Later on, the Holy Spirit inspired some men to write the NT scripture. Since this scripture is explicit in the historical facts, and since it is
largely a narrative of events, as Luke says in the beginning of his Gospel, then it seems to be salvation history. Since everyone agrees that scripture states
historical facts, (that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, etc, ) which they
all can agree on, even atheists, it is obvious the primary purpose of scripture is to present salvation history and to learn about the person of Jesus. Since no one, who rejects apostolic tradition, can agree on the doctrine that scripture presents, we must conclude that scripture was not meant to teach doctrine by itself.
Thus, doctrine was spread by the teaching and preaching of the Church, which by definition is tradition. Since it comes from the apostles, it is called apostolic Tradition. Since the apostles learned it from God, it is also called Sacred Tradition. Because the basic teachings were clear, explicit, and understood by all who wanted to know them, Tradition was was the norm for learning the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Since scripture is not clear on any doctrine to the ordinary person, for there are always “apparent” contradictions, it is obvious that is was not meant to teach doctrine. Since it is in a historical format, and since all agree on the historical facts presented, it seems obvious that scripture was meant to teach salvation history. Thus, we have two distinct parts of the Gospel, as the Church teaches, apostolic Tradition, in which the explicit, clear, teachings of the Gospel were handed down, and scripture, in which salvation history was handed down. They are distinct, because one does not come from the other. Scripture does not come from Apostolic Tradition. It comes from the Holy Spirit and its content is different, and format is different from apostolic Tradition. Though they both have some things in common.
Apostolic Tradition is
explicit and clear in basic doctrines.
Scripture is only
implicit (hidden) regarding doctrines and
explicit in salvation history.
Code:
In the process of teaching this Gospel, the leaders of the Church could later quote New Testament scripture to illuminate doctrine and they could quote scripture as a witness to doctrine, because in the process of presenting salvation history, Scripture does contain **some parts** of **some doctrines**, expressed **implicitly ** (in a hidden form). The mistake most people make is that they think because the Church often quotes scripture in regards to basic doctrine, the doctrine comes from scripture. This is false. The Church quotes scripture in regards to basic doctrine to help illuminate, support, and as a witness to the doctrine which it has always been teaching as part of apostolic Tradition.
Since this Gospel, handed down by tradition was learned, there was no reason to write it down. Just as parents teach their children until they grow up, but never write down these teachings. Why write down what they already know.
And of course, this Tradition is easily handed down without error, just as all children coming to school for the first time, who cannot read, thus learned all by tradition, all know the meaning of “go sit down in your desk”, they all know how understand a 6000 word vocabulary, and how to use those words, they all know those things on the ends of their arms are called “hands”, etc, etc. They all know this without error, from their parents, who in turned learned it by tradition from their parents without error, and so on.
The Church, as the family of God, hands down teachings the same way.
Thus, the Church does not need the Holy Spirit to prevent error in the transmission of Tradition. The Church needs the Holy Spirit because of sinfulness, man would reject and change the teachings of this Tradition. If it wasn’t for the Holy Spirit, the Church would soon accept divorce, contraception, etc, like the man-made Churches have done.
Did some early Christians believe major error? Of course, because some were not that interested in the truth, thus they never sought out the whole truth from the Church. Did the Church teach error? Never.
And don’t forget when you use the term “salvific” in a Catholic context, it is not the “whole ball of wax” as in OSAS. There is still a life of faith, obedience, and humility that remains to be lived by His grace. Probably better to think of it as a sacrament which is: A visible sign, instituted by Christ, which communicates the invisible reality of God’s grace.
