Matthew 7:28-29; John 7:44-46
Today, teaching involves curriculum, class
schedules, and designated meeting times. This is not
necessarily bad, but it is very different from the life and
ministry of Jesus. The only predictable teaching time of the
Lord Jesus would be on the Sabbath at the Jewish synagogue.
Beyond this, the teaching of Jesus was almost entirely
spontaneous.
The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7, was a spontaneous
sermon. When Jesus was invited to the home of Simon the
Pharisee, and His feet were washed by a woman known to be
sinful, Jesus used this as an opportunity to teach on the
subject of forgiveness (Luke 7:36ff.). When the disciples
argued over who was the greatest, Jesus gave them a lesson
in true greatness (Luke 9:46f). Repeatedly in the Gospels,
our Lord taught in response to situations that arose
spontaneously.
Jesus also presented the Gospel in terms that were
meaningful to an individual’s background and understanding,
as well as pertinent to his present conduct. Although the
truths of God are eternal and unchanging, we must adapt our
method of teaching to the background and understanding of
the student while holding fast to God’s unchanging message.
We are to communicate the Word of God as it is, without
adding to it or taking away from it, to men where they are.
The problem today is the same as it was in Jesus’ day.
Christians do not really have the unchanging message firmly
imbedded in their hearts so they reduce God’s truth into
simple every day language and indiscriminately apply it to
everyone, regardless of their background or needs and
interests. How desperately we need to adapt our method of
teaching to Jesus’ method of teaching.
In His method of teaching, Jesus was also discriminating and
discerning as to the proper time, and the proper subject
matter for teaching. Jesus was in no hurry to teach
everything to His followers. He taught when the need was
there and when the maturity to grasp it was evident. With
regard to some, Jesus chose to conceal the truth altogether,
for they had already been given sufficient truth to trust in
Him. Instead of repenting, they rejected Him and determined
to put Him to death.
In addition, Jesus was selective in the doctrines that He
taught. The disciples had an intense interest in the timing
of the coming of the Kingdom; Jesus persistently refused to
disclose such truth because it was not to their best
interest.
Unlike the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus never allowed
Himself to be involved in some intricate detail of doctrine.
Here is where the scribes and Pharisees spent the bulk of
their time. As our Lord said, they “strain out a gnat and
swallow a camel” (Matthew 23:24). Sad to say, many
Christians seem to have become trivia experts to the
detriment of sound doctrinal instruction.
The beauty of the teaching of Jesus was simplicity. When
Jesus intended men to grasp what He was saying, no one ever
went away wondering what He meant. The scribes and Pharisees
prided themselves in their theological presentations, for it
showed them to be learned scholars. More important than the
communication of the message was the exaltation of the
speaker. Jesus on the other hand spoke in the simplest
language, so simple that even a child could understand what
He was saying.
One thing seems evident about the teaching method of the
scribes and Pharisees; there was little originality and
creativity. When they spoke, they merely quoted their
ancient traditions. Jesus was not confined to the traditions
of the Pharisees, either in methodology or in content. He
taught by His deeds; He underscored every major claim by
miraculous signs. He not only claimed to be the
“resurrection and the life,” He raised the dead (John 11).
When Jesus taught, things happened. A well-told story, a
life-like illustration, or a sign punctuated his points. In
His method of teaching, Jesus was original.
In the content of His messages, Jesus was original. In the
Sermon on the Mount, Jesus frequently used the contrast:
“You have heard it said … but I say.” However, Jesus did not
reject the teachings of the Old Testament; He merely
differentiated them from that of the scribes and Pharisees.
His teaching was not original in the sense of overturning
all previous revelation. His teaching was original in the
sense that it went back to the original words of Scripture,
rather than relying on the traditional interpretations of
the fathers.
There is a great deal of difference between the originality
and creativity of our Lord and the novelty of some today.
Originality does not give a man license to engage in all
kinds of bizarre and unorthodox gimmickry in order to get
people’s attention.
The Authority of Jesus’ Teaching
If there is one word that sums up Jesus’ teaching, it is the
word “authority.” The result was, When Jesus had finished
these words, the crowds were amazed at his teaching; for He
was teaching them as one having authority and not as their
scribes” (Matthew 7:28-29).
The authority of the scribes was the authority of tradition
and position. Jesus was the mere son of a carpenter, in
their eyes (Matthew 13:54ff.). The scribes derived their
authority from Jewish tradition and from the fact that they
reiterated the teachings of the fathers. Jesus’ authority
came from the Scriptures. Someone has wisely said that the
Scriptures can speak for themselves and do not need our
defense. In this, they are like a lion; all we need to do is
to turn it loose. Jesus expounded the Scriptures in the
light of their original meaning and intent, and when
properly expounded they virtually rang out with authority.
There was a significant difference in the way the scribes,
Pharisees, and Jesus taught the Scriptures. They focused
upon the precepts of the Old Testament, He upon the
principles. They focused on the letter of the Law; He
focused on the spirit of the Law. Jesus went to the heart of
the matter, the thought life of the individual. Sinful
actions result from immoral thoughts. While legalism draws
the lines and lingers as close to them as possible,
Christian liberty gives the principle and flees from sin as
far as possible (Matthew 5:29-30).
You and I know that the favorite question of a child is
‘Why?’ God does not ignore this question. In fact, Jesus
concentrated upon it. The reason why so many young people in
legalistic churches leave the churches is because they were
given rules without reasons. When the principles are taught,
the practice is the result of conviction and not compulsion
or religious conformity.
Our young people quickly catch our tendency toward legalism.
They want to know the lines of what is forbidden so that
they can get as close to the fence as possible. The question
should not be, “How far can I go,” but rather, “What really
pleases God, and how far from sin should I stay?
Legalism never sanctifies. Principles give the broad
guidelines, leaving the sincere Christian the
decision-making process, led by the Spirit in accordance
with the principles, and motivated by a desire to please
Him.
Jesus’ was an exposition of the Old Testament revelation.
His teaching did not conflict with the Law and the Prophets,
but only with the traditional teaching of the scribes, and
Pharisees. His exposition was in plain and simple terms,
illustrated by real life-like stories and examples. His
teaching was underscored throughout by His own life and
example. What He taught, He lived. His teaching was always
brought down to the level of experience. It was often
motivated by situations that arose naturally and
spontaneously. It was illustrated by life-like stories and
real-life events. However, in the last analysis, it was
concluded in the experience of those who learned at His
feet. The principles He taught were brought home in the
experience of His followers by practice.
What makes a good teacher is good material. No better
material, no greater message is there in the world than that
of the Gospel. Every man is a sinner, against God. Our
waywardness has brought upon us the righteous wrath and
condemnation of God. We stand condemned to an eternity from
God’s power and presence. The good news of the Gospel is
that Jesus Christ has died in the place of the sinner. All
who trust in Him have forgiveness of sins and the promise of
eternal life with God. That is the message we must
communicate. That is the message men must believe to be
saved.
The Authority of
Jesus Series
