The earliest Christians revered sacred Scripture.
They also spoke repeatedly about teaching received from the Apostles and handed down in the Church.
That historical fact is central to the Catholic-Protestant discussion about sola Scriptura.
But the question should be stated carefully.
Did the early Church treat Scripture as inspired and authoritative? Absolutely.
The further question is:
Did Christians believe Scripture was the only authoritative means by which Apostolic teaching was transmitted and disputes were settled?
Begin With the New Testament
Consider:
- 1 Corinthians 11:2
- 1 Corinthians 15:1-3
- 2 Thessalonians 2:15
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6
- 1 Timothy 3:15
- 2 Timothy 1:13-14
- 2 Timothy 2:2
- 2 Timothy 3:14-17
- Jude 3
Second Thessalonians 2:15 is especially relevant because Paul explicitly speaks of traditions received by word or by letter.
Second Timothy 3:16-17 strongly affirms the inspiration and usefulness of Scripture.
The disagreement is not whether Scripture is inspired.
It is what follows from that fact.
Christianity Preceded the Completed New Testament Canon
The Church preached Christ before all New Testament books had been written.
Christians baptized, celebrated the Eucharist, appointed leaders, disciplined members and defended doctrine before a universally recognized New Testament collection existed in the form Christians know today.
That historical reality raises a practical question:
How was Apostolic Christianity preserved during that period?
Irenaeus: Scripture, Tradition and Succession
Around the late second century, Irenaeus confronted Gnostic groups claiming hidden or superior knowledge.
His response is especially instructive.
He appeals to Scripture.
He also appeals to the tradition originating from the Apostles and preserved through succession in the churches.
In Against Heresies III.3-4, Irenaeus argues that Apostolic teaching could be publicly traced in churches associated with the Apostles.
He even poses a revealing hypothetical: if the Apostles had left no writings, Christians would need to follow the tradition transmitted to those entrusted with the churches.
Sources
Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book III, chapters 3-5.
https://ccel.org/ccel/irenaeus/against_heresies_iii/anf01.ix.iv.iv.html
https://ccel.org/ccel/irenaeus/against_heresies_iii/anf01.ix.iv.v.html
https://ccel.org/ccel/irenaeus/against_heresies_iii/anf01.ix.iv.vi.html
This Is Not "Tradition Instead of the Bible"
Irenaeus uses Scriptural argument extensively.
The historical picture is not:
Bible Christians versus Tradition Christians.
It is a Church in which Scripture, received Apostolic teaching and ecclesial succession interact.
That is much closer to the actual historical question.
What Does the Catholic Church Teach?
The Catholic Church teaches that Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition transmit the one deposit of God's revelation entrusted to the Apostles.
The Catechism summarizes this by saying what Christ entrusted to the Apostles was handed on through their preaching and writing, and that Scripture and Tradition belong to one sacred deposit of the Word of God.
See:
- CCC 74-100
- Dei Verbum 7-10
Official Catechism:
https://www.vatican.va/content/catechism/en/part_one/section_one/chapter_two.html
The Protestant Case
Protestants who affirm sola Scriptura do not normally claim Christians should ignore history, creeds or teachers.
Classical formulations generally mean that Scripture is the uniquely infallible final norm for Christian doctrine.
They may interpret early appeals to "tradition" as the Apostolic Gospel also preserved in Scripture, rather than as support for later distinctively Catholic teachings.
That is a serious argument and should be addressed doctrine by doctrine.
The Historical Question
The crucial question is not:
Did early Christians use Scripture?
They unquestionably did.
Ask instead:
When disputes arose, did early Christianity function as though each Christian possessed Scripture as the sole final authority interpreted independently of a binding Apostolic tradition and Church authority?
Read Irenaeus and decide.
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