Body: | The Apostolic Fathers viewed oral tradition as a duplicate of scripture
"So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were
taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us." (2 Thessalonians
2:15)
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Introduction:
It is true that the Apostolic Fathers accepted oral tradition of the
apostles as authoritative. However, they believed 100% of apostolic oral
tradition (viva voce or living voice) was eventually recorded in scripture.
They never indicated that oral tradition was any different or distinct from
scripture. Therefore, Christians who advocate Sola Scriptura take the
identical view of oral tradition of the apostles, as the Church Fathers
did. This is most troubling to Roman Catholic and Orthodox defenders of an
oral tradition that is distinct from scripture. The Apostolic Fathers in
fact viewed oral tradition as a duplicate of scripture.
Tradition #2: Verbal inspiration. (Jer 1:9; 1 Cor 11:2; 2 Thessalonians
2:15; 3:6; 2 Tim 2:2)
Inspired oral tradition that came from the mouth of the apostles and
prophets that, although never differs from, or adds to scripture, may be a
unique way of expressing the same thoughts. (So inspired tradition #1 is
scripture itself that came from the apostles pen and inspired tradition #2
is the words the spoken orally from the apostles mouths.)
A. The Bible texts that support oral revelation as tradition:
Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the
Lord said to me, "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. Jeremiah 1:9.
This is a classic Bible verse on oral inspiration, even though Jeremiah
also wrote a book. Like the Apostles, even though Jeremiah had an oral
tradition, all we know of his work, is what scripture records.
Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold
firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. 1 Corinthians
11:2. Paul delivered these traditions (the gospel) on his second missionary
journey in Acts 18:1. This was before any books of the Bible were written
so it must refer exclusively to oral tradition.
"So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you
were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us." 2
Thessalonians 2:15. Both oral and scripture are called traditions.
"Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not
according to the tradition which you received from us." 2 Thessalonians
3:6. This verse likely includes both oral and scripture tradition as a
summary of 2 Thess 2:15.
The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many
witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others
also. 2 Timothy 2:2. Here we have the famous 4 generation discipleship
passage: 1. Paul 2. Timothy 3. Faithful men 4. Others. However that which
is taught is identical with scripture, even if it was revealed originally
as an oral tradition. What was taught within these four generations may
have included oral revelation, but this oral doctrine was also taught in
scripture. For Roman Catholic and Orthodox defenders who see the succession
of Bishops or the Pope, look elsewhere! First, the one's who were to be
entrusted were, "faithful", not Bishops. Timothy was not a Bishop, was he
to chose the next bishops to entrust the oral tradition to them? Second,
the office of one bishop over the presbytery, did not exist until after 150
AD. Diocesan bishops, where one bishop was over another did not exist until
250. (Click here for proof.) So to suggest this passage teaches succession
in any Catholic or Orthodox way, is vacuous.
"You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become
convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them" 2 Timothy 3:14. This
verse would likely refer to oral revelation from Paul's inspired mouth to
Timothy.
"I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents
will be able to resist or refute", Luke 21:12-15 is proves that oral
tradition was the norm for the first 20 years of the church.
The "with many other words" in Acts 2:40 represent inspired oral
traditions that are lost forever. Yet for some time these specific words
were likely remembered by many who heard them. There are literally
thousands of inspired sermons that the Holy Spirit.
"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles'
teaching". (Acts 2:42) Although we do not know specifically what the
apostles taught at this time, we can be sure it did not differ from what we
have in scripture.
B. The fathers speak of oral revelation as being apostolic tradition, which
is not in scripture:
"Now, what that was which they preached-in other words, what it was
which Christ revealed to them-can, as I must here likewise prescribe,
properly be proved in no other way than by those very churches which the
apostles rounded in person, by declaring the gospel to them directly
themselves, both viva voce [living voice], as the phrase is, and
subsequently by their epistles. If, then, these things are so, it is in the
same degree manifest that all doctrine which agrees with the apostolic
churches-those moulds and original sources of the faith must be reckoned
for truth, as undoubtedly containing that which the (said) churches
received from the apostles, the apostles from Christ, Christ from God.
Whereas all doctrine must be prejudged as false which savours of
contrariety to the truth of the churches and apostles of Christ and God. It
remains, then, that we demonstrate whether this doctrine of ours, of which
we have now given the rule, has its origin in the tradition of the
apostles, and whether all other doctrines do not ipso facto proceed from
falsehood. We hold communion with the apostolic churches because our
doctrine is in no respect different from theirs. This is our witness of
truth." (Tertullian, The prescription against the heretics, Ch 21)
This living voice was the inspired voice of Jesus and the apostles
which Tertullian say, was then recorded in scripture.
Notice the sequence: 1. Living voice of the apostles. 2.
subsequently recorded in their epistles. This shows that the Apostolic
Fathers viewed the scriptures as containing the totality of the "living
voice".
Whereas the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches view what they are
now as the living voice, Tertullian viewed the living voice as being
transferred to scripture. This is just another example of how these modern
traditionalist churches are actually unorthodox when the study the
apostolic Fathers.
C. The Roman Catholic church claims they are the living voice today!
Today the Roman Catholic church has redefined this "living voice" of
oral tradition from the actual words spoken by Christ and the apostles, to
whatever the Pope says today. "But the appeal to antiquity is both a
treason and a heresy. It is a treason because it rejects the Divine voice
of the Church at this hour, and a heresy because it denies that voice to be
Divine. How can we know what antiquity was except through the Church? ... I
may say in strict truth that the Church has no antiquity. It rests upon its
own supernatural and perpetual consciousness. ... The only Divine evidence
to us of what was primitive is the witness and voice of the Church at this
hour." (Henry Edward Manning, The Temporal Mission of the Holy Ghost: Or
Reason and Revelation, 1865, p 227-228)
The Apostolic Fathers recognized five different kinds of tradition:
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Tradition #1: Scripture. (2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Thess 2:15; 3:6)
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Tradition #2: Verbal inspiration. (Jer 1:9; 1 Cor 11:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6; 2 Tim 2:2)
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Tradition #3: Expedient tradition. (Roman 14:5)
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Tradition #4: Uninspired creeds "Rule of Faith". (1 Cor 15:3-6; 1 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:8)
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Tradition #5: False doctrine tradition. (Mk 7:7-9; Col 2:8; 2 Tim 4:2-5)
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Mistakes made by the Apostolic Fathers based upon tradition
By Steve Rudd
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