Alfred Edersheim
describes tradition this way:
"(The
traditions) were either simply the laws laid down in Scripture; or else derived
from, or traced to it by some ingenious and artificial method of exegesis; or
added to it by way of amplification or for safety's sake; or finally, legalized customs. They
provided for every possible and impossible case, entered into every detail of
private, family, or public life; and with iron logic, unbending rigor, and the
most minute analysis pursued and dominated man, turn whither he might, laying
on him a yoke that was truly unbearable."
Exodus 20:8-10
8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to
keep it holy.
9 Six
days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to
the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or
daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien
within your gates”
Interpreting the Sabbath Law
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Mark 7:7
7 “They worship me in vain; their
teachings are but rules taught by
men.”
Mark 7:8-9
8 “You have let go of the commands
of God and are holding on to
the
traditions of men."
9 And he said to them: "You
have a
fine way of setting aside
the
commands of God in order to
observe your own
traditions!”
Tradition Above Scripture
The
Mishnah states:
“An
offense against the sayings of the
scribes is worse than one against the
Scripture“…"The sayings of the elders
have more weight than those of the
prophets“… "It is more punishable
to
act against the words of the scribes
than against those of Scripture."
Mark 7:10-13
10“For Moses said, `Honor your father and
your
mother,‘ and, `Anyone who curses his
father or mother must be put to death.’
11 But you say that if a man says to
his father or mother: `Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me
is Corban' (that is, a gift devoted to God),
12 then you no longer let him do
anything for his father or mother.
13 Thus you nullify the word of God
by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like
that."
Matthew 23:1-4
1 “Then Jesus said to the crowds and
to his disciples:
2
"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
3
So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do
what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
4
They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they
themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”
Jesus and the Interpretation of Scripture
Jesus’
condemnation of The Pharisees is not a prohibition against interpreting the
scriptures or applying the principles of scripture….
Matthew 4:5-7
5 Then the devil took him to the holy
city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
6
"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself
down. For it is written:
" `He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift
you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'
"
7 Jesus
answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the
test.' "
Jesus and the Interpretation of Scripture
Jesus’
condemnation of The Pharisees is a prohibition against equating the authority
of our interpretation with the authority of the Scriptures.
1 Peter 4:11
11
“If anyone speaks, he should
do it
as one speaking the very
words of God. If anyone serves,
he
should do it with the strength
God
provides, so that in all things
God may
be praised through Jesus
Christ.
To him be the glory and the
power
for ever and ever. Amen.