What were the 'traditions' that Jesus was condemning?

[James_2_24]

In Catholic apologetics I often hear that Jesus didn’t condemn all traditions and, in fact, we are instructed to hold to the tradition of the Apostles (2 Thes. 2:15). However, I rarely hear in detail what the traditions the Pharisees maintained that were condemned by Jesus.

The basis of my question is that I’m in discussions with a Protestant co-worker and whenever I appeal to a OT practice as a foreshadowing of a NT belief, he responds “oh, but that was just a Rabbinical tradition”. One example is the Jewish seder meal. I believe this was a common Jewish practice and Jesus would’ve celebrated the seder. I was describing the seder meal and explaining how that the last supper was most likely a seder. From this standpoint I tried to connect the dots from OT to NT and straight into the Eucharist. He brushed it off as a rabinical tradition which would’ve been condemned by Christ.

How is it that we distinguish authentic Jewish tradition from a tradition that would’ve been condemned?

 

[Devon_Caffran]

The following links should assist you in better understanding the Catholic Church’s teaching on Tradition & the Bible. If you have any further questions or concerns that are not answered by these links, please [contact Catholic Answers (http://www.catholic.com/home/contact.asp) directly.

**Recommended Reading:
**

• ** Why should any doctrine not explicitly referred to in the Bible, be listened to?**
• ** How do you respond to “Everything you need to know is in the Bible”?**
• ** How can we know a doctrine is true if it’s not in the Bible?**
• ** How do we know that the Protoevangelium of James is credible?**
• ** Does Church Tradition exist only to interpret Scripture?**
• ** Non-Canonical Writings…**
• ** Oral Traditions not found in the Bible**