When Paul commends the Corinthian Christians for maintaining “the traditions” (1 Corinthians 11:2), or when he urges the Thessalonian Christians to “hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Thessalonians 2:15), he is probably referring to this body of teaching. It was so well known that those who flouted it could be reprimanded for not living “in accord with the tradition that you received from us” (2 Thessalonians 3:6). And this tradition is something