I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received. What St. Paul refers to here is what we in the Catholic Church refer to as “tradition.” One of the watch words of the Protestant Reformation was “scripture alone.” Catholics have insisted that both Scripture and Tradition are revelatory of God. Remember that St. Paul throughout his letters insisted that the appearance of Jesus on the road to Damascus commissioned him as an apostle. His call was not dependent on the preaching of others but addressed to him personally. However, even Paul understood that he needed to “receive” the good news about Jesus from those who knew him. He wasn’t relying solely on his personal revelation but found his place in the larger story of Jesus life and ministry which those who come before him in faith were able to “hand on” to him.
MAY32024
By Church Staff
