Scripture and Tradition

Two views

Protestants say the Bible contains all Christian truth and is clear enough without Tradition or the Magisterium. Catholics hold that the true rule of faith is Scripture plus apostolic Tradition, expressed in the Church's living teaching authority, to which Christ entrusted both the apostles' oral teaching and the authority to interpret Scripture. Dei Verbum teaches that Tradition and Scripture flow from the same divine source and must be accepted with equal reverence.

The proof-texts

• John 20:31 refers to what is written in that Gospel (see 20:30). If it proved anything, it would prove John's Gospel sufficient. It says Scripture helps us believe, not that it is all we need — and the first Christians had no New Testament.
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says inspired writing is useful, not that it alone must be followed. Newman noted that Paul elsewhere requires Tradition (2 Thessalonians 2:15) and that the "scriptures" Timothy knew from infancy were the Old Testament; if the verse proved sola scriptura, it would prove the New Testament unnecessary. Read in context (3:14-15), Paul tells Timothy to hold to what he learned from Paul himself — an appeal to apostolic tradition.

Scripture points to Tradition

Paul tells Timothy to entrust what he heard to faithful people (2 Timothy 2:2) and the Thessalonians to "hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours" (2 Thessalonians 2:15). Jesus said, "Whoever listens to you listens to me" (Luke 10:16) and sent the apostles to make disciples (Matthew 28:19); faith comes from hearing (Romans 10:17).

What Tradition is

Not legends, and not changeable customs like clerical dress or rubrics, but the apostles' oral teaching, which largely overlaps Scripture. Paul handed on what he received (1 Corinthians 15:3, 11) and praised those who kept the traditions (1 Corinthians 11:2). The first Christians devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching (Acts 2:42) before there was a New Testament, and Paul quotes a saying of Jesus handed on orally (Acts 20:35).

"Traditions of men"

Jesus' rebuke (Matthew 15:3, 6-9) and Paul's warning (Colossians 2:8) target human traditions that nullify God's word, such as evading the duty to honor one's parents (Exodus 20:12). Jesus told his followers to observe what the scribes taught from Moses' seat (Matthew 23:2-3).

Who decides?

We know which traditions are apostolic the same way we know which books are Scripture: through the Church's Magisterium. The Church that gave us the canon of Scripture can identify apostolic Tradition, for she is "the pillar and foundation of truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).