Page 52 - Youth Discipleship Student Textbook

Study Section 9: How did Jesus Teach His Disciples?

9.1 Connect

A good teacher has something to say (content) and then must deliver what he has to say
to the students in a way they will receive it. Jesus was a master at delivery. He selected
various methods depending on each situation and delivered his messages with power
that shocked or confounded his audience. He could deliver Words from God that would
penetrate the soul. Why not learn from Him. He was the world’s all-time best teacher, so
we can copy what He did to obtain similar results. Today we are going to look at ways Jesus delivered
His messages to hungry people in need of hearing Him.

9.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to demonstrate that Jesus employed the use of lecture with
larger groups.

2. The student should be able to validate that Jesus used questions and answers more than
any other method to bring His messages to bear on the hearts of his listeners.

3. The student should be able to describe how illustrations and storytelling can be a strong asset to a
teacher.

9.3 Jesus’s Methods in Teaching

Jesus employed three major methods in his teaching style with His disciples. Let’s look at
them and see why they were his primary methods utilized.

Lecture (used with larger groups of people)

Three major discourses that Jesus presented to various groups of people are recorded in the
Gospels: The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25) and the
Upper Room Discourse to his disciples (John 13-17). In all three discourses, Jesus stood up before the
group and verbally shared with them information that they needed to know. As the teacher, he talked
and the group listened.

This is the principle method used by most youth pastors in giving information to
their youth today. It is called the lecture method. It is fast, efficient, and an
excellent way to present information, but is only effective if the learners are
able to assimilate the information at the rate and level it is coming to them.

For the most part, when Jesus taught His disciples, He used this method to
communicate with the group. But He did not just lecture them. He challenged
them to respond to what He taught them. He demanded application of the information He was giving
them.

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