Truth or Tradition

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

TRUTH OR TRADITION

1 Cor 11:1-2

11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

2 I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you.

NIV

First, we need to get a handle on this word that is translated here as teachings. In Greek, this word can be seen in several ways. First, it has been used to infer the Jewish law, or at least the traditions of the law. It can be seen only as a tradition, but the actual meaning is a giving over which is done by word of mouth or in writing. So it could be a teaching, a tradition, or part of the Jewish law. Within the context, we would have to think Paul refers to that which he taught them when he lived among them, which part of is in this letter, but we also have to think that he taught far more than what we actually have a record of, that was all by word of mouth. We, on the other hand, only have what was given over by what is in writing. However, in some sense, we have heard a lot of traditional teachings by the word of mouth, which is not written within the scriptures, or at least it is an opinion of what is thought to be scriptural. Nevertheless, the point is still the same in the sense that we should make every effort to live in such a manner as to hold to the truth in the word of God. We would think the only thing Paul passed on to them was the truth of the gospel and did not expect them to adhere to Judaism, even though some of the church in Corinth was made up of Jews that accepted Jesus as the Messiah and were, in a sense, converted to Christianity, although the church was not called that until later in Antioch. Still, we need to adhere to what the truth in the scripture has for us. This requires rather a large degree of study and contemplation or meditation. It would seem this would be a lifelong endeavor, as it seems impossible to grasp all the truth in just one reading of the Bible, or simply sitting in a pew every Sunday morning and hearing a sermon on some aspect of the truth, at least that is, if the preacher is bringing forth truth. Are we not all responsible for ourselves to search out the truth from the scriptures? We all have been given the Holy Spirit, who among His purposes is to lead us into all truth. Surely the Corinthian church had been given the Spirit, and they would have been able to discern the truth that Paul passed on to them. We too have that discernment and can see the truth as we both read and hear it and it would also seem as we pass it on. If we are to follow the example of Paul and of Christ, they both passed on teachings, they both taught the truth. Jesus taught everything about the kingdom of God, and about the Father and our relationship to him. We can know God because we know Jesus and Jesus is the word, for the Word became flesh and dealt among us. So we follow Jesus, and in some sense Paul, as he has recorded what he learned from Jesus, and his words are considered as from the Lord. Therefore, what we pass on should only be from the word of God and not about traditions. So then there is this question, truth or tradition.