Posted on 08/30/2012 2:39:06 PM PDT by NYer
One of the great battle cries of the Protestant Reformation was “sola scriptura!” Many thought that the Catholic Church had cluttered up the simple Christian faith by adding all sorts of practices, customs and doctrines over the centuries. They thought the Church in their day was guilty of exactly the same Pharisaical obsession with traditions condemned by Jesus in this Sunday’s gospel (Mark 7:1-23). The solution, it seemed, was simple. Let’s purify the Church by ditching all these traditions and keeping the Bible alone.
But if we read this portion of the Bible closely, the Lord is not telling us that tradition is a dirty word. His apostle Paul, in fact, tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:15 to “hold fast to the traditions you received from us, either by our word or by letter.”
“Tradition” simply means something that is handed or passed on from one person to another, one generation to another. The question to ask when examining any particular tradition is “where did it come from?” Its value depends on its origin. Did it come from Jesus? His apostles? Some pious believers who lived centuries later? The traditions Paul passed down were divine (from the Lord) and apostolic traditions, like the meaning and importance of the Eucharist (1 Corinthians 11:23-34) or the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus (I Cor 15:3-11) and so were of the utmost importance.
The traditions of the Pharisees were quite a different matter. They were not of themselves evil. But they were pious customs of human origin passed down to support the living out of the law. Unfortunately, the Pharisees were incapable of distinguishing divine law from its human support system. Worse than that, they actually used pious customs as loopholes to help them get around the difficult demands of the Torah.
If you get your Bible out and read the full text of Mark chapter 7, you’ll get a clearer picture of this. Everyone knows that when God gave Moses and the Israelites the 10 commandments, he meant business. The fourth commandment, “honor your father and mother,” means not just that young kids ought to do what their parents tell them, but that adult children should provide for the financial needs of aging parents, assuring they live out their declining years in honor and dignity. But the Pharisees had recourse to a non-biblical religious custom that absolved them from this weighty responsibility. They “dedicated” their money to God and thereby “sheltered” it, making it unavailable for parental support.
It’s not “tradition” that’s the problem here, but the deviousness of the human heart that will use piety as an excuse to evade the obligations of true religion, which include, our second reading tells us, looking after orphans and widows and presumably elderly relatives in their distress (James 1:27).
And this is exactly Jesus’ point in this Sunday’s gospel. The kinds of foods we eat don’t make us spiritually impure. No, it is the foul things that come out of the deep recesses of the human heart, wounded by original sin, that separate us from God and each other and lead to all the misery in this world.
The Pharisees thought they’d purify Israel through dietary laws and religious customs. Protestant Reformers of the 16th century thought they could purify the church by leaving behind ecclesiastical traditions and customs. History has proven both endeavors to be futile.
The answer is simple. Let’s just commit ourselves to radical obedience to God’s Word. Let’s admit our need, our sinfulness, our tendency to make excuses, and humbly, genuinely lay open our lives and hearts before God’s word and listen. As Moses tells us in Deuteronomy (4:1-8) and James tells us in his letter, let’s do more than just listen. Let’s really hear and obey. Let’s give ourselves no wiggle room, but act on God’s word, regardless of how much it may cost us.
Answering "no" does't make it so.
Acts 17:10-11
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
The Bible itself commends the Bereans for searching out the scriptures (written word) and using them to the judge the preaching and teaching of Paul and Silas (oral tradition as you call it). It commends them for it! The written word is primary, what you want to call oral tradition is secondary.
The Bereans did not use the scriptures as a means to an end ... it WAS the end ... the final authority with which to judge; to judge what??? ... Get ready for it ... hard to swallow truth coming ... ready for it? ... They used the scriptures to judge APOSTOLIC PREACHING AND TEACHING!
... and the truth will set you free ...
Ah, so Sunday isn't also God's day? Christmas I couldn't care less about; but Easter... without the Resurrection of Jesus there is no Christianity. Easter is, of all the religious holidays, feasts, and fasts, the best. None of the Feasts in Judaism come close to [displaying] the hope that Easter clearly presents: Resurrection. Reject the Pagan Traditions of Sunday, Christmas and Easter. But celebrate on G-d's Feasts and Shabbat. Ah, so Sunday isn't also God's day? Christmas I couldn't care less about; but Easter... without the Resurrection of Jesus there is no Christianity. Easter is, of all the religious holidays, feasts, and fasts, the best. None of the Feasts in Judaism come close to [displaying] the hope that Easter clearly presents: Resurrection.
