The Early Church and the Reformers on Scripture and Apostolic Succession
The purpose of this article is to set out to defend the concept of Apostolic Tradition/Succession among the Early Church, and the Reformers. Many are not aware that the Reformers especially among the Scholastic Reformers believed in this very concept in the proclamation of the Gospel being handed down to the Church through the centuries. Let us begin by looking at some of the Early Church Fathers:
Irenaeus (Second Century AD):
Let us revert to the Scriptural proof furnished by those apostles who did also write the Gospel. . . . The writings of those apostles. . . being the disciples of truth, are above all falsehood (Ibid., 3.5.1).- Against Heresies
Tertullian (A. D. 160—220)
From apostolic word descends the Church, All filled, to wash off filth, and vivify. Dead fates. The Gospel, four in number, one. (Reply to Marcion, 2.70)
Here we have testimony of two Church Fathers who believed in Apostolic succession as it relates to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now let us turn to some of the Reformers/Scholastics that testify to this truth:
John Calvin(A. D. 1509—1564)
As I have observed, there is this difference between the apostles and their successors, they were sure and authentic amanuenses of the Holy Spirit; and, therefore, their writings are to be regarded as the oracles of God, whereas others have no other office than to teach what is delivered and sealed in the holy Scriptures (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 4.8.9).
Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661)
The office bearers of the Church have the power of the keys and their office immediately from Christ, by the immediation of free gift: they have their offices from the Church, by the mediation of orderly designation; seeing it is the Church which designs such a man to such an office… I grant what is given for the [upbuilding of the] Church, in some sense, is said to be given to the Church.-A Peaceable & Temperate Plea, Chapter 1, ‘Whether the power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Christ be conferred upon the multitude of believers as upon the first and proper subject, or upon the Church-guides.
Ordination of pastors and election of officers, administration of the seals of grace, and acts of Church censures are holden by God’s Word and by all our divines, actions of a ministerial and an instituted visible Church, and if so, according to our third distinction-The Due Right of Presbyteries, ch. 1, section 1, proposition 1, pp. 1-21
One may also reference the Confessions that testify to these claims. Apostolic Succession is Biblical when rightly understood properly as we have seen from the evidence. God uses his Church as the means to proclaim his truth (2nd Timothy 2:15; Matthew 28:19-20; Ephesians 4).