Tradition's source

The tradition taught by the Apostles

"is not a tradition in addition to or an alternative to Christ. It is the continuance and completion of Christ's prophetic ministry: the postresurrection form of his teaching. Nor is it an open-ended process destined to last as long as the Church itself. On the contrary, apostolic tradition represents 'the faith which was once for all delivered (paradothese) to the saints' (Jude 3). With the Messiah the last word is spoken. After the Son there is silence.

The process of tradition forming is not, then, passed on to the Church. It belongs exclusively to the period of the incarnation. The Christian community lives forever subject to the apostolic tradition that called it into being and with which God closes his canon. We may, indeed, must, expound it. We may not add to it. Nor may we give to our own expositions the force of revelation. Christ still speaks, and speaks eloquently, but only in Scripture, the living, life-giving word.

If they do not listen to the Law and the Prophets and to the Apostolic Tradition, neither will they listen though one go to them from the dead."

- Donald Macleod, "Jesus and Scripture" (p. 94-95)