Constantine at Nicea in the mood of anti-semitism rejected anything Jewish, Fifty days after the feast of First Fruits was the G-d commanded feast
Yah'shua's resurrection occurred on the G-d's Commanded Feast of First Fruits,
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
which occurs ( as detailed in Leviticus 23:15) on the day following the Shabbat
following Pesach, which was the first day of the week.
First Fruits is when the first and finest of the harvest are offered to YHvH.
It happens on the first day of the week, which begins at sundown on Saturday
as outlined in the WORD.
introduced pagan feasts as a substitute for G-d's commanded feast day.
of Shavuot (Pentecost in the Greek) where all observant Jews were
to be in Jerusalem to celebrate the giving of the WORD(Torah) to Moses,
spending the day reading YHvH's WORD (Jesus).
You completely miss the point. Why would I celebrate the preview when I can celebrate the thing itself? (What comes to mind is the Star Wars fans excited about the previews when they saw them [for eps 1,2,3] a few years ago... unlike Star Wars though, the real deal here [Jesus's Resurrection] is far better than the preview of a traditional feast.)
You completely miss the point. Why would I celebrate the preview when I can celebrate the thing itself? (What comes to mind is the Star Wars fans excited about the previews when they saw them [for eps 1,2,3] a few years ago... unlike Star Wars though, the real deal here [Jesus's Resurrection] is far better than the preview of a traditional feast.)
Constantine, the Roman Pontiff, convened the Nicene Council in 325 CE and issued this edict: ON THE KEEPING OF EASTER. From the Letter of the Emperor to all those not present at the Council.
from DOCUMENTS FROM THE FIRST COUNCIL OF NICEA [THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL] A.D. 325
What you call the thing itself is a Pagan feast day created by Pontiff Constantine
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
of the "Roman "church" purposefully to distract and impugn the Holy WORD of G-d.
(Found in Eusebius, Vita Const., Lib. iii., 18-20.) When the question relative to the sacred festival of Easter arose, it was
universally thought that it would be convenient that all should keep the
feast on one day; for what could be more beautiful and more desirable,
than to see this festival, through which we receive the hope of
immortality, celebrated by all with one accord, and in the same
manner? It was declared to be particularly unworthy for this, the
holiest of all festivals, to follow the custom [the calculation] of the
Jews, who had soiled their hands with the most fearful of crimes, and
whose minds were blinded. In rejecting their custom,(1) we may
transmit to our descendants the legitimate mode of celebrating Easter,
which we have observed from the time of the Saviour's Passion to the
present day[according to the day of the week]. We ought not,
therefore, to have anything in common with the Jews, for the Saviour
has shown us another way; our worship follows a more legitimate and
more convenient course(the order of the days of the week); and
consequently, in unanimously adopting this mode, we desire, dearest
brethren, to separate ourselves from the detestable company of the
Jews, for it is truly shameful for us to hear them boast that without
their direction we could not keep this feast. How can they be in the
right, they who, after the death of the Saviour, have no longer been led
by reason but by wild violence, as their delusion may urge them? They
do not possess the truth in this Easter question; for, in their blindness
and repugnance to all improvements, they frequently celebrate two
passovers in the same year. We could not imitate those who are openly
in error. How, then, could we follow these Jews, who are most
certainly blinded by error? for to celebrate the passover twice in one
year is totally inadmissible. But even if this were not so, it would still
be your duty not to tarnish your soul by communications with such
wicked people[the Jews]. Besides, consider well, that in such an
important matter, and on a subject of such great solemnity, there ought
not to be any division. Our Saviour has left us only one festal day of
our redemption, that is to say, of his holy passion, and he desired[to
establish] only one Catholic Church. Think, then, how unseemly it is,
that on the same day some should be fasting whilst others are seated
at a banquet; and that after Easter, some should be rejoicing at feasts,
whilst others are still observing a strict fast. For this reason, a Divine
Providence wills that this custom should be rectified and regulated in a
uniform way; and everyone, I hope, will agree upon this point. As, on
the one hand, it is our duty not to have anything in common with the
murderers of our Lord; and as, on the other, the custom now followed
by the Churches of the West, of the South, and of
the North, and by some of those of the East, is the most acceptable, it
has appeared good to all; and I have been guarantee for your consent,
that you would accept it with joy, as it is followed at Rome, in Africa,
in all Italy, Egypt, Spain, Gaul, Britain, Libya, in all Achaia, and in the
dioceses of Asia, of Pontus, and Cilicia. You should consider not only
that the number of churches in these provinces make a majority, but
also that it is right to demand what our reason approves, and that we
should have nothing in common with the Jews. To sum up in few
words: By the unanimous judgment of all, it has been decided that the
most holy festival of Easter should be everywhere celebrated on one
and the same day, and it is not seemly that in so holy a thing there
should be any division. As this is the state of the case, accept joyfully
the divine favour, and this truly divine command; for all which takes
place in assemblies of the bishops ought to be regarded as proceeding
from the will of God. Make known to your brethren what has been
decreed, keep this most holy day according to the prescribed mode; we
can thus celebrate this holy Easter day at the same time, if it is granted
me, as I desire, to unite myself with you; we can rejoice together,
seeing that the divine power has made use of our instrumentality for
destroying the evil designs of the devil, and thus causing faith, peace,
and unity to flourish amongst us. May God graciously protect you, my
beloved brethren.
