Catholics, if Paul taught that Christ's return was eminent, why would he make up a lot of traditions?

Question

Why would he say 2000 years worth of traditions if he was telling people that they shouldn't get married because Christ's return was nigh at hand?

Answer 1

he never said people should get married... he said that we should be ready for the moment when Jesus returns so we aren't caught with our pants down if you will...

Answer 2

Why would Paul make up a lot of traditions? I am not sure what you are asking. I don't really see that Paul made up traditions.  Your hero

Paul illustrated what tradition is: "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures. . . . Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed" (1 Cor. 15:3,11). The apostle praised those who followed Tradition: "I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you" (1 Cor. 11:2).

The first Christians "devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching" (Acts 2:42) long before there was a New Testament. From the very beginning, the fullness of Christian teaching was found in the Church as the living embodiment of Christ, not in a book. The teaching Church, with its oral, apostolic tradition, was authoritative. Paul himself gives a quotation from Jesus that was handed down orally to him: "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).

This saying is not recorded in the Gospels and must have been passed on to Paul. Indeed, even the Gospels themselves are oral tradition which has been written down (Luke 1:1–4). What’s more, Paul does not quote Jesus only. He also quotes from early Christian hymns, as in Ephesians 5:14. These and other things have been given to Christians "through the Lord Jesus" (1 Thess. 4:2).

Fundamentalists say Jesus condemned tradition. They note that Jesus said, "And why do you transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?" (Matt. 15:3). Paul warned, "See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ" (Col. 2:8). But these verses merely condemn erroneous human traditions, not truths which were handed down orally and entrusted to the Church by the apostles. These latter truths are part of what is known as apostolic tradition, which is to be distinguished from human traditions or customs.  I know you to be a fan of Paul but the way I see it you are not following his words by condemning the Sacred Tradition of the Church which includes the bible.  The bible is sacred oral tradition that has been written down.  

Answer 3

Because he was inspired by the Holy Spirit. God demonstrates throughout the Bible that the person proclaiming divine truth doesn't have to fully understand it.

Certainly God knew that Paul's writings would be infallible scripture. Surely God knew that Christ's return was not happening any day and therefore had Paul write what he did.

The idea that the Apostles had to know the far reaching interpretations of what they were writing isn't really supported by scripture. They were writing inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit knew the ultimate need for these things to be adhered to by the Church 2000 years from that time and into our own future.  

Answer 4

Many people at that time thought that the world would end very soon after the Messiah came, they didn't understand that God is not bound by our concept of time.  What is soon for Him may be thousands or millions of years for us.

Answer 5

I feel like drinking..

Answer 6

Google Preterism, Lion...much of your answers will be there.  Paul really didn't "make up" a lot of traditions anyway, did he?  I think the Pauline epistles show a man deeply concerned with real problems arising in the early church, problems he does his best to address.  For an example, he didn't want people in Christians churches arbitrarily "speaking in tongues" - he never denied the power, but he wanted an interpreter present.  That was because other Gentile/Greco-Roman pagan religions would also claim to speak in tongues, and Paul did not want Christians to be confused with those pagan traditions.

I hope this helps...