What was the role of tradition in the apostolic age?

The books of the New Testament appeared gradually through the apostolic age, but they were not yet canonized by the Church. At this time, tradition was the only source of Christian faith, teaching, and worship. We can summarize the role played by tradition during that period in the life of the Church in the following points:

• a. When the Church first began, she used the books of the Old Testament. Based on the teachings of Christ and His apostles, the early Christians accepted these books from the Jews and considered them the wisdom of God, inspired and authoritative. The early Church viewed herself as the heir of the ancient Jewish tradition, and hence inherited these holy books. It is worth noting that the early Church read these holy books with an enlightened eye and distinctly Christian mind. She received the

192 See, E. O’Brien (ed.), The Convergence of Traditions: Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant (Herder & Herder, 1967): p. 22.

prophecies in these books and applied to them a certain kind of interpretation,¹⁹³ which the Jews did not yet know. This type of interpretation was received by the Church from the apostles and we are certain that Christ was the one who established it.

• b. Even though the books of the New Testament were not canonized by the Church until the mid-second century, the fathers viewed these books as the inspired word of God and quoted them in their writings.

• c. Through tradition, the Church Fathers recognized the unity of holy scripture — the unity of the Old and New Testaments — being the word of God, even before the Church’s official canonization of the New Testament.

• d. The apostles indicated that one of the sources of the authority of their apostleship is the tradition that they received through their discipleship to Jesus Christ. They preached as eyewitnesses to the events of Christ’s life and His saving deeds. St. John states, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). In his gospel, he also says, “He who saw it has borne witness ― his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth ― that you also may believe” (John 19:35). St. Luke also pointed out that accounts of the events of Christ’s life “were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word” (Luke 1:2).

When the eleven apostles wished to appoint someone in place of Judas, they were determined to choose only one “of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when He was taken up from us ― one of these men must become with us a witness to His resurrection” (Acts 1:21–22). Therefore, the apostolic tradition began with the eyewitnesses of the Lord’s life, but that alone was not sufficient to permanently maintain it. The Holy Spirit, who guides the life of the Church reveals the truth and unites her with God in Christ Jesus, established this tradition and provided the basis for its continual survival throughout the generations as the Apostle Luke says, “We are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit” (Acts 5:32).

St. Paul the apostle, who was interested in establishing “the tradition of Christ” for the Church, was not an eyewitness to these events, but he received a special commission to the apostleship. By the Holy Spirit, he received the tradition of the Church as though it were given to him from God directly. He asserts, “Paul, an apostle ― not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father …” (Gal. 1:1). He also says, “I received ( paralambano ) from the Lord ( apo tou Kyriou )

193 J. N .D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines , 4th ed. (London: Adam & Charles Black, 1968): p. 32.

what I also delivered ( paradidomi ) to you“ (I Cor. 11:23). Notice that the use of the preposition apo in the phrase “from the Lord” indicates the delivery of information through one or more intermediaries, and the genitive para in the word “received” (paralambano) confirms such mediation.¹⁹⁴

• e. The tradition which the apostles received from Christ and granted to the Church is in its essence “our new life in Christ by the Holy Spirit.” In other words, the apostolic tradition was never something static, as it bears within itself the continuity of Pentecost in the Church as a whole and in every living member. The Christian community as a whole practices this new life through the Holy Spirit and every individual member of the Church also accepts a personal relationship with God in the Spirit without isolation from the Universal Church.

From this point of view, we also view our tradition as a spiritual gift, in its very essence. It is not just offered from one person to another but has an effect on the life of the one who offers it as well as that of the one who receives it. “I long to see you,” wrote St. Paul to the Romans, “that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you ― that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Rom. 1:11–12). St. Augustine also says, “For you I am a bishop, with you, I am a Christian.”¹⁹⁵ As a bishop, he felt deeply that he was appointed by God to preserve the Christian tradition for his people. At the same time, he lived this tradition with them as a Christian, being a member of their community.

• f. The apostles subjected themselves to some Jewish traditions of worship that were consistent with their faith after baptizing them. We will talk further about this point later.

• g. Through tradition, the Church stressed the importance of loyalty to bishops, as she regarded the bishop, as the successor of the apostles, as being appointed to be responsible for preserving the orthodoxy of the faith.

In brief, we can say that the Church in the apostolic age accepted a living tradition by which she accepted the Old Testament, understood its prophecies, discovered its types and symbols, and became acquainted with its unity with apostolic testimony. By this tradition, the Church also accepted the eyewitness accounts of the apostles, declared the authority of their successors in preserving the Christian faith, and lived the true worship of God.