The way stories, beliefs, and customs are passed down from one generation to the next by speaking them aloud rather than writing them down. Oral tradition is different from written tradition, but they are closely connected. Many written stories come from oral traditions. It is important to study how people changed from telling stories to writing them down.
In the ancient Near East, scribes recorded all important events. At the same time, people told these stories out loud, helping to spread information in their society and to future generations. It is important to understand that written and spoken versions of the same stories often existed together and helped interpret each other.
Oral transmission was very important in Judaism. One of the main ideas in rabbinic theology (the beliefs of Jewish religious teachers) is that the oral law is as important as the written Law. The oral law included traditional explanations passed down from teachers to students. As people passed on these traditions, they added more explanations of basic ideas.
Rabbinic literature shows that schools used careful methods to study the Law. The main goal of teachers was to make sure students memorized the teachings accurately. In rabbinic Judaism, passing on oral tradition became a highly organized technique.
This care was important because the oral law was considered as important as the written Law. It was essential that these traditions were not passed on carelessly. Authorized oral tradition was a key part of Jewish life.
In the earliest period, Jesus's words and actions were likely passed on by word of mouth. We are not sure if Jesus used the same teaching methods as the rabbis. However, people took just as much care to preserve his teachings as the rabbis did with their oral law.