Page 101 - Discipleship Ministries Student E-Book

Luke 6:40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their
teacher.

Wow! What a responsibility. The discipler is to be an example of Christ before his disciple. The discipler
should be able to say as Paul did, “imitate me.” And teaching another is a grave responsibility!

Teaching your Disciple

Teaching is a necessary and valuable part of discipleship. We come into this world ignorant, and we
must be taught: language proficiency, motor skills, cultural norms, social customs, manners, moral
values—all these and more are the product of the learning process of childhood. Since teaching is a key
element in acquiring information and developing knowledge, it is not surprising that the Bible has much
to say about teaching.

Teaching is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to
each of us. If your gift . . . is teaching, then teach” (Romans 12:6–7). In this context, teaching refers to
the God-given ability to explain God’s Word; the teacher has the supernatural ability to clearly instruct
and communicate knowledge, specifically the doctrines of the faith and truths of the Bible (1 Corinthians
12:27–29).

Teaching is a requirement for pastors: “Now the overseer is to be . . . able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2; cf. 2
Timothy 2:24). The Bible instructs the pastor to teach sound doctrine based on the written Word of God:
“Command and teach these things” (1 Timothy 4:11). Those who are taught by the pastor are then to
continue the process of disseminating information: “And the things you have heard me say in the
presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2
Timothy 2:2). Note here that the gospel is “entrusted” to us, and that teachers of the gospel must be
“qualified”—part of the qualification is that we be “reliable.”

Teaching, like preaching, was an integral part of the work of an apostle (Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 4:1).
Paul knew that he was a teacher of the gospel according to God’s will: “And of this gospel I was
appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher” (2 Timothy 2:11).

Jesus, of course, was the greatest teacher, and He is often referred to as “Rabbi” or “Teacher” (e.g., Luke
13:10; John 1:38; 3:2). In His teaching, our Lord used illustrations (Luke 7:31–32), object lessons
(Matthew 6:28), current events (Luke 13:4–5), and many stories (Matthew 13; Mark 4:2). He utilized
lecture (Matthew 24), dialogue (John 3), rhetorical questions (Luke 18:8), and proverbs (Luke 7:45). He
gave “homework” and followed up on it (Matthew 9:13; 12:7). He used hyperbole (Matthew 5:29),
metaphor (John 9:5), and provocative language (Luke 13:32). Always, Jesus the teacher had the best
interests of His students at heart; always, the subject of His teaching was the absolute and unchanging
truth of God.

Other people whom Scripture identifies as teachers include the Levitical priests (Leviticus 10:11), Moses
(Deuteronomy 4:14; 6:1), the apostles (Mark 6:30), fathers of children (Deuteronomy 4:9; 6:7; Proverbs
1:8; 4:4; Ephesians 6:4), fellow believers (Romans 15:14), Nicodemus (John 3:10), Gamaliel (Acts 22:3),
and God Himself (Nehemiah 9:20; Psalm 25:12; 32:8; 71:17).

Jesus said that the logical end of effective teaching is that the pupil becomes like his teacher: “The
student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher” (Luke 6:40).

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