Apostolic Tradition in Early Christianity

Mathetes, Epistle to Diognetus Direct teaching

Then the fear of the law is chanted, and the grace of the prophets is known, and the faith of the gospels is established, and the tradition of the Apostles is preserved, and the grace of the Church exults;

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

for as the teaching, so also the tradition of the apostles was one.

Papias, Fragments Direct teaching

Papias, whom we mentioned earlier, claims that he received the sayings of the apostles from those who were with them, and he also asserts that he personally heard Aristion and the presbyter John. He frequently mentions them by name, and in his writings, he shares their traditions. Our notice of these details may prove useful. It may also be worthwhile to add to Papias's statements already given, other passages of his where he describes some miraculous deeds, saying that he learned of them from tradition. The stay of the Apostle Philip with his daughters in Hierapolis has already been mentioned. We should now highlight how Papias, who lived at the same time, says that he received an extraordinary account from the daughters of Philip, reporting that a dead man was raised to life in his day. He also mentions another miracle regarding Justus, also known as Barsabas, who consumed a deadly poison but was unharmed, due to the grace of the Lord. Papias also notes other things as coming to him from unwritten tradition, including some unusual parables and teachings of the Saviour, and some other more fanciful items. Among these, he says there will be a millennium after the resurrection of th

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

Well, they preserving the tradition of the blessed doctrine derived directly from the holy apostles, Peter, James, John, and Paul, the sons receiving it from the father (but few were like the fathers), came by God's will to us also to deposit those ancestral and apostolic seeds.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

for the deposit rendered to God, according to the teaching of the Lord by His apostles, is the understanding and the practice of the godly tradition.

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Supporting witness

The apostles have preached the Gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ;

1 Corinthians 11:2 Direct teaching

Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.

Acts 2:42 Direct teaching

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

2 Peter 3:2 Direct teaching

That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

Jude 1:17 Direct teaching

But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Ephesians 2:20 Direct teaching

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

2 Timothy 2:2 Supporting witness

and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching

...anged," he says, "let nothing be maintained except what has been handed down." From where does that tradition come? Does it come down from the authority of the Lord and of the Gospel, or does it come from the commands and letters of the apostles? For God bears witness and warns that the things written must be done, saying to Joshua the son of Nun, "This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it" Joshua 1:8. Also, when the Lord sent His apostles, He commanded that the nations should be baptized and taught to observe all things that He commanded. If, therefore, it is either ordered in the Gospel, or contained in the letters or Acts of the Apostles, that those who come from any heresy should not be baptized, but should only have hands laid on them for repentance, then let this divine and holy tradition be observed. But if heretics everywhere are called nothing other than adversaries and antichrists, if they are declared to be people who must be avoided, and to be perverted and self-condemned, why then should they not be considered worthy to be condemned by u

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

Whence is that tradition? Whether does it descend from the authority of the Lord and of the Gospel, or does it come from the commands and the epistles of the apostles?

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Direct teaching

so, seeing there are many who think they hold the opinions of Christ, and yet some of these think differently from their predecessors, yet as the teaching of the Church, transmitted in orderly succession from the apostles, and remaining in the Churches to the present day, is still preserved, that alone is to be accepted as truth which differs in no respect from ecclesiastical and apostolic tradition.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

holding from the beginning that which was delivered by Christ and the apostles.

Tertullian, On the Flesh of Christ Supporting witness

...er believing. The fact, however, that you have ceased to believe has not made your rejection of the faith right and proper. No, rather, by your act of rejection you prove that what you believed before that act was of a different character. What you believed to be of a different character had been handed down just as you believed it. Now what had been handed down was true, since it had been transmitted by those whose duty it was to hand it down. Therefore, when you rejected what had been handed down, you rejected what was true. You had no authority for what you did. However, in another treatise we have already made fuller use of these prescriptive rules against all heresies. To repeat them here after that larger treatise is superfluous, when we ask the reason why you have formed the opinion that Christ was not born.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 Direct teaching

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.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 Direct teaching

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

2 Timothy 1:13 Supporting witness

Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching

2. But, again, when we refer them to the tradition that originates from the apostles and is preserved through the succession of presbyters in the Churches, they object to tradition, claiming they are wiser not only than the presbyters but even than the apostles, because they have discovered the unadulterated truth. They argue that the apostles mixed the law with the words of the Saviour, and that not only the apostles but even the Lord Himself spoke at times from the Demiurge, at other times from the intermediate place, and yet again from the Pleroma. However, they claim to have knowledge of the hidden mystery, clearly, purely, and without error: this is, indeed, to blaspheme their Creator in a most impudent manner! It comes to this, therefore, that these people now agree with neither Scripture nor tradition.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

