Extrabiblical Customs Elevated to Scripture in Christian History
Throughout Christian history, various customs and interpretations have been elevated to a status akin to biblical law, sometimes even superseding it in practice. This phenomenon is evident in both Old Testament and New Testament contexts, as well as in the development of Christian traditions.
In ancient Israel, the Jewish people, particularly groups like the Essenes or Nazarenes, developed interpretations and improvements upon existing laws that were not always found in the Pentateuch or the writings of Philo or Josephus [2]. Josephus himself noted that men had "perverted both the positive law, and that of nature" [1]. This tendency to add to or alter divine law is also seen in Jacob's household, where Mesopotamian retainers introduced "strange gods" and "superstitious practices," suggesting a departure from the strict monotheism Abraham practiced [3]. Solomon's reign, while achieving worldly glory, also saw the introduction of foreign customs and commercial speculation that had a "disastrous influence upon 'the peculiar people'" [6].
By the time of Jesus, the Pharisees and scribes were known for elevating human traditions to the level of divine command. Jesus frequently challenged these man-made ceremonial laws, which had been added to God's law, thereby "discharging his disciples from the obligation of that" [4]. One example was the Jewish custom of exclusiveness, which extended beyond Mosaic requirements and became a social and religious trait, leading to accusations against Peter for eating with uncircumcised Gentiles [5]. This illustrates how customary practices could become so ingrained that they were perceived as essential, even when they contradicted the spirit of the law or hindered the spread of the Gospel.
In the early Christian church, the practice of public reading of Scripture was transferred from the Jewish synagogue, with New Testament Gospels and Epistles being read alongside the Old Testament once recognized as inspired [7]. However, even within Christian communities, certain practices could be misconstrued or overemphasized. For instance, the concept of "sanctification" in marriage, where an unbelieving spouse is considered hallowed by their believing partner, highlights how the marriage tie itself was seen as imparting a degree of sacredness, preparing the way for the unbeliever's eventual conversion [8]. This demonstrates a belief in the transformative power of association, which, while rooted in biblical principles, could also lead to specific interpretations of social and familial obligations.
The elevation of extrabiblical customs often stems from a desire to preserve religious purity or to adapt faith to cultural contexts, but it can also lead to legalism or a departure from core biblical teachings.
Sources
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 8, section 31: the apostles, or their amanuensis Clement, gave this reason for the necessity of the coming of Christ, that "men had formerly perverted both the positive law, and that of nature; and had cast out of their mind the memory of the Flood, the burning of Sodom, the plagues of the Egyptians, and the slaughter of the inhabitants of Palestine," as signs of the most amazing impenitence and insensibility, under the punishments of horrid wickedness.] 15 (return) [ Josephus here, in this one sentence, sums up his notion of Moses's very long”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Against Apion, BOOK II, section 50: some of these laws, though generally excellent in their kind, be properly now found either in the copies of the Jewish Pentateuch, or in Philo, or in Josephus himself, before he became a Nazarene or Ebionite Christian; nor even all of them among the laws of catholic Christianity themselves. I desire, therefore, the learned reader to consider, whether some of these improvements or interpretations might not be peculiar to the Essens among the Jews, or rather to the Nazarenes or Ebionites among the Christians, though we have indeed but imperfe”
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 35:2: Then Jacob said unto his household . . . Put away the strange gods that are among you--Hebrew, "gods of the stranger," of foreign nations. Jacob had brought, in his service, a number of Mesopotamian retainers, who were addicted to superstitious practices; and there is some reason to fear that the same high testimony as to the religious superintendence of his household could not have been borne of him as was done of Abraham (Gen 18:19). He might have been too negligent hitherto in winking at these evils in his servants; or, perhaps, it was not till his”
- Mark (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Mark 7:1: One great design of Christ's coming, was, to set aside the ceremonial law which God made, and to put an end to it; to make way for which he begins with the ceremonial law which men had made, and added to the law of God's making, and discharges his disciples from the obligation of that; which here he doth fully, upon occasion of the offence which the Pharisees took at them for the violation of it. These Pharisees and scribes with whom he had this argument, are said to come from Jerusalem down to Galilee - fourscore or a hundred miles, to pick quarrels with our Saviour”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: Jews had constant commercial relations with other nations. Peter here refers, no doubt, to the customary and traditional exclusiveness of his nation which had become a social as well as a religious trait, and which had been extended far beyond the purport of the Mosaic requirements, which had for their end the preservation of the truth and purity of the religion of the nation. This exclusive and jealous spirit is frequently reflected in the N.T. and contemporaneous literature. The Jewish Christians accuse Peter ( Acts xi. 3 ) of eating with the uncir”
- 2 Chronicles (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Chronicles 9:28: they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt--(See on Ch2 1:14). Solomon undoubtedly carried the Hebrew kingdom to its highest pitch of worldly glory. His completion of the grand work, the centralizing of the national worship at Jerusalem, whither the natives went up three times a year, has given his name a prominent place in the history of the ancient church. But his reign had a disastrous influence upon "the peculiar people," and the example of his deplorable idolatries, the connections he formed with foreign princes, the commercial speculatio”
- 1 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Timothy 4:13: Till I come--when Timothy's commission would be superseded for the time by the presence of the apostle himself (Ti1 1:3; Ti1 3:14). reading--especially in the public congregation. The practice of reading Scripture was transferred from the Jewish synagogue to the Christian Church (Luk 4:16-20; Act 13:15; Act 15:21; Co2 3:14). The New Testament Gospel and Epistles being recognized as inspired by those who had the gift of discerning spirits, were from the first, according as they were written, read along with the Old Testament in the Church (Th1 5:21”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 7:14: sanctified--Those inseparably connected with the people of God are hallowed thereby, so that the latter may retain the connection without impairing their own sanctity (compare Ti1 4:5); nay, rather imparting to the former externally some degree of their own hallowed character, and so preparing the way for the unbeliever becoming at last sanctified inwardly by faith. by . . . by--rather, "in . . . in"; that is, in virtue of the marriage tie between them. by the husband--The oldest manuscripts read, "by the brother." It is the fact of the husb”