Truth Versus Tradition

By Dave Patterson

Jesus confronted the religious leaders of his time concerning their traditions taking priority over the truth.

But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? (Matthew 15:3)

And honor not his father or his mother he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. (Matthew 15:6)

For laying aside the commandment of God ye hold the tradition of men as the washing of pots and cups and m any other such like thing ye do. (Mark 7:8)

Just because it is “tradition” does not make it the truth. Some people will say about these chapters, “What difference does it make?” The difference is what is often traditionally taught does not make it the truth when it comes to the accuracy of the scripture. I would ask, “Why does it matter if I lie to you or tell you the truth?” Most people do not like being lied to.

I challenge the reader to take a clear perspective of the written Word of God. Believe the truth. Do not hold on to things you have been previously taught to you, just because it is tradition. Truth Versus Tradition will take you to the scripture and document what the truth of God’s Word says and what has been wrongly taught by tradition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 6, 2021
• ISBN: 9781662428579

Dave Patterson

Dave Patterson is an award-winning writer, musician and high school English teacher.  He received his MA in English from the Bread Loaf School of English and an M.F.A. from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast program.  His writing has appeared in Portland Press Herald,  the Maine Sunday Telegram, and Slice Magazine, among others.  He lives outside Portland, Maine, with his wife, two kids, and dog.

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Truth Versus Tradition

Dave Patterson

Copyright © 2021 Dave Patterson

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2021

ISBN 978-1-6624-2856-2 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-6624-2857-9 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

The First Heavens and Earth

The Second Heaven and Earth

Noah and the Flood

Truths of the End-Time

Did Jesus Get Anyone Born Again

The Forming of the Continents

Who Was at the Birth of Jesus Christ

The Wisemen, the Star, the Birth Date of Jesus Christ

How Long Was Jesus’s Ministry on the Earth

On What Day Was Jesus Christ Crucified

The Denials of Peter

How Many Were Crucified with Jesus Christ

The Death of Judas

The Trinity

Eternal Life, Everlasting Life

Speaking in Tongues

Introduction

Whenever you purchase a new product, it comes with a set of instructions. Usually, in the first line or two is an admonition to Do not proceed with the use of this product until you have read the instructions completely. I encourage the reader to not skip over this important introduction before proceeding with the following chapters of this book.

The author assumes one thing and one thing only in this book, and that is that God is perfect, and everything He did and does is perfect, including the Bible as it was originally given.

No translation of the scripture, as it was originally given, is going to be completely perfect. The earliest recorded scriptures were written in Hebrew for the Old Testament and Greek in the New Testament. Oftentimes, it is necessary to go back to these texts to gather the truth of the scripture as it was originally given.

The majority of the research material available today is keyed to the King James Version of the Bible. Some of these materials are Young’s Concordance, Strong’s Concordance, Interlinear Greek-English New Testament, which are basic tools that anyone interested in doing any kind of biblical research should have in the tool belt. If you have access to the Internet, another source I have found to be extremely helpful is the Blue Letter Bible.

Although some of the later translations of the Bible may make it easier to read and understand in the minds and eyes of some readers, they must understand that the author of these has taken certain liberties—some of which are a detriment to the original intent of the scriptures. For this reason and many others, the scriptures used in this book are from the King James Version of the Bible.

The one major advantage of the King James Version of the Bible is that when the translator inserted words that were not in the Hebrew or Greek, they put these words in italics. This lets the reader know that the italicized word was not in the original text but was added by the translator. Other versions of the Bible do not go to the detail of letting you know what they have decided to add (or delete, for that matter) from the scriptures as they were originally given.

Sometimes, these additions are correct and make for a commonsense reading of the scriptures. Other times, it is not correct. By deleting what they have told you that they have added does not, therefore, affect the scriptures as they were originally given.

There are some other research keys that one must understand in reading the Bible.

Chapters and Chapter Headings

The Bible, when originally given in Hebrew or Greek, did not have chapters and chapter headings. These were also added later. That means that the authority of these chapters divisions and headings cannot be attributed to God as he had originally given the scriptures.

Take, for example, Genesis 1:1–2, "In the beginning God created the Heavens and earth. And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep."

What? Why would God, who is perfect, and everything He does is perfect, make something without form and void?

Chapter one should be just verse one. In the Hebrew text, the first word in the Bible is God. Chapter one should read, God, in the beginning, created the heavens and the earth.

