"You then who teach another, yourself you do not teach..."1
This word for teach is didáskō (from daō, "learn") – to teach (literally, "cause to learn"). Jesus said, "no one shall be called Rabbi, indeed one is of you the Teacher, moreover all you are brothers."2 Such is an important lesson in authority, in the old covenant God gave man authority to judge and dispense God's laws, but in the new Jesus has all this authority, Teacher, Father, Counselor... God has this authority.
You are all brothers, Jesus said. Paul writes about this family, a picture of the body of Christ, we sit in the heavenlies with Christ. He uses the example that we are priests called to priestly service in the temple of God, where Jesus is High Priest who gives "gifts" to men for priestly service, duties in the temple. Where is authority in the body that sits in the heavenlies with Christ? or in the temple? Some want to speak of authority as related to gifts, but Jesus gives, such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers ... for edification of the family.3 We are reminded by Paul that the greatest gift given to us is of Love, without such our service is nothing. Teaching is to the building up, edification of the body.
The idea is that we all sit around our Master Teacher, Jesus Christ. Now I can run around the temple giving gifts myself and telling people to submit to my authority but doesn't that take from the authority of the High Priest? there is an earthly order, yes, as the people wanted a kingship like the other nations God gave them such, and Jesus said to give to Caesar what is Caesar's but Christ we honor above all authority, this is the basis of authority in Christ. Some would teach to put this authority in man First, but this is not the case. This doesn't mean we don't teach, or counsel, or be godly fathers, it means we are to be careful of how we teach authority. We teach others as Jesus teaches us, we are learning ourselves.
This word for teach is didáskō (from daō, "learn") – to teach (literally, "cause to learn"). Jesus said, "no one shall be called Rabbi, indeed one is of you the Teacher, moreover all you are brothers."2 Such is an important lesson in authority, in the old covenant God gave man authority to judge and dispense God's laws, but in the new Jesus has all this authority, Teacher, Father, Counselor... God has this authority.
You are all brothers, Jesus said. Paul writes about this family, a picture of the body of Christ, we sit in the heavenlies with Christ. He uses the example that we are priests called to priestly service in the temple of God, where Jesus is High Priest who gives "gifts" to men for priestly service, duties in the temple. Where is authority in the body that sits in the heavenlies with Christ? or in the temple? Some want to speak of authority as related to gifts, but Jesus gives, such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers ... for edification of the family.3 We are reminded by Paul that the greatest gift given to us is of Love, without such our service is nothing. Teaching is to the building up, edification of the body.
The idea is that we all sit around our Master Teacher, Jesus Christ. Now I can run around the temple giving gifts myself and telling people to submit to my authority but doesn't that take from the authority of the High Priest? there is an earthly order, yes, as the people wanted a kingship like the other nations God gave them such, and Jesus said to give to Caesar what is Caesar's but Christ we honor above all authority, this is the basis of authority in Christ. Some would teach to put this authority in man First, but this is not the case. This doesn't mean we don't teach, or counsel, or be godly fathers, it means we are to be careful of how we teach authority. We teach others as Jesus teaches us, we are learning ourselves.
When we think we have authority to judge and dispense God's laws we sit in the seat of Jesus. Jesus said call no man Teacher, He is Teacher. "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet."5 If I make Jesus my Master, Teacher then He says I am to teach by His example. Peter writes of this idea of teaching, of one by example; one that is willing, not for dishonest gain, eagerly serving, not lording over, why? so when the Teacher appears you will "receive the crown of glory that will never fade away."2 If you are not faithful on earth, you will not be faithful in heaven.
Jesus has been given the title of Teacher, and He describes teaching as a "yoking" to Him. Where is the authority in the yoking? you could say the farmer facilitates the yoking, but the authority and teacher is Christ. It is an important point because as men we will fail in the authority of Teaching. The old covenant was a tutor in this, the flesh is weak. While our spirits sit in the heavenlies with Christ, we are in a corrupted body on earth under the curse of sin. Without this open minded teaching, "teaching as learning," we Will be hypocrites and as such very damaging examples which makes the yoking to Jesus more difficult. I know that we relate to our heavenly as our earthly one, this scripting we must relearn, and it starts with trust, without trust obedience is not possible.
"Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?"6 I have had the pleasure of being around good teachers, and I have learned much from them but there is a common denominator, it is to "Teaching as Learning" it is not a two way learning process. Believe what I believe and if you question me you are coming against my authority. Of course I admit my sacrifice has been one of learning through doing it the hard way. A child is very inquisitive, "why papa, why this, why that..." of course such also questions hypocrisy "why are you telling me not to do this and you are doing this or that."
