Traditions Of Men vs. The Apostolic Tradition

The Holy Eucharist IS The Central Focus of True Christian Worship

Fifteen years ago as our culture was sinking into the abyss, Gallup did a survey that claimed that eighty-three percent of Americans claimed to be Christian. I said, "Something has become very wrong with a Christianity that overpowers a culture in numbers of better than 4 to 1, yet produces the culture we see around us. I opined that if one added the population of Jews who make up the proponents of our Judeo/Christian culture the number claiming Judeo/Christian heritage would number nearly nine out of ten! Yet, any quick look at the pagan based culture would show that it really didn't reflect Judeo/Christian values. Something else was in control of the collective "mindset" of the culture, where death was increasing and vice becoming the norm. 

I think that a great portion of the emptiness of American Christianity is the fact that it has grown so far removed from its apostolic roots and that so many who think they have recaptured those apostolic roots, simply have not. At the time of the Reformation, in rightly rejecting the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church,   some rejected the Church itself, so disavowing the "Traditions of Men" they also disavowed the "Traditions of the Apostles." And bluntly put, without the Traditions of the Apostles there is no Christianity. There are religions clinging to the name Christian which hold partly, or sadly by now, which hold none of the Light of the True Gospel, held sacred and unchanged by the Apostles' Tradition.

Scripture clearly teaches that there are, "Traditions of Men" which violate the commandment of God. Jesus said so himself.   When the religious leaders questioned him saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." Jesus answered saying, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?"- Matt 15: 2-3.  And on another occasion Jesus said, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition."- Mark 7:9.   And the Apostle Paul punched the point home saying, "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."-Col 2:8.  We have Jesus and the Apostles cautioning about being fooled by "the traditions of men." And the successors to the Apostles, the first Bishops of the Church carried on the warning:

Saint Irenaeus wrote (Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol 1. pg 475) - The tradition of the elders, which they pretend to observe from the Law, was contrary to the Law given by Moses.  For that reason, Isaiah also declares: "Your dealers mix wine with water," showing that the elders were in the habit of mingling a watered tradition with the simple command of God.  That is, they set up a spurious Law, one contrary to the true Law.  The Lord also made this plain when He said to them, "Why do you transgress the commandments of God for the sake of your tradition?" 

Saint Clement of Alexandria (Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol 2 pg 494) The Pharisees rebelled from the Law by introducing human teachings.

Saint Cyprian carried on the understanding saying, (Ante-Nicene Fathers  Vol 5 pg 318) The Lord warns us in His Gospel, saying, "You reject the commandment of God, that you may establish your own tradition." Those who reject the commandment of God and who attempt to keep their own tradition - let them be firmly and courageously rejected by you."  Further he said, (Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol 5 pg 387) What presumption there is to prefer human tradition to divine ordinance!  How can we not see that God is indignant and angry every time a human tradition relaxes the divine commandments and passes them by." Further he said, (Vol 5 pg 389) "Custom without truth is simply the antiquity of error." 

Every protestant friend I have is saying, "preach it brother!"  But here comes the part with which some (most)  have difficulty, because they have to greater or lesser degrees become unstuck from the foundational Apostolic Tradition. (According to their particular protestant "tradition of man.")

"Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions as I delivered them to you." The Apostle, Saint Paul I Cor. 11:2

"The thing which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." St Paul, Phil 4:9.

"Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistles."  - 2 Thess 2:15

"But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw form every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us." 2 Thess 3:6.

"The things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."  2 Tim 2:2

The Apostolic Tradition wasn't just words on paper, but the very form in which Christians were to worship God was passed from generation to generation in the witness of ACTIONS. 

If, then, anyone who had attended on the elders came, I asked minutely after their sayings.  I asked what Andrew or Peter said, or what was said by Philip, Thomas, James, John, Matthew, or any other of the Lord's disciples - things which Aristion and presbyter John, the disciples of the Lord, say. I concluded that what was to be got from books was not so profitable to me as what came from the living and abiding voice. - Papias (120 AD - as quoted by Eusebius - Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol 1 pg 153.)  

In this we see that the Apostolic Tradition was living, and not just written. After all the writings of the Apostles at this time were not universally available. It was two centuries BEFORE the first "New Testament" was compiled. History and archeology confirm that even though few of the churches held all of the texts that would later become the New Testament, they held the same Faith, through the Tradition of the Apostles of which the "writings" were a part. 

