What does the Bible say about the role of tradition vs. Scripture alone?

from the old testament

• God’s Word is eternal: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8). While traditions and people come and go, what God has spoken will never change or fade away. This is because it’s based on God’s eternally perfect nature (Psalm 119:160). What He says is truth (Psalm 119:142). We are not to add to God's Word, elevating even good things above God's Word: “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:5–6).
• In the Old Testament, the written Law was the standard of what was right (e.g., Deuteronomy 17:18–20). It was God’s commands, preserved in writing. Because it is perfect and all that is needed, one is not to “turn from it to the right hand or to the left” (Joshua 1:7).
• Because temptation existed to add traditions to God’s Law, Moses warned: “You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2). To do so would invoke God’s anger and judgment (e.g., Deuteronomy 4:3).
• Even as Israel sinned and was being punished, the prophets did not appeal to tradition. Rather, they said things such as, “To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn” (Isaiah 8:20). Scripture is to be the definer of truth and reveals what is false. Those who teach traditions with equal authority to Scripture are those “without dawn,” having no spiritual light.

from the new testament

• Though Israel was warned over and over not to change Scripture, they did. By the first century, they had interpreted the law through tradition. Jesus rebuked the Jewish leaders, saying, “Why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God” (Matthew 15:3–6). Traditions that are not constrained by Scripture can easily override it.
• The reason tradition is unneeded is that we have the completed canon. Of Scripture, Paul said, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Scripture being breathed out by God refers to its divine source. God's Word is above all tradition.
• Peter spoke about seeing Jesus at the Transfiguration (2 Peter 1:16–18; cf. Matthew 17:1–5) and hearing God speak from heaven. He said, “we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention” (2 Peter 1:19). He was saying that the written word was surer than the voice from heaven and Peter’s eyewitness account of that event. He added, know “this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (1 Peter 1:20–21). Scripture is not to be interpreted through the lens of human wisdom. Rather, it is to be respected as from God. Its meaning is plain and understandable to those in whom the Spirit dwells (1 Corinthians 2:12–14) because He helps them understand it.
• Some verses do speak about holding to tradition. One key one is 2 Thessalonians 2:15, in which Paul says, “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.” However, notice to which traditions they were to obey: the apostles. At that time in history, the New Testament was still being written, with early obedience coming from a mix of Scripture and apostolic teaching. However, everything we need to know (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16–17) has been written down.
• There is no need for additional tradition. Additionally, the Roman Catholic Church’s claims of apostolic succession are unsupported both by Scripture and history. The last apostle, John, died at the end of the first century, and since then, the biblical church has recognized Scripture as the preservation of the apostles’ writings. Near the end of that time, Jude commented, “I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). The faith was “once for all delivered to the saints.” There was to be no new doctrine, though at that time there was still some teaching.
• The final book written was Revelation. It ends with, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (Revelation 22:18–19). While the warning against adding to Scripture only applies to Revelation, this book is clearly the cap on Scripture, moving past present application to Jesus’ future return. From Genesis, the beginning of creation, to Revelation, the new creation (Revelation 21:1–4), Scripture provides all believers need.

implications for today

Humans are creatures of habit, and traditions are largely organization-wide habits that have existed long enough to become the norm for a group of believers. Christians who have been one for any amount of time have likely encountered various traditions and may even hold to some. Some are doctrinal traditions, such as views of baptism or eschatology. Others are liturgical, referring to a specific order of Sunday service. They might also be traditions about how to give money, children’s ministries, or any number of other things.

Traditions themselves aren’t bad. They set structure and a shared identity. However, they become a problem when they are elevated to the authority of Scripture.

Consider traditions in your own life. Do you bristle if your church service is “out of order” one Sunday or if the “wrong” music style is played? Such a response might be a warning sign that you are starting to hold certain traditions as definitively true, rather than seeing truth expressed in a particular way. You are right to be concerned if anything challenges Scripture, but if you are bothered because it’s not like things have always been done, recognize the potential of becoming too enamored with one way of doing things and, in so doing, missing the most important things.

History is filled with traditions that became so entrenched that they became enshrined as truth. Believers are to be constantly on guard against mistaking tradition for truth. They do that by checking everything against Scripture.

We have many freedoms as believers. As long as our beliefs and practices remain faithful to God's Word, no tradition is inherently bad. Just don’t make it the standard of truth!