Paradosis, an important Greek word, part 01

It is sometimes worthwhile to do a word study, where one sees how a word is used in different contexts in Scripture. One such word is the Greek word paradosis, which the King James always translates as “tradition,” with one exception. And, that one exception was corrected in the New King James. So, why is it important to know how this word is used? Well, precisely because in the discussions over Holy Tradition, one should at least look at every use of the word “tradition” in the New Testament. Listed below are the verses in which the word paradosis is used.

Matthew 15:2-6 – Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Mark 7:5-13 — Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

1 Corinthians 11:2 — Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the traditions, as I delivered them to you.

Galatians 1:14 — And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Colossians 2:8 — Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 — Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 — Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

1 Peter 1:18 — Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

 OK, in five of the verses, tradition is spoken about in a negative way. In three of the verses, it is referred to in a positive way. All but the 1 Peter verse use the word paradosis and the 1 Peter verse uses a variant of that word, patroparadotos. Now, can you tell what differentiates a good tradition from a bad tradition? Here is a hint, it is not by doing what several Protestant translations do, which is that they translate the word paradosis as something other than “tradition” if the practice is referred to in a positive way.

===MORE TO COME===