For although the languages of the world are different, yet the import of the tradition is one and the same.  For the churches which have been planted in Germany do not believe or hand down anything different, nor do those in Spain, nor those in Gaul.  - Saint Irenaeus (180 AD - Ante-Nicene Fathers vol 1 pg 330-331)  

Still, although it was sixty years later, the writings of the Apostles were not universally available and it was a century and a half before the first New Testament was compiled.  

Nor, on the other hand, will he who is deficient in power of expression inflict injury on the tradition. For the faith is ever one and the same.  Accordingly, neither does he who is able at great length to discourse regarding it, make any addition to it. Nor does one who can say but little, diminish it.  - Saint Irenaeus (Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol 1 ps 331).

This is a wonderful statement!

When, however, they (the Gnostics) are confuted from the Scriptures, they turn around and accuse these same Scriptures as if they were not correct . . . But, again, when we refer them to that tradition which originates from the apostles, which is preserved by means of the successions of presbyters in the churches, they object to tradition, saying that they themselves are wiser not merely than the presbyters, but even than the apostles. - Irenaeus ( A. N. Fathers - Vol 1 pg 415.) 

So we see that the Truth of the Gospel held against error is held by two means. (1) The Scriptures and (2) The Apostolic Tradition.   This is why I say that so many are contaminated with Gnosticism today, interpreting the scriptures anyway they choose, without regard to what has been taught consistently from the beginning. 

It is within the power of all, therefore, in every church, who may wish to see the truth, to contemplate clearly the tradition of the apostles manifested throughout the whole world. And we are in a position to reckon up those who were by the apostles instituted bishops in the churches, and the succession of these men to our own time . . . For if the apostles had known hidden mysteries, . . . they would have delivered them especially to those to whom they themselves were also committing the churches. - Saint Irenaeus - A.N. Fathers - Vol 1 pg 415.

This is in answer to those "spiritualists" who claimed to have secret knowledge of God's revelation, NOT held by the Apostolic Tradition of the Church. Today the same prideful spirit exists in the world that attacks the Church and claims greater 'spiritual knowledge.' 

I will end here, except to say that I have pages upon pages of the earliest Fathers of the Church protecting and defending the Apostolic Teachings, held both in written form and in the Tradition of the churches' prayers,  practices and worship, that is baptism, the Eucharist - the Divine Liturgy, the Mass and other actions.   I have a special place in my heart for Saint Hippolytus. Modern archeology has proved his writings more ancient than previously thought and represent both the liturgical form of the Church's worship, and the clear light of the Apostolic Tradition. He wrote, "Dear brethren, let us believe according to the tradition of the apostles." (N.N. Fathers vol 5 pg 230)  

Caius, whose clear sight and teaching cautioned and correct Saint Hippolytus when the latter began to interpret the book of Revelations literally, (as so many in error do today) said, "They have boldly falsified the sacred Scriptures, rejected the canons of the ancient faith, and ignored Christ." - (Eusebius, quoting Caius 215AD - A.N. Fathers vol 5 pg 602.) - Today many charlatans make fortunes fear mongering about the end-times. Make no mistake, they too, boldly falsify the sacred scriptures, reject the canons of the ancient faith and ignore Christ.

When I was ordained, I took an oath that said, "Whatsoever things were accepted and taught by the Apostles and the Holy Fathers, I will accept and teach. Whatsoever things were rejected by the Apostles and the Holy Fathers, I too reject."  It is a simple premise. I don't have to opine, I may say, "The Church Teaches" and she truly does and truly has consistently for 2000 years!  "Know that we do not depart from the traditions of the Gospel and of the apostles. Rather with constancy and firmness we maintain the discipline of the church." Saint Cyprian (A.N. Fathers, vol 5 pg 357).  

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible;

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten

Begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, Begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made:

Who for us men and for our salvation came down from Heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man;

And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried;

And ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father;

And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, Whose Kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the (+) Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spoke by the prophets;

And I believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.

I look for the resurrection of the dead,

And the life of the world to come.  Amen.

In simple fact IF any part of the preceding statement is not held by one, ones Christianity is malformed, broken and lacking complete healing grace. Our Christian Faith comes to us through the Scriptures, The Gospel of Christ and the Apostolic Tradition - none can be separated from the other and are all inter-dependent. When any of the three are missing or impaired, the fullness of the Faith is missing or impaired also. 

Since Satan is cunning, it should not be a mystery why some reject not just the fullness of The Way, but those who cling to it.

Archpriest Symeon Elias