Keep Traditions

Paul in foreseeing the rise of Catholicism told the church to keep the traditions that had been delivered to them.

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

• hold traditions

• have been taught (past tense)

• by word (histories) or epistle (letters of wisdom)

Catholics have taught this shows two methods of teaching, word or epistle.

They believe "by word" implies the oral tradition of the church. Yet it is more likely referring to the Gospel records vs the epistles(letters). Jesus denounced oral traditions that were deviations from scripture.

Mat 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

"by word"  did not authorize deviant traditions, but was being used of the spiritual gifts used to write the Gospel histories and Acts.

see-

1Co 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

The content coming from the Gospels and Acts gave us knowledge of the life of Christ and knowledge of the history of the Apostles.

One important point is these traditions were past tense, traditions coming latter by Catholic thought were not the positive focal point of the II Thessalonians 2:15 passage. Doctrines coming later were the negative focal point. We were to keep the original doctrines.

Later traditions not promoted under IIThess. 2:15

1. Ever-virginity of Mary

2. Celibacy of priesthood

3. Regional Bishops

4. Papacy

5. Infant Baptism

6. Cardinals

7. Transubstantiation

8. Consubstantiation

9 Council Of Nicea and subsequent councils.

10. Auricular confession

11. diocese system

etc, all of these came well after II Thesalonians was written.

These doctrines cannot be directly found in the Gospel records or the epistles. We should keep the doctrines clearly taught before these other doctrines arose.

Cardinal Gibbons in his works admitted the ever-virginity was not taught in scripture by the early church, stating they were busy teaching other core beliefs.