Scripture and Tradition:

Hence it is manifest, that they did not deliver all things by Epistle, but many things also un-written, and in like manner the one and the other are worthy of credit. Therefore let us think the tradition of the Church also worthy of credit. It is a tradition, seek no further. (St. John Chrysostom Homily IV on 2 ThesVer. 15, Nicene-Post Nicene Fathers Series I Vol 13)



The Scripture we have is not easy to understand on its own merits. What it reveals is not necessarily self-evident (if it were, there would be no disagreement about meanings within Scripture). When someone tries to interpret Scripture on their own, they are likely to do so wrongly. It is said that "no prophecy of Scripture is of one's own private interpretation" (cf. 2 Peter 1:20). When the Jews tried to interpret the prophets, it led to their rejection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Instead, Scripture must be understood properly, beyond one's own interpretation, but with the understanding given to it by the guidance of the Holy Spirit to the Church. The same Church which has the authority to dictate Scripture is the same Church which holds the authority to understand Scripture: it is not a private affair.

St. Paul also tells us that the profit Scripture gives us is not by taking Scripture by the letter, but by the Spirit. It is said that "the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Cor 3:6). Those who try to take and manipulate Scripture by the letter, do so to their own destruction. Scripture needs to have life brought in with it, life from Tradition, and life from the Spirit the author of Tradition. It is not the most literal level of Scripture which brings us the greatest amount of benefit, but it is when we take a look at Scripture on a much deeper level that we find the true power of the Scripture. "Conse-quently, the letter whose nature it is to kill must be killed by the life-giving Spirit" (St. Maximus the Confessor, Fifth Century of Various Texts, Vol 2 Philokalia, Trans Palmer, Sherrard, and Ware). We must move beyond the materialistic interpretation of Scripture, and instead look at the allegorical and spiritual levels. It here we find life. Prophecy understood materialistically will deny our Lord. Yet prophecy, by its own nature, must be spiritual, for it is through the life-giving Spirit that the Prophets have spoken. It is through this same life-giving Spirit that the Apostles have spoken in the New Testament. "Thus the letter cannot function at the same time as the Spirit, just as what gives life cannot coexist with what destroys life" (St. Maximus the Confessor, ibid.).

One of the greatest errors taken upon the Scripture is the belief that it is the sole means of understanding the Christian faith. That belief is found nowhere within the Scripture, but instead it abundantly tells the reader that there is much more to the faith than what has been written down. St. Paul told the Thessalonians to follow the teachings of the Apostles, whether they were written down or given unto them by oral means (cf. 2Thes 2:15). St. John the Apostle wrote at the end of his Gospel that there were many other things that our Lord had done, but they could not be all written down- for "the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25 RSV). Our Lord Himself promised to the Apostles that He would send to His Church the Holy Spirit to teach them all truth (cf. John 14:26). Through the Holy Spirit, the Church has been protected so that the Church has been able to defend the faith once given unto the Apostles, and to reject new teachings and opinions-- teachings and opinions which false prophets and false teachers declare in order to lead the sheep away from their shepherd. In fact, the faith would still be known to us if there never were any written Scripture, for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the oral tradition would still be there for the Church.

Scripture makes for us a wonderful center-piece of the divine Tradition that the Church holds. However, it must be remembered that Scripture is indeed a part of Tradition, defined by the Church, and not the other way around. Before the texts of the New Testament were written, the Church existed. The Church would still exist, through the authority of Christ given to the Apostles and their success-ors, if there were no Scriptures to go along with the Church. Yet, we are blessed to have the Scripture. However, the Scripture is a tool, and a dangerous one at that. One would be in great folly to try to understand Scripture on their own behalf, without the benefits of the Church's teaching. It is quite sad to see how many people have tried to do so, and how radically they have failed. Without the Tradition of the Church and the guidance of the Spirit through the ages, how would one "distinguish between the orthodox teacher and the heretic?" (St. Thomas More, Responsio Ad Lutherum, Ed. John M Headley, 1969). Yet we are blessed by the Church set forth by Christ, to which we have recourse for guidance. The Church has given unto us a Tradition which it has set forth for 2000 years, a Tradition which is not of man, but of God. Let us continue to follow this Tradition until the end, when the Bridegroom returns and takes His Bride into the promised glory, into the kingdom that never ends. Glory be the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the faith once given unto the Apostles, the faith taught by the Church. Glory be to the Lord, now and evermore. Amen.



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