' But we've always done it this way' - Weekly Reflection 11th August 2024

I heard a very funny story on Friday at the Bible study at St Andrew’s. I hope I heard it correctly as I am still struggling with swimmers’ ear which is affecting my hearing.

However, the story went something like this. A young woman was preparing a lamb shank but before placing it into the roasting tin, cut off an end.  She was asked why she did this. To which she responded, because that’s what my mum always did.  Further investigation revealed that this had been passed down several generations. And yet further questions revealed the original reason why the lamb shank had a section cut off. Several generations ago, the family had a roasting tin that wasn’t big enough and so a piece was cut off. This became a tradition passed down the family, but the reason got lost by successive generations.

Now, if you have ever watched the the impressive ceremony of the Evzones in Athens you will know something about a strange tradition. Well, strange to us to look at. 

But everything, right down to the number of pleats in their kilts has a story to tell and a tradition to uphold.

Today at St Oswald’s we were exploring Matthew 15 as part of our Sermon Series on following Jesus, doing what Jesus did, and becoming like Jesus.

This is a story about tradition, something that Pharisees knew a lot about and put a lot of effort into maintaining.

It is a point easy to miss, but the chapter opens with an introduction of some Pharisees and Scribes who had come to check out Jesus – to do so they would have travelled about 100 miles depending on which route they took.

And the first question to Jesus isn’t about the Scriptures but about keeping the traditions. The one they start with is washing of hands. Think about that – they have travelled 100 miles, not an easy journey, just to ask Jesus why his disciples are not washing their hands before dinner!

The ensuing debate is set in a typical rabbinical style. Eventually Jesus pushes back by asking them about the ‘tradition’ of corban. This is the tradition that allowed someone to say to their parents, “what I would have used to support you, is dedicated to God.”

Jesus then reminds them that honouring parents is one of the ten commandments.

Jesus says that they are placing their tradition about the word of God, above the Scriptures.

Traditions can be good; they can help tell a story about a former generation who had a smaller roasting tray or the 400 folds in the skirt of Evzones that represent the 400 years of Ottoman occupation of the country. 

Sadly, there are some traditions that carry a legacy of antagonism or even hatred for someone or some other people group. There might also be a tradition of ensuring that if someone hurts anyone in this ‘group’ there will be pay back.

Traditions can be fun, they can help us make sense, they can tell a great story, there is a lot of good things about traditions. But they can also be toxic, harmful and destructive.

The well-meaning Pharisees got themselves tied up in so many knots as they sought to maintain the traditions. 

Think for a moment of the ‘tradition’ of honour killing.

We need to be careful we never place any tradition above the authority of Scripture.

At the ‘softer’ edge that might be that in work there is a ‘tradition’ that people do certain things, add a little extra to the milage, leave early on Friday, take some stationary. 

Or in the case of my first employment as an Apprentice Jockey. There was a long standing ‘tradition’ that the new apprentices would be bullied and teased and made to run errands, to put bets on at the bookies and the like. Put bluntly, in today’s understanding, I was abused, sexually and physically. The older boys were just having their fun! This was part of the traditional culture when young males lived and worked together. I would like to think this has stopped, but wouldn't be so sure.  And it was generally understood that new apprentices, once into their second year and older would continue this ‘tradition.' I was not a Christian but like to think I was at least a reasonably kind human being and therefore did not carry on this tradition.

And I now know that there would be no question at all that the Scriptures would totally condemn this particular type of tradition.   As they would other some other traditions. Therefore it is worth the effort of checking traditons against Scripture, which always takes precendence and can break the cycle of toxic traditions.