The danger of tradition

He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?...Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. – Matthew 15.3-6

In the musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ the various family members sing a song about the role of tradition in a Jewish home. For example Tevye and the other fathers sing

‘Who, day and night, must scramble for a living, Feed a wife and children, say his daily prayers? And who has the right, as master of the house, To have the final word at home?

The Papa, the Papa! Tradition.
The Papa, the Papa! Tradition.

Long before the time period of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ tradition had been become a major part of Jewish life. Even today tradition plays a major part in most religions.

Traditions are not always bad. Sometimes they can give us a common purpose and goal. Sometimes they can give us a rallying point. Sometimes they can help us develop godly habits and practices.

But our traditions, just like those of the Jews, can get to the point where they rival scripture and sometimes, as Jesus said, they can even cancel out the ‘commandments of God.’

How do we do this? We do it certain ways of doing things or certain rules or standards become equal to the word of God.

When we say ‘Thus saith the Lord’ we need to be sure it is indeed He who is saying it and not our own take or slant based on our traditions.