Passages such as Phillipians 4:9 and others are very important when bringing up the idea of Oral Tradition in response to Sola Scriptura advocates. Protestants assert that “all of the tradition talked about in the New Testament is the “gospel”, which begs the question as to what the “gospel” is and undermines the emphasis of Early Christians appealing to Oral Tradition that is not written down yet authoritative for the Christian.
Berean Literal Bible
And what you have learned and have received and have heard and have seen in me, practice these things. And the God of peace will be with you.
King James Bible
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
New International Version
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
New Living Translation
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you HEARD from me and SAW me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Paul directs believers to put into practice the things that the witnesses of Paul saw and heard. And are demanded to keep them. According to Acts, Paul preached in Phillipi for days;
And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.
Acts 16:10-12 (KJV)
For Protestants that assert that all of the “oral” transmission of the Word of God in the Apostolic Age is basically the “gospel” and found in the written text. How do we get around the contention that Paul spent a significant amount time in Philippi preaching, teaching, and instructing believers. So much content which took days to preach and exclaim, it could have been written down in a four chapter letter.
It’s highly unlikely that this is the case.
Another alarming concern from this text is that this oral deposit that the believers hear and witnessed is an authority that is form of Divine Revelation binding upon these early Christians. I will now quote some Protestant commentary on this verse to further labour the point;
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
These things which ye have both learned,…. Meaning from himself, in a doctrinal way:
and received; not only into their heads but hearts, had embraced cordially, with great affection, in the love thereof, as well as given a full assent to:
and heard; EITHER PUBLICALLY, OR PRIVATELY, FROM THE PULPIT, OR IN CONVERSATION; or had heard of him when absent, or from him when present:
and seen in me: in his life and conversation, which were well known, and were a pattern to them that believe; and therefore he adds,
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 9. – Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do. St. Paul turns from contemplation to practical life: they must translate into action the lessons which they received from him. The verbs are aorists and refer to the time when he was among them. He taught not by word only, but by LIVING EXAMPLE; they saw in him when present, and heard of him when he was absent, a pattern of the Christian life. And the God of peace shall be with you. God dwells with those who think holy thoughts and live holy lives; and with him comes the peace which is his, which he giveth (comp. Romans 15:33). Philippians 4:9
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(9) Ye have both learned, and received.—The reference is here to St. Paul’s teaching, which he “delivered” to them (see 1Corinthians 15:1-3; Galatians 1:12) as a message, “received” BY REVELATION OF GOD, and which they “received” accordingly.
Specifically Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers suggest that the teachings that Paul delivered to these believers was Divine Revelation. Which is in direct conflict with the notion of Sola Scriptura, that the Revelation of God’s Word is restricted to the Written form alone.
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