The Army taught me there are two primary goals of leadership; to accomplish the mission and to care for the welfare of your soldiers. To me this embodies the idea of Jesus as Master, He is Mission Leader and we are all brothers, hopefully a Bond of Brothers is developed. As a soldier we have this mindset to accomplish the mission our Leader gives us, and we are about caring for each other. This unity and love, Jesus said would be a light unto the world. Teachers who are not learners will kill creativity and passion, "shut up boy, quit asking so many questions." When men assume this role of authority it will never be good, the Word of God will no longer be living and active, that which we are to eat for abundant life, it will be doctrine and traditions of men.
Jesus has been given the title of Teacher, and He describes teaching as a "yoking" to Him. Where is the authority in the yoking? you could say the farmer facilitates the yoking, but the authority and teacher is Christ. It is an important point because as men we will fail in the authority of Teaching. The old covenant was a tutor in this, the flesh is weak. While our spirits sit in the heavenlies with Christ, we are in a corrupted body on earth under the curse of sin. Without this open minded teaching, "teaching as learning," we Will be hypocrites and as such very damaging examples which makes the yoking to Jesus more difficult. I know that we relate to our heavenly as our earthly one, this scripting we must relearn, and it starts with trust, without trust obedience is not possible.
"Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?"6 I have had the pleasure of being around good teachers, and I have learned much from them but there is a common denominator, it is to "Teaching as Learning" it is not a two way learning process. Believe what I believe and if you question me you are coming against my authority. Of course I admit my sacrifice has been one of learning through doing it the hard way. A child is very inquisitive, "why papa, why this, why that..." of course such also questions hypocrisy "why are you telling me not to do this and you are doing this or that."
Without open minds and proactive "teaching as learning" we react to others as if it is a personal assault, we say to others you have problems with authority, you think you know it all.... when in fact it is our failure to Teach. Good leaders do not mind if you question them, they are glad as the Bible states; to bring their deeds into the light, as their deeds are good. We should be encouraging our children to ask questions, as this facilitates teaching as learning. It is ok to ask, what is hot? without such understanding of hot the child will never truly understand.
"You have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges." In the old men did judge other men, the Law was all about judging, the Law caused sin to abound, so the Law had power through the fear of death. Obey or die. It did not work so great, as fear is not a good motivator. In the new where sin abounds Grace abounds much more. It is an equilibrium of Grace and Truth, which doesn't swing to a license to sin nor does it swing to legalism. Grace creates an environment of "teaching as learning," because there is no fear of punishment. Jesus is the Just Judge. As we walk out this newness of life in Christ, Grace gives us the ability to boldly approach the throne of Grace, where Jesus is our Advocate sitting at the right hand of the Father. It allows for "iron sharpening iron", not I get to be comfortable while you are sharpened, no a sharpening at the same time.
Hopefully you have experienced that teaching is learning. We see this type of teaching in first century Rome.2 Of course I believe such was inspired by early believers, we see this as Paul teaches at Mars. The concept today is one of small groups, where there is a "facilitator", each person has the opportunity to teach and learn from it. A facilitator is one that helps to bring about an outcome (as learning, productivity, or communication) by providing indirect or unobtrusive assistance, guidance, or supervision. This is the farmer in the yoking example, we facilitate the yoking of young men to Christ. This teaching as learning is the very premise of faith.
Faith without works is dead the Bible says. It is a concept of "Teaching as Learning" that I experienced in the Army but also in Engineering and Computer Science courses in College. Classroom to Labs, teaching to hands-on. It is a brilliant method of teaching, it requires students to pay attention, they will have to apply this, but also as these teachers have learned it is in the application of the teaching that sticks. Jesus taught as he went, life was a classroom to Jesus. This is the concept of Faith with works, and what Paul writes, ministry is to the edification of the body. We can gain knowledge in a classroom but without application, this knowledge is dead.
The Army taught me there are two primary goals of leadership; to accomplish the mission and to care for the welfare of your soldiers. To me this embodies the idea of Jesus as Master, He is Mission Leader and we are all brothers, hopefully a Bond of Brothers is developed. As a soldier we have this mindset to accomplish the mission our Leader gives us, and we are about caring for each other. This unity and love, Jesus said would be a light unto the world. Teachers who are not learners will kill creativity and passion, "shut up boy, quit asking so many questions." When men assume this role of authority it will never be good, the Word of God will no longer be living and active, that which we are to eat for abundant life, it will be doctrine and traditions of men.
Of course it is mush easier to facilitate by example of our Master, when we are meek and humble, gentle in nature as He. The awesome thing about Grace is that it allows us to repent, be cleansed, brush off our mistakes, to learn as we teach. New covenant authority is reverencing each other as if we are reverencing Christ. As leaders we can demand someone to be obedient to position of authority, but usually this comes at the price of respect, soldiers will obey you in a position of authority out of fear of punishment but they will respect you by your example, you "earn" their respect. Jesus gives this example, it is not a demanding authority, but a yoking to to a person gentle and lowly in nature. We are to teach through the exampling of Christ, not through lording over people. Teaching as we Learn.
"You then who teach another, yourself you do not teach..."1
"You then who teach another, yourself you do not teach..."1