Tradition and Scripture

  • Thread starter Thread starter patrick86
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

patrick86

Guest
I’m a little confused about some of the traditons of the Catholic Church and scripture. I realize that not everything can be found in the Bible and tradition is equally as important. But, how come when the Church was making the Bible was some of the stuff not mentioned? Like Purgatory for example, it’s not mentioned, but tradition says that it exists. How come when the Bible was created was it not put in there? I realize that it can be debated that Purgatory is scriptural, but it doesn’t seem to be very clear in the scripture I read. Purgatory is just an example, but there are others.
 
patrick86 said:
I’m a little confused about some of the traditons of the Catholic Church and scripture. I realize that not everything can be found in the Bible and tradition is equally as important. But, how come when the Church was making the Bible was some of the stuff not mentioned? Like Purgatory for example, it’s not mentioned, but tradition says that it exists. How come when the Bible was created was it not put in there? I realize that it can be debated that Purgatory is scriptural, but it doesn’t seem to be very clear in the scripture I read. Purgatory is just an example, but there are others.
Click to expand...
Must everything be written out for you to believe? Where, then, lies Faith?

John 20:30-31

John 16:12-15

Why do you question the Holy Spirit?
 
Hot news flash my friend…The Bible is part of the Traditions handed down from the apostles and the Early Church.
Purgatory is as much in the Word of God as the Trinity is. Both are implicit doctrines.

Please carefully read this article from my blog. Biblical and Jewish Traditional Beliefs About Purgatory

SCRIPTURE & TRADITION
Code: 
                     Tracts:                         
                     [Apostolic Tradition](http://www.catholic.com/library/Apostolic_Tradition.asp) (Fathers* )
                     [Bible Translations Guide](http://www.catholic.com/library/Bible_Translations_Guide.asp)
                     [Can Dogma Develop?](http://www.catholic.com/library/Can_Dogma_Develop.asp)
                     [Old Testament Canon](http://www.catholic.com/library/Old_Testament_Canon.asp) (Fathers* )
                     [Proving Inspiration](http://www.catholic.com/library/Proving_Inspiration.asp)
                     [Scripture and Tradition](http://www.catholic.com/library/Scripture_and_Tradition.asp)
                     [What's Your Authority?](http://www.catholic.com/library/What_Your_Authority.asp)
                     [Scriptural Reference Guide](http://www.catholic.com/library/Scriptural_Reference_Guide.asp)
Those are from the CA online library and might shed some more light on this for you.

**

**
 
patrick86 said:
I’m a little confused about some of the traditons of the Catholic Church and scripture. I realize that not everything can be found in the Bible and tradition is equally as important. But, how come when the Church was making the Bible was some of the stuff not mentioned? Like Purgatory for example, it’s not mentioned, but tradition says that it exists. How come when the Bible was created was it not put in there? I realize that it can be debated that Purgatory is scriptural, but it doesn’t seem to be very clear in the scripture I read. Purgatory is just an example, but there are others.
Click to expand...
Well, as it turns out, every Catholic doctrine is mentioned somewhere in the Bible. The Immaculate Conception is at Gen. 3:15, and Purgatory gets several mentions as has been indicated above.

The best way for you to understand Sacred Tradition may be to consider it as a series of binding decisions on how to interpret the Bible. This is an oversimplification as Tradition is an independent and prior authority to the Bible; before the Bible was written, Tradition was handed on by the Apostles. But as the two can never conflict, this will help you understand.
 
The bible tells us in numerous places (Luke 3:18, John 20:30, John 21:25, Acts 2:40, 1 Corinthians 11:34, for example) that it is incomplete. Over the course of three years, Jesus did most of his teaching and works in the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida (Matthew 11:20). So, the bible must be chock full of those stories, right? Let’s see how many of those hundreds of teachings and miracles are in the bible:

Two.

Both of them occurred in Bethsaida. Not even one miracle He performed in Chorazin is even mentioned. Those who rely on bible alone are missing out.

Do you have a catechism? You will find your answers within it. $7.95+S/H will net you the most information-packed book beside the bible itself. It’s a confusion eraser.
 
patrick86 said:
I’m a little confused about some of the traditons of the Catholic Church and scripture. I realize that not everything can be found in the Bible and tradition is equally as important. But, how come when the Church was making the Bible was some of the stuff not mentioned? Like Purgatory for example, it’s not mentioned, but tradition says that it exists. How come when the Bible was created was it not put in there? I realize that it can be debated that Purgatory is scriptural, but it doesn’t seem to be very clear in the scripture I read. Purgatory is just an example, but there are others.
Click to expand...
Yes, that is very true, Patrick. And the reason that there are many things not explicitly spelled out in the Bible is because God reserved these things for His Church to define and teach the faithful. And why did God do this? Well, there are many reasons, some of which you will figure out soon enough. But first and foremost it’s because God wants us to be humble, and to:

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account.” (Hebrews 13:17)

Because after all, the Church is the “pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). Unfortunately, there are many Christians who say, “I will not submit to anyone but Christ” - in direct disobedience to Christ, who said, “he who rejects you rejects me” (Luke 10:16). And here are a few more scriptures to help answer your question: 2 Cor. 4:3, 2 Pet. 3:16, Matt. 13:11. Also, as was already mentioned, you can find scriptural support, either explicit or implicit, for all of the Church’s doctrines. Check out Scripture Catholic for Scripture references, along with the teachings of the early Church, for any Church doctrine you’re interested in. God bless.
 
patrick86 said:
I’m a little confused about some of the traditons of the Catholic Church and scripture. I realize that not everything can be found in the Bible and tradition is equally as important. But, how come when the Church was making the Bible was some of the stuff not mentioned? Like Purgatory for example, it’s not mentioned, but tradition says that it exists. How come when the Bible was created was it not put in there? I realize that it can be debated that Purgatory is scriptural, but it doesn’t seem to be very clear in the scripture I read. Purgatory is just an example, but there are others.
Click to expand...
The key is to recognize the distinction between Formal and Material Sufficiency of Scripture.
 
well…do you believe in the Trinity? You’ll not find that explained in scripture either…yeah…I remember being shocked when I found that out. I’m a former protestant, and I have learned to read the Bible from the heart of the Catholic Church. The Church did not “make” the Bible, there were many many writings (N.T. writings). The Catholic Church through a series of councils decided what would be contained in the Canon of Scripture…Instead of thinking of the Bible as a “book” it helps to think of it as a “Library.” And the Catholic Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit decided what would be contained in the “Library.”

Are you interested in exploring purgatory? If so, that would be a good thread for you to start.
 
patrick86 said:
I’m a little confused about some of the traditons of the Catholic Church and scripture. I realize that not everything can be found in the Bible and tradition is equally as important. But, how come when the Church was making the Bible was some of the stuff not mentioned? Like Purgatory for example, it’s not mentioned, but tradition says that it exists. How come when the Bible was created was it not put in there? I realize that it can be debated that Purgatory is scriptural, but it doesn’t seem to be very clear in the scripture I read. Purgatory is just an example, but there are others.
Click to expand...
I know you would probably say the Trinity is clearly in Scripture but it isn’t. Matter of fact, most of the early big heresies in the Church such as the Arian Heresy, Sabellian Heresy and the Nestorian Heresy revolved around the Trinity. I know there are places such as Matt 28:19 that seems to us to be very clear so we take it for granted. The Jehovah Witnesses don’t believe in the Trinity either. This is precisely why you have to have Apostolic Tradition, ie, the Church. Tradition preceeded the Bible. There was the Old Testament but not the New Testament until around 90ad. The Church had spread around the known world by then.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top