christians were not adequately informed about the devotional spirit that commends believers as committed, spiritual models of faith and practice. We believed that Christian colleges ought to have a crafted course in devotional literature, and we tried to get it adopted. We were told that that ought to be the duty of the church. Our view was unchanged for us, holding that if we approve the literature of Shakespeare and Bunyan we can justify this approach for our tradition. We failed in our effort, although in recent years there has been greater interest in Christian authors of the past – all the way back to Jesus and the completion of the New Testament canon. I have only grown in conviction that Christian classics deserve renewed attention. The objective of such an interest and engagement would likely improve Christian experience. I have been greatly improved by Augustine, Luther, Donne, Kierkegaard, Pascal, Tozer and others. There is a magnificent resource too seldom visited that would lift the Christian soul. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020