Scripture and Tradition

Since Holy Scripture is the inspired word of God, why should Christians read other books? What is there to learn from tradition if Scripture is our final authority? Four passages come to mind: John 17; Ephesians 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:1-2, 13:7; and 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. These four passages shape our view of scripture and tradition in a way that preserves the authority of Scripture while bringing tradition to a proper place of benefit.

John 17. This chapter is Jesus’ High Priestly prayer. Here we catch a glimpse of the Trinitarian love and fellowship between the Father and the Son, a communion that Christians share through union with Christ. The structure of the prayer begins with a prayer for all Christians generally (vv. 1-5), then moves to an intercession for the twelve apostles specifically (vv. 6-19), and then closes with a return to praying for all Christians (vv. 20-26). Let’s hone in on our Lord’s prayer for his apostles. These men possess a unique status as the apostles of the Lord. Jesus makes clear in this prayer that he has given the apostles his mantle as the one who proclaims God’s word to the world. “Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me” (vv. 7-8, LSB). Jesus stresses this reality a few requests later, “I have given them Your word” (v. 14).

Just as Christ came into the world to manifest God’s word, so too Jesus has given the apostles this word. As apostles, Christ sent them into the world to proclaim God’s word (v. 18). The Christian faith is an apostolic faith. It is built upon the word of God given by Christ to his apostles, who are sent into the world to spread God’s word. This is how God, in his infinite wisdom and goodness, has ordained the growth and spread of the Church.

This is why, according to Jesus’ prayer, Christian unity is formed through the reception of apostolic authority. “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one” (vv. 20-21, italics mine). The only way to believe in Jesus, for those living on the this side of the Lord’s first advent, is through believing in the apostle’s witness to Christ. All this emphasizes the necessity of an apostolic witness. This apostolic witness has been recorded and passed down to us via Holy Scripture.

Ephesians 2:19-22. Did the apostles see it this way? The Apostle Paul teaches that the church is built upon “the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, is growing into a holy sanctuary in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” Again, the apostles and prophets are the foundation of the church, together with Christ. These verses emphasize the priority of the apostolic witness. Again, this witness is recorded for us in Scripture.

So then, if we have the apostolic witness, why should we read anything else? Why should we read books written by non-apostles? Is there any merit to learning from Christians who lived after the apostles and before us? This is where the next two passages are instructive.

Hebrews 12:1-2, 13:7. The author of Hebrews has just described the lives of faithful men and women of old (12 specifically are named, while thousands of others are implied). What does the author of Hebrews conclude from these vignettes of faith? “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.” This cloud of witnesses encourages Christians to run the race of the Christian life. These witnesses help us to lay aside sin, and they help us to fix our eyes on Jesus. But it’s not just the lives of people recorded in Scripture that we are called to learn from.

Hebrews 13:7, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” The cloud of witness principle is now extended to Christian leaders. This verse implies that Christians ought to read and learn from other Christians who have finished the race before us. I believe I heard that argument first from church historian Dr. Michael Haykin, and I believe he’s right.

These Christian leaders of old, men like Ignatius, Augustine, Leo the Great, Basil of Caesarea, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Bavinck, the Wesley brothers, Spurgeon, Cromwell, the list can go on, these leaders can inspire us to run the Christian race, they can help us lay aside sin, to fix our eyes on Jesus. They do not possess apostolic authority. Their words are not enshrined in Holy Scripture. And yet we would do well to consider the result of their conduct and imitate their faith.

“But,” you may protest, “I don’t agree with everything they believed.” Well enough, nor does everyone agree with everything you believe, and yet that does not make your life insignificant. Don’t you hope to live a life worthy of emulation? So did they. This is where our final passage comes in.

1 Corinthians 3:10-13. Paul writes, “like a wise master builder I laid a foundation.” Pause there. Remember, the apostles were given a special commission from the Lord to lay the foundation of the church. Continue reading, “and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” What is Paul saying? Every Christian teacher/leader will build upon the one foundation which has already been laid. This means no Christian leader/teacher, subsequent to the apostles, have Apostolic authority to lay the foundation of the church. No other Christian bears Scriptural authority and inspiration. However, every Christian builds. This is not wrong; again, it is part of God’s good wisdom and plan for the church. Paul continues, “Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, sliver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident, for the day will indicate it because it is revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.” Notice the various building materials: gold, silver, precious stones. These materials would be purified by a fire. But wood, hay, and straw would be fuel for a fire. How does this apply to our discussion?

The Christian leaders who have gone before us are those who have built with these various materials. As you mine through the writings of saints who’ve gone before us you will find some gold and silver, rubies and emeralds and diamonds. But you’ll also find wood, and hay, and straw. Does that mean you don’t bother looking for gold? Ask anyone who’s used a metal detector. They don’t always find something worthwhile, but when they do, the treasure found makes the searching labor worthwhile.

We should view tradition as that which has been passed down to us by Christians of old. In that tradition we will find gold and silver and precious stones, along with wood and hay and straw. None of it is Scripture. Yet we can greatly profit from their words, and we ought to.