The Apostle Paul here requires the aid of Tradition (2 Thess. 2:15).
This is the lamest excuse that the Catholics use time and time again. It would be good if they would just learn the meaning of the verse so it wouldn't have to be explained a gazillion times on the BB.
First Jesus ministry last just over three years. He died about 29 A.D., and Pentecost happened shortly after that. The epistle was written between 53-55. So your contention is that this church in Thessalonica had "Christian Tradition" established within a period of less than 15 years! Absurd! The Catholic Encyclopedia defines "tradition" as oral or written knowledge passed down from generation to generation over a period of centuries. 15 years does not make a period of centuries. Where on earth are you going to fit your Catholic definition of "tradition" into this verse. It is the most absurd reasoning I have ever heard from Catholics who try to justify their "tradition" by misconstruing this verse.
Tradition simply means "truth" in this verse. It means the truth that Paul had been teaching them--both orally and written. There was no tradition in the Catholic sense of the word. He was speaking of the truth that he had been teaching them in recent days.
Ye do err not knowing the scriptures neither the power of God.
Moreover, the Apostle Paul here refers to the Scriptures which Timothy was taught in his infancy. Now a good part of the New Testament was NOT written in his boyhood, even some of the Epistles were not written even when Paul penned this letter and NONE of the Books of the NT were placed on the canon of Scripture books. Paul refers, then, to the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and if the argument from 2 Timothy 2:16 proved anything, it would prove too much, that the Scriptures of the NT were not necessary for a rule of faith.
The
BIBLE is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. We don't isolate any book. We appeal to the OT as much as we do to the NT. What makes you think that we have thrown out the OT? We haven't. When the NT canon was completed it made the Bible a complete inspired Book. Inspiration was extended. 2Pet.1:20,21 indicates that along with 2Pet.3:1,2. In fact 2Pet.3:2 demands that we take heed to the words of both the apostles and the prophets, and Peter refers to the epistles of Paul as Scripture. They knew which books were inspired and which were not. There is a NT canon, and there is an OT canon. Together they make up our present day Bible. Together they are our authority, the final authority in all matters of faith and practice.
Also the Bible denies that its the complete rule of faith. John tells us that not everything concerning Christ's work is in Scripture (Jn 21:15). In addition Paul says that much of Christian teaching is to be found in Tradition handed down by word of mouth (2 Timothy 2:2).
I have never heard someone take so much Scripture out of context. Let's see what these Scriptures actually say.
John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
--This is a command for Peter to feed the sheep; just as it is a command for every pastor of every church to feed their members the word of God. You said: this verse "tells us that not everything concerning Christ's work is in Scripture."
2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
--You say that "Paul says that much of Christian teaching is to found in Tradition handed down by word of mouth," and then quote this scripture. And then you have the gall to quote this Scripture.
It hasn't got anything to do with Tradition. This verse deals only with evangelization and spiritual reproduction. It has to do with discipleship. When I go and teach others I don't take a body of "Tradition" with me, I take a Bible. I teach out of a Bible. That is all I need. I don't need the Catholic catechism, their body of Traditon, the dogmas of the RCC, their Papal bulls, etc. I have the Bible, and that is all I need. That is all that Paul needed as well, and as he had much of it memorized he probably didn't need it all the time either.
However the verse is speaking about Paul teaching Timothy, and then Timothy teaching other faithful men. It says nothing about tradition. Why have you endeavoured to take Scripture out of context to make them mean something entirely different?