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.
2 Thessalonians 2:15
In our culture, how much do we value tradition? In a world that is increasingly deciding to move away from religion (known for upholding traditions), experiencing broken homes (ending or drastically changing family traditions, thus diminishing their sense of permanence), and ever-pushing toward change and embracing “the new",” the word “tradition” is not valued in the way it once was in times past.
Our view toward tradition (increasingly negative or indifferent) can skew our understanding of Paul’s words.
Per Holmes, in his writings, Paul references three types of tradition:*
gospel tradition - refers to the central gospel message (see e.g., 1 Cor. 15:1–3)*
church tradition - refers to information that shapes the practices of the congregation (see e.g., 1 Corinthians 11:23–25)*
ethical tradition - refers to proper Christian behavior (e.g., 1 Cor. 7:10; 1 Thess. 4:1–2)*
In the case of 2 Thessalonians 2:15, Paul speaks of the Gospel tradition. Effectively, Paul is telling the Church in Thessalonica to “hold tight to” those things that they have learned through Paul, from God, about Christ and His work. Hardly things to be disregarded, we can learn from this that tradition…
…should not always be discarded merely because it is called “tradition.” For example, if we discard the traditions mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:15, we would not be abandoning empty, meaningless practices. We would be rejecting the very life and purpose of Christ.
…may in some cases come from God. The gospel tradition (also translated as “teachings” by some), comes from God.* He initiated the Gospel story, and He instructed that we pass it along to others. Traditions are to be weighed heavily before we step away from them. Do these traditions point toward Christ and His message and purpose? If so, we might want to be sure that we aren’t throwing away the gospel tradition with the church tradition (the two should be closely tied).
…the gospel tradition is worth holding tight to. We must not let go of the truth and teachings of Jesus Christ. In a world that makes place for corruption, hurt, persecution, and deception, the gospel is worth holding onto.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to hold tight to the Gospel. Perhaps today God would have you re-examine the traditions in your life to see if they are moving you toward or away from Christ. Maybe today God wants you to thank Him for tradition.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!
*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (pp. 253–254). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 304–306). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 329–330). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 628–631). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, pp. 135–136). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (p. 231). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 556–559). Baker Academic.