Response to "It's Time Roman Catholics Asked Some Serious Questions - 4) Traditions of Men

http://www.biblebc.com/Roman%20Catholicism/Serious_Questions.htm

4) WHY does the Bible condemn the traditions of men, when the Roman Catholic church places them on an equal footing with the Word of God?

Mk 7:9 does not condemn all tradition, just that tradition which nullifies the Word of God. The particular tradition being condemned here is the Korban Rule. This rule suggested that people could deposit their money to the temple and therefore, they would be relieved of their responsibilities to take care of their older parents because "they had no money with which to support them."

This nullifies the Word of God in that the fourth commandment is to honor your father and mother. ... See More

Tradition itself, is never condemned by the bible and is held up as something to be longed for and defended.

1 Cor 11:2 - Hold fast to the traditions I handed on to you
2 Thes 2:15 - hold fast to traditions, whether by word of mouth or by epistle
2 Thes 3:6 - Shun those not according to tradition

Now there is time for clarification.

There are traditions (small 't') of men which do not come from God, such as organs or Gregorian chant during worship. These are not considered on equal footing to the Bible.

There are however, oral teachings of Jesus and the Holy Spirit which are entrusted to the church. And these teachings, having their origin from God, have the same reverence and authority as the Sacred Scriptures. This is called Sacred Tradition (capital 'T') One example of these teachings is the Canon of Sacred Scripture itself. The Sacred Texts do not tell us what books do and what books do not belong in the Bible and therefore, we need an extra-biblical authority to tell us what Scripture is. Fortunately God gave His church that authority and gave that same church the Sacred Tradition in order to do so.