Cultural Practices That Substitute for God's Word in Teaching
The Bible warns against substituting cultural practices or traditions for God's Word in teaching, as Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for "making void the word of God by your tradition" (Mark 7:13) [1]. This concern is echoed in Reformed theology, which emphasizes the authority of Scripture over human tradition.
According to Charles Hodge, tradition can undermine the authority of Scripture by becoming a competing source of doctrine [2]. Hodge argues that when tradition is elevated to the same level as Scripture, it subverts the authority of the Bible. This is because if there are two standards of doctrine with equal authority, the interpretation of Scripture becomes secondary to the tradition [2].
In contrast, the early church fathers emphasized the importance of Scripture in teaching. For example, Tertullian noted that the apostles preached the Gospel without relying on human wisdom or eloquence, demonstrating that faith comes from the power of God, not human persuasion [3]. Similarly, Clement of Alexandria highlighted the role of the instructor in guiding believers towards piety through the use of Scripture [8].
Reformed theology also stresses the importance of Scripture in education. Hodge argues that Christian education should be guided by Christian principles, and that the state has a responsibility to conduct schools in a way that respects the religious rights of its citizens [5, 7]. This includes the use of Scripture in teaching, as it is the Word of God that has "an inherent, divine, and constant power" to produce spiritual effects [4].
The Baptist/Reformed tradition also emphasizes the importance of Scripture in teaching. John Gill notes that while there will be no need for human teaching in the heavenly state, in the present era, believers still require instruction from God's Word [6].
Sources
- Mark “making void the word of God by your tradition, which you have handed down. You do many things like this.” -- Mark 7:13”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 37: hundreds of folios in which these traditions are recorded? Surely a guide to the interpretation of the latter must be far more needed than one for the Scriptures. Tradition destroys the Authority of the Scriptures. 6. Making tradition a part of the rule of faith subverts the authority of the Scriptures. This follows as a natural and unavoidable consequence. If there be two standards of doctrine of equal authority, the one the explanatory, and infallible interpreter of the other, it is of necessity the interpretation which determines the f”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. LXII. (part 2): and the preaching consisted in the persuasive utterance and arrangement of words, then faith also, like that of the philosophers of the world in their opinions, would have been through the wisdom of men, and not through the power of God. Now, who is there on seeing fishermen and tax-gatherers, who had not acquired even the merest elements of learning (as the Gospel relates of them, and in respect to which Celsus believes that they speak the truth, inasmuch as it is their own ignorance which they record), discou”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 54: of opium, poison, or fire; but moral, “ illustrando mentem, commovendo voluntatem ,” etc. Nevertheless the illustration holds as to the main point. The Word has an inherent, divine, and constant power. It produces different effects according to the subjective state of those on whom it acts. The Spirit acts neither on them nor on it more at one time than at another. 482 Remarks. 1. It is obvious that this peculiar theory has no support from Scripture. The Bible does indeed say that the Word of God is quick and powerful; that it is the wisd”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 47: a state, composed of Christians, must be governed by Christianity, so far as its spirit and precepts apply to matters of civil government. If therefore the state assumes that the education of the people is one of its functions, it is bound in a Christian country, — a country in which ninety hundredths of the population consist of Christians, — to conduct the schools on Christian principles, otherwise it tramples on the most sacred rights of the people. This the people never will submit to, until they lose all interest in their religion. N”
- Jeremiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Jeremiah 31:34: And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother,.... Which is not to be understood of the outward ministry of the word; in heaven indeed there will be no need of it, nor in the New Jerusalem state; but in every period of time before it. In the first times of the Gospel, persons were appointed and qualified by Christ to be pastors and teachers; and in the latter day men shall run to and fro, and increase knowledge; besides, the saints in the present state stand in need of teaching; since they know but in part, and there is room for a ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 47: that is, not only such as Christ approves and enjoins, but which is truly his, 353 i.e ., that which He exercises by his word and Spirit through the parent as his organ. “Christ is represented as exercising this nurture and admonition, in so far as He by his Spirit influences and controls the parent.” 322 322 Meyer, Commentary in loco. According to the Apostle, this religious or Christian element is essential in the education of the young. Man has a religious as well as an intellectual nature. To neglect the former would be as unreasonabl”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. I. THE OFFICE OF THE INSTRUCTOR. (part 1): AS there are these three things in the case of man, habits, actions, and passions; habits are the department appropriated by hortatory discourse the guide to piety, which, like the ship's keel, is laid beneath for the building up of faith; in which, rejoicing exceedingly, and abjuring our old opinions, through salvation we renew our youth, singing with the hymning prophecy, "How good is God to Israel, to such as are upright in heart!"[1] All actions, again, are the provi”