Something happened between verse one and verse two to make it without form and void. This will be covered in one of the chapters of this book.

Another example of the chapter being put in the wrong place (and there are many) is in Acts 21:40 and Acts 22:1.

And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying. (Acts 21:40)

The chapter ends with a comma. Then the translators put in chapter 22. I’m sure if God had put in the chapters, He would not have placed the chapter marking at this point. Chapter 22:1 continues with this sentence.

Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you. (Acts 22:1)

So when you are reading the scriptures, one must realize that the chapter markings are not always accurate.

Verses

The numbering of the verses also was not in the original text of the scriptures. They are very useful. It made it much easier to have you look at Acts 21:40. But the scriptures as originally given are written in UNCIALS, which are all capital letters, and the words all run together.

John 14:6 would read, "JESUSSAITHUNTOHIMIAM

THEWAY [Jesus saith unto him, I am the way…]"

This would make it difficult in our vernacular to read. Also, in the Hebrew text, you would also read it from right to left instead of left to right.

The other style is called cursive or running hand. Again, the words would be all running together only in a cursive style.

John 14:6 would look like this jesussaithuntohimiamtheway [Jesus saith unto him, I am the way…]

Punctuation

Due to the fact that the words all ran together, there was no punctuation. All the (periods), ? (question marks), (commas), ! (exclamation marks) were added as the scriptures were being translated. It will surprise you what one little comma can do to change the truth of the scripture.

Center References

Most of the King James Versions have a center reference in the middle of the Bible. In this section, if it has a number, it often refers to another rendering of a word. If it has a letter, it usually means that it is a cross-reference or another reference with the same or similar renderings. These are again not in the original text as God gave it. So any errors in these are not God’s fault. They are all added by man. Sometimes, they are right. Oftentimes, they are wrong.

Scripture Buildup

Most scripture is self-explanatory the way it has been translated. One verse may not contain all the information concerning an incident or a topic. Therefore, in referencing other scriptures, the truths of one passage can add information, but it cannot contradict other verses of scripture pertaining to the same topic. So one must proceed with caution to see if the topic being referred to is identical or similar. If one time, Jesus is feeding five thousand, and another verse says he fed three thousand, those would be similar but not identical. The Bible being perfect, it cannot contradict itself.

To Whom Is It Written

One cannot take the whole Bible and say that it is written to them. Some scriptures are written directly to you. Other scriptures are written for our learning.

Romans 15:4 makes that distinction, For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

The Bible refers to three classifications of people to whom the scriptures are written:

1 Corinthians 10:32 lays out this distinction, Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God.

So in reading the scriptures, you must know to whom that scripture is written. If it is written to the church of God, then it is written to you. If it is written to the Jews (Judeans), it is for the Jews (Judeans) and, therefore, could likely be something that was accomplished by Jesus Christ and, therefore, no longer pertains to us.

The Bible usually spells out pretty specifically who it is written to. Here are a few examples:

To all that be in Rome [that is not us], beloved of God [that’s us], called to be saints [that’s us]: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)

Unto the church of God [we are part of the church of God but may not be in Corinth] which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus [that’s us], called to be saints [that’s us], with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. (1 Corinthians 1:2)

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God [written to the church of God] which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia. (2 Corinthians 1:1)

The following books of the Bible are written directly to the church of God: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians.

There are other written to the church but are more specifically directed toward leadership in the church, such as 1 and 2 Peter; James; and 1, 2, 3 John.

We can absolutely learn things from the other scripture that are not written directly to us. The difference is that those particular scriptures are not specifically for us to apply.

Now that you understand some of the mechanics of working the scriptures, you will be able to utilize these truths in the following pages of this book. Remember, the scripture says in John 8:32, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Some of what you are about to read may contradict what you have been taught, but the question is, Would you rather know what the truth is? Or would you rather continue to believe what has traditionally been taught?

We are warned in the scriptures concerning traditions.

When the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition [emphasis added] of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition [emphasis added] of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition [emphasis added]. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition [emphasis added], which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. (Mark 7:5-13)

God is perfect! God’s Word is perfect! God’s Word is the truth! It is not lies and tradition that sets people free. It is the truth.

Chapter 1

The First Heavens and Earth

The Bible talks about three heavens and three earths. Often people think that the first one was with Adam and Eve. The second one was the time after Noah. The third is still in the future. This first chapter will deal predominantly with the first heaven and earth and what happened to it and what caused it to end.

Let’s begin at the beginning.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and