1. T HE H OLY T RADITION Introduction Tradition in the apostolic age Tradition and the Holy Bible Tradition and Church Life True and false traditions 1

2. T HE H OLY T RADITION Introduction Tradition= paradosis in Greek which in the Bible is used as “ a transmission from one party to another, and exchange of some sort, implying living subjects.” Christ did not deliver His disciples and apostles a written document, but rather He prepared them to follow Him and to accept Him dwelling within their hearts. 2

3. F IRST : T RADITION IN THE APOSTOLIC AGE In the apostolic age, the New Testament books were already in existence, but these were not yet canonized officially. Tradition was the only source of Christian faith, doctrine and worship. 3

4. T RADITION IN THE APOSTOLIC AGE, CONT. In brief, we can say that the Church in the apostolic age accepted the living tradition, by which she received the books of the Old Testament, conceived its prophecies, discovered its types and symbols, acknowledged its unity with the apostolic testimony, received the witnesses of the apostles, declared the authority of their successors in preserving the Christian faith and practiced the true worship of God. 4

5. S ECOND :T RADITION AND THE H OLY B IBLE A) Tradition is More Ancient than the Holy Bible. B) The Holy Bible could not record everything. C) Tradition preserved the Holy Bible. D) Tradition guarded the Sayings and Deeds of the Lord Jesus Christ. 5

6. A) T RADITION IS M ORE A NCIENT THAN THE H OLY B IBLE +Moses gave us the written Law between the 15 th and 14 th centuries B.C. Before that time, the conscience (the moral law) was adopted, together with tradition. + Abel’s Sacrifice + Noah’s & Abraham’s Altar and animal sacrifices + Priesthood (Melchizedek) + Abraham offering tithes to Melchizedek + Jacob’s consecration of a house for God (Bethel) + Jannes and Jambers; Story of Balaam + For 20 years after Christ’s Ascension faith kept by Tradition. 6

7. B )T HE H OLY B IBLE COULD NOT RECORD EVERYTHING There are many signs and teachings which the Lord Jesus did and said which are not recorded in the Gospels (Jn 20:30,31; 21:25): + His healing miracles (Mt. 4:23; Lk. 4:40) + His teachings (e.g. Not only one sermon on the mount, before blessing the loaves He spoke till evening, expounding Scriptures to Emmaus’ disciples, teaching His disciples for 40 days...) + Apostles’ teachings + Apostles’ Rules 7

8. C )T RADITION PRESERVED THE H OLY B IBLE As mentioned before, the “Oral Gospel” and Divine teachings of salvation, constituted the “Gospel” before the New Testament was written (Mark 1:15; Mark 16:15). Yet after the death of the Apostles many false gospels were written. When the Church wanted to distinguish between the true and the false books, she went back to the tradition which she received from the Apostles. 8

9. D )T RADITION GUARDED THE L ORD ’ S S AYINGS AND DEEDS St. Paul did not hear nor see the Lord on earth, and even though he encountered Him in visions, he learned lots from the other disciples through tradition: + Of the Lord’s sayings, St. Paul wrote: “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel” (1Cor. 9:14), and “Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband” (1Cor. 7:10). 9

10. D )T RADITION GUARDED THE L ORD ’ S S AYINGS AND DEEDS, CONT. + Of the Lord’s deeds, St. Paul wrote about the Holy Eucharist. Obviously, the Apostle Paul did not know about what the Lord Jesus did on the night of His suffering, except from the Church by tradition. 10

11. T HIRD : T HE H OLY TRADITION AND THE C HURCH L IFE A) Tradition and Ethical Teaching B) Tradition and Church Worship C) Tradition and Liturgy D) Tradition and Church Rites The Church Tradition is the continuous stream of the Church life in Jesus Christ, by the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the “one” life of the church, which cannot be separated into faith, spiritual teaching and worship. 11

12. A) T RADITION AND E THICAL T EACHING Paralambo (Greek) = Received = Teaching by Tradition This is evident from many passages in St. Paul’s Epistles. 12

13. B) T RADITION AND C HURCH W ORSHIP Through tradition we accepted our “Church life in Jesus Christ”, not only through the Christian beliefs, doctrines, Holy Scriptures and ethical scheme, but also through the Church liturgies, rites, cannons, and all that belongs to our worship. We received a true life of worship in an apostolic and patristic spirit which strengthens our true faith. 13

14. C ) T RADITION AND L ITURGY Tradition is the source of our Church Liturgies of Baptism, Eucharist, Marriage, etc..And at the same time these liturgies are tradition itself at its highest degree of power and solemnity. For the liturgies in their wholeness- are the celebration of the whole Christian mystery, they not only teach us but bring us into the real communication with the Christian Mystery. 14

15. D) T RADITION AND C HURCH R ITE The rites we received by tradition are not accidental in the life of the Church... Rite is an essential element of the liturgical, family, and personal worship, for it means the participation of the body and spirit in worshipping God. 15

16. F OURTH : T RUE V ERSUS F ALSE T RADITION True tradition is based on our Lord’s teachings, those of His Apostles and the church tradition given through the Holy Councils. False tradition is what is opposite to God’s word as St. Paul says in Gal 1:8: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” Also false traditions are those which oppose the well established church traditions or which are not accepted by the churches. 16

17. E PILOGUE ON THE H OLY TRADITION The Church and Tradition are but two aspects for the life of faith. They are inseparable; we can’t know one of them without the other. By tradition the Church has her existence, acknowledges her Bridegroom, practices His saving deed and accepts His divine mysteries.. By tradition we discover the Church gospel, accept it, preserve it, live its rules, and preach it. By tradition we recognize the sacramental and ecclesiastical life, the church liturgies, hymns, rites, etc. 17

18. E PILOGUE ON THE H OLY TRADITION, CONT. By tradition we meet with the Church Saints and Fathers, discover their lives in Jesus Christ, their writings, take the blessing of their prayers and enjoy our fellowship with them in Jesus Christ. By tradition we understand the Church canons, come in touch with its holy councils and their works, etc. In brief, we say that tradition is the core of the church, and without Tradition the church can’t practice her apostolic life, her continual renewal, her unity, nor live with her genuine characteristics… 18

19. T HE H OLY T RADITION References 1.Comparative Theology, vol. 1, by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III 2.Tradition and Orthodoxy, by Father Tadros Malaty 3. Scripture and Tradition in the Early Church, by Rick Wade, Probe Ministries, www.probe.orgwww.probe.org 19