PAIR O' DIMES

Paradigms! or Tradition?

Do you have paradigms?  What a funny word!  A quick definition says that a paradigm is the lens we use to go through life.  We don't study them, they just creep into our life and we accept them as truth.  They are like old-wives tales!  How do we go back to the source of our world-view?  I find that paradigms get in the way a lot, and the sad thing is, we often do not even see it standing there!  I find this especially true when reading the Bible.  I accepted what I learned from the Pastors and Teachers, and every verse is read with that 'understanding' in place.  Even now that I am ready to challenge those 'givens,' it is still difficult to let go of error and misunderstandings.

This blog will challenge the paradigms I learned in church. 

WHAT IS A PARADIGM?

According to Strong's the word comes from the Greek paradosis.

paradosis: a handing down or over, a tradition

Original Word: παράδοσις, εως, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: paradosis
Phonetic Spelling: (par-ad'-os-is)
Short Definition: an instruction, tradition
Definition: an instruction, tradition.

Tradition!  The wonderful musical Fiddler on the Roof talks a lot about Tradition.  In many cases the traditions handed down to the family were just accepted as gospel, often with painful results. 

The Bible has some things to say about traditions.  They are not always bad, but they can get in the way of the larger picture. They can, in fact, be the very thing that the prophet Jeremiah warned us about:

Jer 16:19  Adonai, my strength, my stronghold, my refuge in the day of affliction, to You will the nations come from the ends of the earth and say: “Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, futility and useless things.”

[An Aside] I have switched away from using the name, Jesus Christ.  There was no J in Hebrew, and in fact, this new letter has only been used the last six hundred years or so.  I prefer to use Yeshua the Messiah (Yeshua HaMaschiach) which is from the Hebrew and is more accurate.  Perhaps at some point this blog will explore the names of GOD (YHVH) and our Messiah, but this article is about tradition!

The  Pharisees and scholars said:  Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not do the ritual handwashing when they eat bread.”  Mat 15:2 

Yeshua said:  “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?" Mat 15:3

The only thing that Yeshua spoke against was the twisting or perversion of the words given to us by his Father.  He took the words of Deuteronomy 4:2 to be a guidepost along the narrow way.

Deu 4:2  You shall not add to the Word which I command you, nor take from it, to keep the commandments of Jehovah your God which I command you.

Doesn't that seem clear?  His word is complete.  We don't need to add our traditions or pick and choose (remove) which of His words to accept as truth.  We get into error when we do either.  My understanding and belief is that the entire word of YHVH is true.  It always was, and always will be.  There has been no abolishment of His Law or His Promises!  HalleluYah!

Before any of you readers get into a panic over the Law of the Old Testament, I hope to address many of your concerns in the pages of this blog.  We don't do animal sacrifices anymore (not because the law is void, but it is impossible with no Earthly Temple and the Levitical Priesthood scattered.  I assure you that our High Priest (see the book of Hebrews) is before the Father in the heavenly realm handling all of these things on our behalf.

If I haven't lost any of you, I hope you'll return next time when I begin to examine and dismantle many of the traditions we have accepted as truth for the past 2000 years or so.  It will be my aim to return to the beginning and place all of the testimonies and epistles found in what we call the New Testament in context - context being the entirety of Scripture in light of the culture and language it was presented. The Bereans tested everything that was taught to them by the Apostle Paul.  What did they test his teaching against?  The Five Books of Moses, the Prophets and the Writings (otherwise known as the Old Testament)!  Let us discover the ancient paths!

Jer 6:16  So says Jehovah, Stand by the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you shall find rest for your souls.

2Ti 2:15  Do your best to present yourself to God as an approved worker who has nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of truth with precision.

Deu 4:1  And now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the judgments which I am teaching you to do, so that you may live and go in, and possess the land which Jehovah the God of your fathers is giving to you.