The Holy Bible and the Apostolic Tradition.

The Syrian Orthodox Church gives the Holy Bible the most prominent place. It is in Syriac called "Ktobo Kadisho" meaning the "Holy Book". Next to the main Altar, there is a decorated portable 'Altar' on which the Holy New Testament is placed.

During the celebration of the Holy Qurbana, and the administrations of the Sacraments. The Gospel prescribed by the Holy Fathers read with candles burning on either side and the deacon offering incense.

The celebrant kisses the Holy Book at the beginning and after he has finished reading the lessons (Evangelion). It is read in the local language at the prescribed times. The priest gives the exposition and exhortation based on the Lesson.

Only the version authorized by the Holy Church is allowed since most other translations contain passages translated to suit their interpretations.

THE CHURCH HAS NO DOCTRINE THAT CANNOT BE PROVED BY THE HOLY BIBLE.

The New Testament.

The name GOSPEL denotes the four inspired histories which contain the good tidings of salvation through the life, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ. The word Gospel is the old translation of the Greek word 'Evangelion'. Though four in number, the inspired histories constitute one Gospel as presented in the minds of four different writers.

The first three give a general view of our Lord's life and teachings and therefore called 'Synoptical'.The fourth is supplementary and doctrinal. The four Gospels have often been supposed to have been prefigured by four cherubims seen by Ezekiel in his vision.

The books of the New Testament, were written by the early Church. Neither our Lord nor anybody during His lifetime wrote anything about Him. The books took shape after the Pentecost and connected with the life of the early Church. We see in them what the early Christians saw and heard from the Lord.

The shining fact we see is that it is the CHURCH which authoritatively decided what books are canonical and what was not. The testimony of Eusebius throws light on the matter. "The persecution of Diocletean AD 303 brought to the front the question of the sacred literature of the Church." The persecutors demanded that the Scriptures should be given up, which the Christians refused. Hence the urgent question of which books were Apostolic came up.

The answer lies in our New Testament. Eusebius, who wrote his Ecclesiastical history early in the fourth century, discusses the question of Canon. He divided the sacred writings into three classes.

• Those universally accepted

• Disputed books

• Spurious writings composed by heretics.

The language of Eseubius illustrates the care and caution exercised in the admittance of the books into the Canon. The Christian Church authority settled the matter of books included in the New Testament, by a decree by the Council of Carthage AD 397.

"THE CHURCH" gave the Bible. The origin of the present-day 'churches' is the result of the misinterpretation of the Bible. Without a Rule of Faith, no church can exist. The Rule of Faith is that light or guide by which we learn with certainty the doctrine revealed by God and the duties that bind us to attain salvation.

The Rule of Faith of the present "churches"

They say "The Bible is an all-sufficient guide to the truths taught by Christ." But you can see "There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were all written, everyone, the world itself I think, could not contain the books that should be written. ( Jn.21:23). "Having more things to write to you, I would not by paper and ink for I hope that I shall be with you and speak face to face." 2 Jn.12

Then some insist on "Bible and Bible only - no tradition." St.Paul in 2. Tesa.2:14 says, "But Brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you have learned whether by word or by our Epistle."

According to the testimony of the very same Bible, it was made clear that Christians should accept as the Rule of Faith the Bible, as well as the Apostolic Traditions. Those truths were taught orally by the Apostles and kept all through the centuries by the Church. See again Lu.1:1-4; 2 Thess. 2:14; 2 Tim.1:13; 2:2

Again, others do not acknowledge any other authority than that of the Bible and reject every other teaching. But the following Jn.20:221; Math.28:18-20; Lu.10:16; Acts 20:27; Thes.5:12; 1Tim.5:17; Acts 2:42 will make it clear that we must hold not only the teachings of Christ contained in the Holy Scripture, but also to those of the Apostles and their successors till the end of time.

The Bible, according to its assertion, (2 Pet.3:16; Acts 8:29-34) is not easy to understand. Some passages are difficult to interpret. Therefore, the Bible alone cannot be the supreme rule of Faith. Wherever there is a law, there is an interpreter. Every person indeed has an understanding. It is the Holy Spirit that reveals the mysteries of God.

If each one claims that his interpretation is right, then all should be the same. Because the Holy Spirit would not impart different meanings to different persons. The individual is, to a certain extent, guided by the Holy Spirit in the ways of Holiness. In the knowledge of the revealed truth, he is to be guided by the Church, which Christ sent to teach all nations.

Teaching authority is given to the Church (Math.28:18-20). In the Old Testament also, we see the teaching authority given to a particular sect. (Deut. 27:9-12; Mal.2:7; Math.23:1-3)

Before the invention of the printing press for fourteen centuries, the Bible manuscripts were few and far between. During this period, the Church appointed teachers for the propagation of the faith. The millions of Christians all down the centuries who possessed no copies of the Scriptures and could not read them.

If Christ had intended the Bible as the only Rule of Faith for the 14 centuries, the attainment of eternal bliss would have been impossible for the faithful.

How does one know that the Bible is the Word of God? One may answer we have Biblical testimony. It is not enough because the Bible does not mention, which or how many books were written under divine inspiration.

By infallible testimony of THE CHURCH, we believe in the inspiration of the Bible. "The pillar and ground of the truth. The various translations have also given rise to numerous interpretations.

As regards private interpretations, let us remember the words of St. Peter. "The unlearned and the unstable wrested the epistles of St. Paul and the other scriptures to their destruction." 2. 3:16 and "that no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretations, for prophecy, came not of the will of man at any time, but the holy men of God spoke inspired by the Holy Spirit." 2. 1:20-21