Tradition
Matt 15:1-9
Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 "Why do Your disciples transgress the
tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." 3 He answered and said to them, "Why do
you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father
and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' 5 But you say, 'Whoever says to his
father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God"-- 6 then he need not honor his father
or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy
about you, saying:
8'These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"
NKJV
Col 2:8
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic
principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
NKJV
2 Thess 3:6
But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly
and not according to the tradition which he received from us.
NKJV
First notice that there is no Old testament scripture that refers to "Tradition". Tradition does not come from the Torah, prophets or the writings of the Old Testament. Traditions as referred to by the above scripture came about for the most part from the oral law. The Jews, according to tradition, believe that an oral law was given to Moses on Mount Sinai along with the written law. And in the course of time Commentaries were given to the oral law to help explain it. What I have found is that there is no reference in scripture to the oral law, and historically there is no reference to the oral law that goes back further than about 200 years before Jesus (Yeshua) walked this earth.
In our Church today there is as much "Tradition" as there is Bible teaching. Not all tradition is bad. But knowing the difference between the two I feel is important. When we are called to worship God in spirit and truth, think about the ways you worship God in your Church and find the Biblical context of it. Otherwise it is a traditional view and may actually be handed down all the way from the early church where pagan practice was very influential.