[we do this, I say,] by indicating that tradition derived from the apostles, of the very great, the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul;

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

1. Since, therefore, the tradition from the apostles does thus exist in the Church, and is permanent among us, let us revert to the Scriptural proof furnished by those apostles who did also write the Gospel, in which they recorded the doctrine regarding God, pointing out that our Lord Jesus Christ is the truth, and that no lie is in Him.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

...he was also appointed by apostles in Asia to be the bishop of the Church in Smyrna. I saw him in my early youth, for he lived a very long time and, as an old man, nobly suffered martyrdom, leaving this life after consistently teaching what he had learned from the apostles and what the Church has passed down as the only truth. All the Asian Churches testify to this, as do the successors of Polycarp to this day—a man of far greater significance and a more steadfast witness of truth than Valentinus, Marcion, and the other heretics. He was the one who, coming to Rome during the time of Anicetus, led many away from these heretics to the Church of God, declaring that he received this singular truth from the apostles—that which is transmitted by the Church. Some heard him recount that John, the disciple of the Lord, went to bathe at Ephesus, and upon seeing Cerinthus inside, rushed out without bathing, shouting, "Let us flee, lest the bath-house collapse, because Cerinthus, the enemy of truth, is inside." Polycarp himself also replied to Marcion, who once encountered him and asked, "Do you know me?" “I do know you, the firstborn of Satan.” This illustrates the disdain the apostles and

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness

... But he has also made certain claims that seem very far from what has been handed down to us by the tradition of our fathers. He has explained some teachings in a strange way, adding ideas of his own to them. These ideas have seemed to me completely foreign to the faith and opposed to it. Because of this, I have been led to write this letter to you. I know how complete and full your understanding is in doctrine, and I am sure that none of these things can escape your notice. So I have confidently hoped that no resentment will keep you from explaining these matters to us. As for me, I cannot be drawn away into any new teaching. Nevertheless, for the sake of those who are less instructed, I have been led to ask for a word from your authority. For truly, the man shows himself to be a person of extraordinary strength of character, both in speech and in action. Even his appearance and clothing support that impression. I will write down here, for your information, a few points that I have been able to keep in my memory from all the subjects he has explained. For I know that even from these few points you will understand the rest. You know well, no doubt, that those who try to set up a

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

... no one has seen God at any time, and how the only begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father, had delivered the declaration about God to him and to all those who had received of His fullness? He was not declaring here for the first time Him who is in the bosom of the Father, as if there had never before been anyone fit to receive what He told His Apostles. Does He not teach us that He was before Abraham, and that Abraham rejoiced and was glad to see His day? The words, "Of His fullness all we received," and, "Grace for grace," show, as we have already made clear, that the prophets also received their gift from the fullness of Christ, and received a second grace in place of what they had before. For they also, led by the Spirit, advanced from the introduction they had in types to the vision of truth. Therefore not all the prophets, but many of them, Matthew 13:17, desired to see the things that the Apostles saw. For if there was a difference among the prophets, those who were perfect and more distinguished among them did not desire to see what the Apostles saw, but actually beheld those things. But those who rose less fully than these to the height of the Word were filled with

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Supporting witness

If, once again, they claim that the twelve apostles were only a symbol of the group of twelve Æons that Anthropos, together with Ecclesia, created, then let them provide ten more apostles as a symbol of those remaining ten Æons, who, they say, were created by Logos and Zoe. It is illogical to think that the junior Æons, who are considered inferior for that reason, were represented by the Savior through the selection of apostles, while their seniors, and therefore their superiors, were not represented; since if the Savior chose the apostles with the intent of showing the Æons in the Pleroma through them, He could have also chosen another ten apostles, and another eight before these, to represent the original and primary Ogdoad. He could not demonstrate any symbol of the second Duo Decad, since the apostles' number already served as a symbol. For after the twelve apostles, our Lord sent seventy others ahead of Him. But seventy cannot possibly be a symbol of an Ogdoad, a Decad, or a Triacontad. So why are the inferior Æons, as I mentioned, represented by the apostles, but the superior Æons, from whom the former derive their existence, not prefigured at all? If the twelve apostles were

