Examples of Tradition Used to Promote False Doctrine Throughout History
Throughout Christian history, tradition has sometimes been misused to promote doctrines contrary to biblical teaching. One significant example comes from the Gospels, where Jesus critiques the Pharisees for using their traditions to nullify God's word. In Mark 7:13, Jesus states that their traditions effectively "cancel the word of God," indicating that this was not an isolated incident but a pattern of behavior [1].
Early church history also records instances where false teachers introduced erroneous doctrines under the guise of tradition. After the apostles passed away, a "confederacy of godless error" arose through the treachery of false teachers. These individuals, seeing that no apostles remained, "attempted with bare and uplifted head to oppose the preaching of the truth by preaching 'knowledge falsely so called'" [2]. This period saw the rise of various Gnostic groups, such as the Naasseni, who attempted to establish their doctrines, leading to a "many-headed and diversified" error that the early church fathers sought to refute with "the wand of truth" [4].
The practice of forging documents and corrupting genuine works also contributed to the spread of false doctrine. From the earliest times, genuine writings of the apostolic fathers were interpolated, and works were published under the names of authors long deceased [3]. This was part of a broader issue where the principle was admitted that it was acceptable to deceive to achieve a "good object," leading to widespread forgeries [3]. Tertullian, an early church father, argued against such practices, emphasizing that "a late date is the mark of forgers" and upholding the authority of churches that supported the apostolic tradition, as truth must necessarily precede later fabrications [5]. These historical examples demonstrate how human traditions, when elevated above divine revelation or used deceptively, can lead to significant doctrinal deviations.
Sources
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 7:13: 7:13 The result of such traditions was to cancel the word of God. • only one example among many others: It was not an isolated instance; see, e.g., Isa 1:10-20; 58:1-14.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 8: Twelve Patriarchs, Excerpts, Epistles, Apocrypha, Decretals — CONCERNING THE MARTYRDOM OF SYMEON THE SON OF CLOPAS, BISHOP OF JERUSALEM.[2] (part 2): own ears had passed away, then did the confederacy of godless error take its rise through the treachery of false teachers, who, seeing that none of the apostles any longer survived, at length attempted with bare and uplifted head to oppose the preaching of the truth by preaching "knowledge falsely so called."”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 51: 17; Magna Bibliotheca Veterum Patrum, tom. v. par. ii. Cologne, 1618, p. 189, f, g. 450 Forgeries. The principle having been once admitted that it is right to deceive in order to accomplish a good object, there was no limit set in practice to its application. Hence, — 1. Even from the earliest times genuine works of the apostolic fathers were corrupted by interpolations; and works were issued bearing the names of authors who were dead long before the works were written. Besides the apocryphal books which are now admitted to be spurious, t”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — CHAP. VI.--THE OPHITES THE GRAND SOURCE OF HERESY.: These doctrines, then, the Naasseni attempt to establish, calling themselves Gnostics. But since the error is many-headed and diversified, resembling, in truth, the hydra that we read of in history; when, at one blow, we have struck off the heads of this (delusion) by means of refutation, employing the wand of truth, we shall entirely exterminate the monster. For neither do the remaining heresies present much difference of aspect from this, having a mutual connection through (the same) spirit ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. V.--BY THE RULE OF ANTIQUITY, THE CATHOLIC GOSPELS ARE FOUND TO BE TRUE, INCLUDING THE REAL ST. LUKE'S. MARCION'S ONLY A MUTILATED EDITION. THE HERETIC'S WEAKNESS AND INCONSISTENCY IN IGNORING T (part 3): by shameless tampering. 351 Such are the summary arguments which we use, when we take up arms(1) against heretics for the faith(2) of the gospel, maintaining both that order of periods, which rules that a late date is the mark of forgers,(3) and that authority of churches(4) which lends support to the tradition of the apostles; because truth must needs precede th”