What you call the thing itself is a Pagan feast day created by Pontiff Constantine of the "Roman "church" purposefully to [snip]
The thing itself is, as I said, a celebration of the Resurrection; while I would like to idealistically disagree with the reasoning herein —that the day should be celebrated, universally, on the same day— because the Resurrection is big enough and good enough that it ought to be celebrated every day... the truth is that we humans would grow bored with it, there is some truth to the saying that "familiarity breeds contempt," and I must therefore accede that [officially] celebrating the Resurrection is best done at a particular time.
From your own reference:
Make known to your brethren what has been decreed, keep this most holy day according to the prescribed mode; we can thus celebrate this holy Easter day at the same time, if it is granted me, as I desire, to unite myself with you; we can rejoice together, seeing that the divine power has made use of our instrumentality for destroying the evil designs of the devil, and thus causing faith, peace, and unity to flourish amongst us. May God graciously protect you, my beloved brethren.
So again; I must ask why do you sow discord among those you call your brethren? Do you not know what God has said about such?
Proverbs 6And again, James 3:
16 These six hath Jehovah hated, Yea, seven [are] abominations to His soul.
17 Eyes high -- tongues false -- And hands shedding innocent blood --
18 A heart devising thoughts of vanity -- Feet hasting to run to evil --
19 A false witness [who] doth breathe out lies -- And one sending forth contentions between brethren.
13 Who [is] wise and intelligent among you? let him shew out of the good behaviour his works in meekness of wisdom,
14 and if bitter zeal ye have, and rivalry in your heart, glory not, nor lie against the truth;
15 this wisdom is not descending from above, but earthly, physical, demon-like,
16 for where zeal and rivalry [are], there is insurrection and every evil matter;
17 and the wisdom from above, first, indeed, is pure, then peaceable, gentle, easily entreated, full of kindness and good fruits, uncontentious, and unhypocritical: --
18 and the fruit of the righteousness in peace is sown to those making peace.
Seriously, though, I've been gone from the Religion Forum for quite some time and I come back to browse and I see that people like you and NYer are still cutting and pasting your endless arguments and links. I'm guessing you are probably arguing with the same people too.
My question, which I know you really don't have an answer for, is “How many people have come to the saving knowledge of Jesus through your arguing?” In my experience I've seen no one “argued” into believing in Jesus.
Anyway, I've seen the inside of the "polished tombs" again, and since all I see is the same dead bones, I'll leave again.
**My question, which I know you really don’t have an answer for, is “How many people have come to the saving knowledge of Jesus through your arguing?”**
You would not believe how many people have come back to the church after reading the truth as posted by Catholics like NYer and myself.
Did you read the Catholic definition of tradition at the beginning of the article?
This is not talking about rubrics for Mass.
I find it interesting that I asked, “How many people have come to the SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS through your arguing?” and you answered, “You would not believe how many people have COME BACK TO THE CHURCH...”
Being saved through faith in Jesus is not the same as ‘coming back to a church’. But I understand, you view your church membership as something equivilant to salvation. I know you are wrong, but I’m not going to waste yours or my time arguing with you as to why.
Now, I said I was leaving, so I’ll be true to my word.
The church is not in the business of selling indulgences. You may want to check eBay.
Thank the Protestant Reformation.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.