Tertullian, On Prescription Against Heretics Supporting witness

In this way all are primitive, and all are apostolic, while they are all proved to be one, in (unbroken) unity, by their peaceful communion, and title of brotherhood, and bond of hospitality — privileges which no other rule directs than the one tradition of the selfsame mystery.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching

2. But, again, when we refer them to that tradition which originates from the apostles, [and] which is preserved by means of the succession of presbyters in the Churches, they object to tradition, saying that they themselves are wiser not merely than the presbyters, but even than the apostles, because they have discovered the unadulterated truth.

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness

...m Jesus, when He departed, promised to send to the human race for the salvation of the souls of the faithful. He makes this claim as if he were somehow greater even than Paul, who was a chosen vessel and a called apostle, and who, while preaching the true doctrine, said, "Or do you seek proof of that Christ who speaks in me?" What I mean may become clearer by the following illustration. A certain man gathered a very large amount of grain into his storehouse, until the place was completely full. Then he shut it up and sealed it in a fully secure way, and gave orders that it should be watched carefully. After that, the master himself went away. But after a long time, another person came to the storehouse and said that he had been sent by the man who had locked and sealed the place. He also said that he had been commissioned to gather and store a quantity of wheat there. When the keepers of the storehouse saw him, they asked him for his credentials by requiring him to show the signet, so that they might know whether they were free to open the storehouse to him and obey him as one sent by the man who had sealed the place. But since he could neither show the keys nor produce the proo

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Direct teaching

Jesus, however, does not accuse them concerning a tradition of the Jewish elders, but concerning two of God's most urgent commandments. One of them was the fifth in the Ten Commandments: "Honor your father and your mother, that it may be well with you, and that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you," Exodus 20:12. The other was written in Leviticus: "If a man speaks evil of his father or his mother, let him surely die; he has spoken evil of his father or mother; he shall be guilty," Leviticus 20:9. But if we want to examine the exact wording as given by Matthew, "He that speaks evil of father or mother, let him die the death," Matthew 15:4, consider whether it was taken from the place where it was written, "Whoever strikes his father or mother, let him die the death; and he that speaks evil of father or mother, let him die the death." For these are the exact words taken from the Law concerning the two commandments. But Matthew quoted them partly and in shortened form, and not in the exact words. But we must consider the nature of the charge that the Savior brings against the Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem when He says that they transgress the com

Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching

...escension to the Church alone, then what stubbornness is this, or what presumption, to prefer human tradition to divine ordinance? Why do they not observe that God is indignant and angry whenever human tradition loosens and sets aside the divine commands, as He cries out and says through Isaiah the prophet, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain they worship me, teaching the doctrines and commandments of men." Isaiah 29:13 Also, the Lord in the Gospel, in the same way rebuking and reproving, declares and says, "You reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition." Mark 7:13 Remembering this command, the blessed Apostle Paul also warns and instructs us, saying, "If any man teaches otherwise, and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with His doctrine, he is proud, knowing nothing." From such a man withdraw yourself. 1 Timothy 6:3-5

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness

The tradition of the elders, which they claimed to follow from the law, was actually against the law given by Moses. This is why Isaiah declares: “Your dealers mix the wine with water,” indicating that the elders corrupted a pure command of God by mixing it with their flawed tradition. They established a false law opposing the true law, as the Lord pointed out when He asked them, “Why do you violate the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” They disregarded God’s law not only by directly transgressing it, but also by opposing it with their own law, which is still known today as pharisaical. In this law, they omit certain things, add others, and interpret some as they see fit, used by their teachers individually. Wanting to uphold these traditions, they refused to submit to the law of God, which prepares them for the coming of Christ. They even criticized the Lord for healing on the Sabbath, which, as I have already mentioned, was not forbidden by the law. They themselves, in a way, performed acts of healing on the Sabbath when they circumcised a man on that day, but they did not criticize themselves for breaking God’s command through tradition and the aforementioned p

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

...ous generation,” He teaches that they did not know the law as the law wills. Instead, following the tradition of the elders and the commandments of men, they adulterated the law, as though the husband and lord of their virginity had not been given to them. Perhaps He also hints that they had become enslaved to other desires, because through these desires, while continually serving sins, they were sold to foreigners. For among the Jews common women were not allowed, but adultery was forbidden. But the one who says, “I have taken a wife, I cannot come,” Luke 19:20, to the divine supper, is indeed an example for rebuking those who withdraw from the divine command because of pleasures. Otherwise, neither the righteous before the coming, nor those after the coming who took wives, even if they were apostles, would be saved. And if they bring forward what the prophet also says, “I have grown old among all my enemies,” let them understand the enemies as sins. There is one kind of sin here, not marriage, but fornication. Otherwise they also call generation itself sin, and the Creator of generation as well.

