7th grade religion help? - Israelites?

Question

1. How did the israelites share their faith in God with one another?

2. Why does the church need both scripture and tradition to understand the truth?

Answer 1

1. The Israelites shared their faith in God by teaching their children the history of their people. The told their children and grandchildren about the mighty things God had done for them: Deliverance from slavery in Egypt, protection and provision in the desert, and the gift of the Promised Land. God commanded them to do this in Deuteronomy chapter 4 and again in chapter 11 of the same book.

The church needs scripture because it is the inspired Word of God and is a way in which God communicates with His people. It is also the history of God's provision for His people. The church needs tradition because they are memory inducing events that connect history to today. "Do this in remembrance of me." They help us to remember the mighty works of God.

Answer 2

I can't answer the first question.

As for the second question; Jesus did not found a Bible reading Church. There was no Bible until almost 400 years after the death of Christ. The early church had to rely mostly on oral tradition. The Roman Church predates and compiled the book we call the Bible today.

If you need a scriptural reference; check out John 21:25

"There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written."

Here it is clear as day, even the Bible proclaims that all the teachings of Christ are not contained in the Bible or any other book. It's a Biblical confession of the limited significance of scripture.

Answer 3

I would like to add to the answers here by adding that the Israelites also used music to tell stories of what God had done for them. They had different musical instruments like the psaltery (zither/harp-like instrument) and used them at different feasts. See link below. You can also read Psalms in the Bible to get an idea of what the lyrics to some of their songs were like.
They also used references or "catch phrases" about great miracles God had done in the past whenever new trials and troubles came. For example, they would say, "If Yahweh could deliver us from the land of Egypt and the Egyptians and bring us through the wilderness, He can surely bring us through this (problem)."
On your question number 2, I'm not sure which church you're referring to. If you look at the Old Testament, the people had a live prophet (and sometimes more than one) to help them understand God's will. In the New Testament there were prophets and Apostles/Disciples still trying to show the people that they needed to believe in Jesus Christ. So it's not just scripture and tradition that are necessary to understand truth, it's also having the authority of God present in live prophets and live apostles.

Have a happy day, and I send you a virtual gummy bear.

Answer 4

I would agree to an extent with the previous poster on this....
They came together at least on sabbath to hear Torah, and most likely would 'midrash'(discuss)it through the week, much like Paul and the disciples did.
As for tradition, well, that gets into another 'game'. Scripture gives commands to observe certain days(Lev. 23 for a start), but HOW to observe them was given orally, so that is where you get into 'tradition'. Through time, some traditions have been changed, others done away with. For example, today's 'wedding' ceremony is a far cry from what it used to be...a seven day PARTY celebration for the bride and groom.
Yahshua spoke about some of the things within the 'tradition' but in keeping with scripture. If you study the FOUR CUPS of passover, there is a POWERFUL MESSAGE that Yahshua gave at the last supper. You should dig into it.

Answer 5

I will answer #2:

http://www.kingdom-gospel.com/way.html

some people claim as equal to the Bible or even higher: tradition. Here is what Jesus said about traditions of religious people:

Mark 7: Geneva Bible
13 Making the word of God of none authority, by your tradition which ye have ordained: and ye do many such like things.

What He is saying is, that traditions nullify the Word of God. Traditions will water down the Bible, make it less potent. Jesus turned water into wine, and some religious people want to take God's Word and water it down to zero potency. Paul spoke of these folks when he said:

2 Timothy 3:5: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Traditions can be okay with balance, but don't let any tradition become a standard. If you find a method to reach God which is based upon tradition but is not scriptural you cannot trust it's from God. I go into greater detail why tradition cannot be the greatest method of finding God, nor even a reliable source:

http://www.kingdom-gospel.com/churchfail.html

Unless the tradition is Biblical, do not follow it for any dogmatic absolute doctrine. If it is biblical, then do not become legalistic. The following is a Biblical example of tradition. In some churches women are required to wear a head covering, yet the very texts about head coverings say's this:

1 Cor:11:16: But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

We live not by law but in liberty in Christ. Be careful though, don't let your liberty (or legalism) cause you or someone else to fall.

Answer 6

On question number 2......

Without Tradition, how would we know what books are inspired by the Holy Spirit and which were not? How would we know which books or gospels were supposed to go in the bible? (The bible doesn't say what books should be in the bible. Tradition tells us that.) That's just one reason why the Church needs both written tradition (the bible) and tradition passed down through word of mouth. It's important to remember that Jesus started the Church before the was ever New Testament was ever written.

On your first question, yes, they shared their faith by gathering and keeping the traditions passed down to them by God through Moses. Sharing the Passover meal is a good example of that kind of tradition.

Ignore the answer below because that answer is by a protestant who doesn't believe in tradition or the Church, but instead only the bible.

Answer 7

Deuteronomy 11:18-21, Moses told them to lay God words on their hearts and in their soul, bind them for a sign upon their hand and as headband in front of their eyes. The parents were to teach the children at all times.
Tradition is just for our understanding not to be followed today.

Answer 8

1. By gathering together

2. because not everything that was spoken and taught was written down