Unwritten Word of God!
The Unwritten word of God (divine revelation) the oral, verbal, preaching / teaching authority of Christ in His apostles is found on almost every page of the New Testament!
“Sacred scripture is the only authority”.
Not if Christ commanded the apostles to teach all men. (Matt 28:19)
Example:
Acts 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. (How did they preach the word if there as no scripture yet?)
Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
But that begs two main questions:
1)Did the necessary oral tradition become scripture as later NT books?
Throughout the New Testament what first was apostolic oral tradition was eventually written down and became scripture we have today:
Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? (2Th 2:5 NKJ)
Galatians 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before,
as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. A.D.49-50
Mattew 26:75
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.-A.D. 50-60
Mark 8:18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and
do ye not remember? 19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.- A.D.50-60
1 Thessalonians 2:11
As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. -A.D. 51
2 Thessalonians 3:10
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. -A.D. 51-52
1 Corinthians 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual,
let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.-A.D. 55.
Luke 24:6 He is not here, but is risen:
remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. 8
And they remembered his words, - A.D.60-61
Acts 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and
remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.-A.D. 62
Acts 20:35 35
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and
to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. -A.D. 62
2 Pet 3:1 This second epistle, beloved,
I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:-A.D.67-68
Jude 1:17-18 17 But, beloved,
remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.-A.D.68-70
John 15:20
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.-A.D. 80-90
John 16:4
But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come,
ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.- A.D.80-90
THAT All the necessary oral tradition become scripture FOLLOWS from this elegant statement:
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2Ti 3:16-1 NKJ)
Therefore, as God wrote the Bible we have today "that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for EVERY good work", all necessary apostolic tradition must have become scripture.
2)Did the church preserve apostolic oral tradition unchanged?
NO, they did not. Apart from the Bible there is no authoritative text of apostolic tradition.
If Catholics had the text of "apostolic oral tradition", they would mass produce it in a book for everyone to read.