Tatian, The Diatessaron Supporting witness

...risees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands carefully, because they hold to the tradition of the elders. And they do not eat what was bought from the market unless they wash it. They keep many other things that they received, such as the washing of cups, measures, bronze vessels, and couches. So the scribes and Pharisees asked him, "Why do your disciples not walk according to the traditions of the elders, but eat bread without washing their hands?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Why do you also break the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever speaks evil of his father or his mother shall surely die.' But you say, 'If a man says to his father or to his mother, "Whatever you would receive from me is an offering,"' then you do not allow him to do anything for his father or his mother. In this way, you make void and reject the word of God because of the tradition that you have handed down and commanded, such as the washing of cups and measures, and you do many other similar things. You left the commandment of God and held to the tradition of men. Do you do well to set aside the commandment

Mark 7:8 Supporting witness

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.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching

and the translation harmonizes with the tradition of the apostles.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

...n and interacted with the blessed apostles, still had their preaching echoing in his ears and their traditions before his eyes. He was not alone in this, for many others remained who had received instructions from the apostles. During Clement's time, a significant disagreement arose among the brethren in Corinth, and the Church in Rome sent a powerful letter to the Corinthians. This letter exhorted them to peace, renewed their faith, and declared the tradition recently received from the apostles, proclaiming the one omnipotent God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the Creator of man, who caused the deluge, called Abraham, led the people out of Egypt, spoke to Moses, established the law, sent the prophets, and prepared fire for the devil and his angels. From this document, anyone who wishes may learn that He, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, was preached by the Churches and may also understand the apostolic tradition of the Church. This Epistle predates those who now spread falsehoods and invent another god beyond the Creator and Maker of all things. Clement was succeeded by Evaristus, followed by Alexander; then, sixth from the apostles, Sixtus was appointed; after him, Telesp

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Direct teaching

The Universal Church, moreover, through the whole world, has received this tradition from the apostles.

Tertullian, On Prescription Against Heretics Direct teaching

But if there are any heresies bold enough to place themselves in the middle of the apostolic age, so that they may seem to have been handed down by the apostles because they existed in the time of the apostles, we can say this: Let them bring out the original records of their churches. Let them unfold the list of their bishops, coming down in proper succession from the beginning, in such a way that their first bishop can show that his ordainer and predecessor was one of the apostles or one of the apostolic men, and moreover, a man who remained faithful with the apostles. For this is how the apostolic churches pass down their records. The church of Smyrna records that Polycarp was placed there by John. In the same way, the church of Rome says that Clement was ordained by Peter. In exactly the same way, the other churches also present their own notable men. Since these men were appointed to their places as bishops by apostles, the churches regard them as those who pass on the apostolic seed. Let the heretics invent something similar. After their blasphemy, what is unlawful for them to attempt? But even if they manage to invent such a thing, they will gain nothing by it. For when thei

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

...d or faltered in any respect, we should return to our original and Lord, and to the evangelical and apostolic tradition. From there the basis of our action may arise, from where both our order and our origin have arisen.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

5. For which reason you must diligently observe and keep the practice delivered from divine tradition and apostolic observance, which is also maintained among us, and almost throughout all the provinces;

Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Supporting witness

This word, therefore, is to be carefully observed, we have received, and it is enjoined upon us according to the tradition.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

nor can he be reckoned as a bishop, who, succeeding to no one, and despising the evangelical and apostolic tradition, sprang from himself.

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness

...tor to keep the whole law." Galatians 5:3. In all other respects, however, these agree with all the traditions handed down to the Church by the Apostles.

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness

Galatians 5:3 In other respects, however, these consent to all the traditions delivered to the Church by the Apostles.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

Nor do we remember that this at any time began among us, since it has always been observed here, that we knew none but one Church of God, and accounted no baptism holy except that of the holy Church.