One more question for Catholics before I go night-night.......?

Question

Mark 7:5-9, 13
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked [Jesus], why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is WRITTEN [Jesus is quoting the Bible], This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men...
And he said unto them, Full well YE REJECT THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, THAT YE MAY KEEP YOUR OWN TRADITION.
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Hmmmm....teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Hmmm.............laying aside the commandment of God
hmmmmmmmmmm......YE REJECT THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, THAT YE MAY KEEP YOUR OWN TRADITION.

How do you justify this?

Answer 1

Amen..I read in a Catholic encyclopedia that whenever conflics come up between the Bible and Catholic Tradition ....tradition takes precedent. Honestly I just dont understand how anyone who even casually reads the bible and has some degree of common sense could be a Catholic

Answer 2

Well, Suzi,

When Jesus was quoting the Scriptures here, he was quoting the Old Testament, because the New Testament was not yet written or codified. When He refers to tradition, he is talking about the Jewish traditions of the Old Covenant. He is saying that we should not worry so much about washing our hands and not eating pork for these are not the things that make us righteous. He is not saying there is anything wrong with having and following traditions, instead he is saying that they are empty without faith in God.

Catholic tradition would also be empty without faith in Christ, but it is not empty because all of the Catholic tradition is designed to INCREASE faith in Christ, not to replace it. Tradition is based on the Church's understanding of the full teachings of Christ, as it was handed down by the Apostles, long before there ever was a Bible. It takes the Bible and shows us how to apply it to our lives so that we can receive the FULLNESS of God's grace.

There is nothing in Sacred Tradition that is in conflict with the Bible. The Bible is 100% true - the inspired Word of God. Sacred Tradition is also 100% true because it reflects the guidance of the Holy Spirit through the Church, which Jesus promised in John 14:16-17. To discount the value of Sacred Tradition is to deny the effectiveness of the Holy Spirit. Scripture and Tradition cannot be in conflict because Truth cannot deny Truth. Together, the Sacred Scriptures and the Sacred Tradition provide the FULLNESS OF TRUTH.

Answer 3

You have a misconception of what is meant by Sacred Tradition, basically. But you're not alone; it's not a concept easily grasped.

Rather than trying to shoehorn it in here, since you do seem to be sincerely concerned about this, I'm providing a link that while it involves quite a bit of reading does explain Sacred Tradition. If you're truly interested, that is.

But consider this: "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen." (John 21:25, KJV)

Goodnight, Suzi.

Answer 4

Where does your authority to interpret Sacred Scripture come from? Does it come from God? Your interpretation is not in the context of the passage.

Jesus was not condemning all traditions. He condemned only those that made God’s word void. In this case, it was a matter of the Pharisees feigning the dedication of their goods to the Temple so they could avoid using them to support their aged parents. By doing this, they dodged the commandment to "Honor your father and your mother" (Ex. 20:12).

Elsewhere, Jesus instructed his followers to abide by traditions that are not contrary to God’s commandments. "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice" (Matt. 23:2–3).

Jesus appointed only one Church to interpret the Bible so that there would be no wrangling and time wasting interpretational issues like this one. The Catholic Church was commissioned by Christ to teach all nations and to teach them infallibly—guided, as he promised, by the Holy Spirit until the end of the world (John 14:26, 16:13).

"And so I tell you. Peter; you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven." - Matthew 16,18-20

The Catholic Church is the Church of the living God and the pillar and foundation of truth.

But if I delay, this letter will let you know how we should conduct ourselves in God's household, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth. - 1 Timothy 3, 15

Christ sent the Holy Spirit to guide and protect the Church:

"I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper, who will stay with you forever". - John 14,16

"I have told you this while I am still with you, The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you". - John 14, 25

"When, however, the Spirit comes who reveals the truth about God, he will LEAD YOU INTO ALL TRUTH." - John 16,13

Holy Tradition and Continuity

"So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter." (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

"Remember your former leaders, who spoke God's message to you. Think back on how they lived and died, and imitate their faith". - Hebrews 13,7

Answer 5

The Holy Apostolic Tradition of the Catholic Church is inspired of the Holy Spirit and not "of man."

I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. (John 16:12-13)

The Catholic Church does not use Holy Scripture as the only basis of doctrine. It could not. The early Catholic church existed before and during the time that the New Testament was written (by Catholics).

There were hundreds of Christian writings during the first and second centuries. Which New Testament writings would become official was not fully decided until about 400 C.E.

Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit was guiding the early church (and is guiding the church today) to make the correct choices about things like:
+ The Holy Trinity (which is also only hinted at in the Bible)
+ Going to church on Sunday instead of Saturday (which is actually directly against one of the Ten Commandments)
+ The Communion of Saints
+ Which writings include in the New Testament?

Things that are even more modern like
+ Slavery is bad. Slavery is never declared evil in the Bible. This was one of the justifications for slavery in the Confederate States.
+ Democracy is good. The Bible states that either God should be the leader of the nation like Israel before the kings or kings should be the leader, "Give to Caesar that which is Caesar's." This was talked about a lot during the American Revolution.

This second source of doctrine is called Apostolic Tradition.

Do Christians who do not allow the continuing guiding force of the Holy Spirit to make their beliefs more and more perfect, still endorse slavery as Colossians 3:22 commands, "Slaves, obey your human masters in everything"?

Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours. (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

We instruct you, brothers, in the name of (our) Lord Jesus Christ,to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us. (2 Thessalonians 3:6)

I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you. (1 Corinthians 11:2)

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 80 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect1chpt2.htm#80

With love in Christ.

Answer 6

According to several documents produced by the Catholic Church, they claim their authority to be above God's Word the Holy Bible. Their proof is in that they changed the Sabbath to Sunday...yet most people do not observe Sunday as a sacred day to abstain from mundane works. They Papacy fits the description of a certain entity that would change times and laws and persecute the remnant of her seed...does that sound familiar to anyone?

Answer 7

Sacred Tradition is guided by the Holy Spirit.


our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ PROMISED that he would never forsake his church, that he would be with us until the end of the world and sent the Holy Spirit to guide the Church in its teachings. Therefore, The Holy Roman Catholic Church for the past 2000 years and on has never errored in teaching faith and morals! Jesus promised that the gates of hell would never previal against the CHurch's teachings. Admist immoral and corrupt Popes and clergy, the Holy Spirit protects the most precious sacraments, faith, and moral teachings. God bless.

Answer 8

you cant rightfully justify it. the traditions, and doctrines of men change gods truth. they were picking out a small thing to find fault with jesus and doing 10 times worse. like the word says gaging at a knat and swolling a camel. god bless.love pastor carney.

Answer 9

They answer this the same way that Protestants do.

Every religion has traditions. Apparently your tradition is to put down other relifgions without understanding them. How do you justify this?

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Answer 10

You stopped just short of answering your own question, didn't you? sort of typical of an anti-Catholic.

Mar 7:14 And he called to him the multitude again, and said unto them, Hear me all of you, and understand:
Mar 7:15 there is nothing from without the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.

Mar 7:18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Perceive ye not, that whatsoever from without goeth into the man, it cannot defile him;
Mar 7:19 because it goeth not into his heart, but into his belly, and goeth out into the draught? This he said, making all meats clean.
Mar 7:20 And he said, That which proceedeth out of the man, that defileth the man.
Mar 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,
Mar 7:22 covetings, wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness:
Mar 7:23 all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man.