Is that the same as saying…The Quran is from allah because the book says it is from allah? We know our Bible is from GOD because it contains prophecies fufilled to proof it is from GOD.
There are other writings that have prophesies that were fulfilled among the 400 + books that were claiming to be inspired at the time the canon was closed. None but the 27 preserved by Sacred Tradition made it into the canon.
Some of the books of the NT have unfilfilled prophesies, and lack an authors name attached to them.
Why is it so hard to accept that the canon of scripture is a product of Sacred Tradition? You accept so many other things, like the Sunday observance, the hypostatic union, the Trinity, the creeds…
We have Jesus as our example- HE looked to Scripture to answer an issue, settle disputes. Jesus is GOD- we have a person of the GODhead backing up what HE is saying by quoting Scripture. I guess I am at a loss as why that isn’t enough proof for Catholics.
Much of what Jesus taught is not found in Scripture. Every time it is written “but I say to you”, he supercedes the Scripture. Jesus did not “look to Scripture to answer an issue or settle disputes”. He used the Scriptures to show how they revealed Himself. Scriptures cannot “arbritrate”, because this action requires characteristics only belonging to persons, such as acts of the will, discernment, and the ability to take responsibility.
The Scriptures lead us to Christ, and support all that He did and taught, but He is the fullness of God’s revelation to us. He founded His Church, to contain that fulness and reveal His glory to humankind. That Church wrote, preserved, promulgated and canonized the Scriptures. They are part of the two inseparable threads of Divine Revelation that God has given to get us to eternal life with Him.
Did Jesus ever look to Tradition to answer a question, solve a dispute? Jesus mentions traditions 8 times all in a negative manner. Yes these were man-made traditions.
Yes, he often referred to Sacred Tradition, and also lived by it. He did not dispute traditions of men, either, so long as they did not nullify the Word of God. One of those Traditions is the wedding in Cana, which He hallowed by His presence, and sanctified by working His first public miracle.
He followed the Tradition that stems from the Book of Maccabees (also ratifying the Deuterocanonical books) by going the the feast of Lights in the Temple.
We must be careful to not follow man’s traditions?
No.
We must be mindful that our customs never interfere with His Divine Revelation.
7They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ 8You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
You see, “let go of the commands of God”. Salient point here.
Jesus attended synagogue, which was a tradition of men. Doing so did not interfere with the commands of God.
Paul followed the strict sect of the Pharisees all his life, which included fastings and shaving of the head connected with vows. These did not interfere either.
9And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!
It is not necessary to set aside the commands of God in order to observe human customs.
13Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that."
I was listening to the radio tonight where a deacon was talking about the celebration of 'Quincinera. It is a human custom that celebrates a young woman’s rite of initiation. There is nothing in it that nullifies the word of God, and it is a beautiful tradition.
Some of GOD’s traditions - The Sabbath, Passover and Unleaven Bread, Feast of Pentecost, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Attonement, Feast of the Tabernacle, Last Great Day.
It is important to distinguish between human customs,and Sacred Traditions. Sacred Tradition is the Word of God that was committed by the Apostles to the Church, and has been preserved infallibly in the Church by the Holy Spirit.
We have multiple witnesses telling us that GOD’s Word is true, throughout the Bible. Where does it say such and such a tradition is true?:
Psalms 119
160 All your words are true;
all your righteous laws are eternal.
Where should we look to see if there is something similar said about tradition? Is it said any where - to sanctify them with your tradition? Believe through tradition?
John 17
17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
…
20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
You are assuming that these refer to writings, when they dont necessarily. The Word of God was preached, and the disciples believed because they HEARD the Word of God. God has preserved this Word just as He promised.
Yes, God sanctifies through His Word (Sacred Tradition) which was alive and well in the Church for three centuries before the canon was closed.
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