Should We Even Have Bible Teachers and Bible Commentaries?
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We have hinted at the dangers of Bible teachers influencing others while themselves driven by prejudices and inner turmoil. Another serious issue is teachers or preachers wanting to be seen as authorities on various issues. Ideally, we all should trash trying to sound authoritative and infallible, and instead seek the higher honour of pointing people to the Authority.
Matthew 23:10-12 Nor are you to be called “teacher,” for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Rather than seek to impose my personal views on anyone, I much prefer the undeserved privilege of being used of God to assist others in reaching their own, divinely-inspired convictions. A leader’s greatest joy should not be self-exaltation but, as it were, carrying people’s bags, while they pursue their own personal adventure in discovering the beautiful and perfect will of God.
But should we even have Bible teachers?
The role of Bible teachers is emphasized in the Old Testament. A powerful example is:
Nehemiah 8:7-8 The Levites . . . instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.
Other Old Testament examples abound. I’ll limit myself to two more:
Leviticus 10:8,9,11 Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons . . . must teach the Israelites all the decrees the LORD has given them through Moses.
2 Chronicles 17:7-9 . . . [Jehoshaphat] sent his officials . . . to teach in the towns of Judah. With them were certain Levites . . . and the priests . . . They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD . . .
The role of teachers has not diminished under the New Covenant:
Matthew 28: 19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations . . . teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. . . .
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching . . .
Acts 5:42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers . . .
Ephesians 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers
Colossians 1:28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
1 Timothy 4:13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Hebrews 5:12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you . . . all over again. . . .
There are very many more New Testament references to the importance of Bible teaching.
The Importance of Bible Teaching
Deuteronomy 33:8,10,11 About [the priestly tribe of] Levi he said: “ . . . He teaches your precepts to Jacob and your law to Israel. He offers incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar. Bless all his skills, O LORD, and be pleased with the work of his hands. . . .”
Malachi 2:7 For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction – because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty.
Matthew 23:34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.
Acts 8:29-31 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?”
Acts 13:1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers . . .
Acts 18:11 So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
Romans 12:6-7 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. . . . if it is teaching, let him teach 1 Timothy 4:6 . . . brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.
1 Timothy 5:17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
Titus 2:7 . . . In your teaching show integrity, seriousness
James 3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
Since our Lord has ordained that there be teachers in the body of Christ, it would be an insult to the wisdom of God to imply that we do not need them. This does not mean, however, that the Lord has given us teachers to indulge our laziness. We each have a responsibility to prayerfully seek truth and personally study God’s Word. Neither does the importance God places on teaching mean that everyone who assumes that role does so under God’s direction. Nor does it mean that sitting under teachers protects us from all error.
When someone we highly esteem knows the Bible thoroughly and deeply loves the Lord, it is hard to keep in mind that he/she can sometimes be mistaken. The reality, of course, is that nothing – not even the noblest assortment of gifts, graces and devotion – makes a person infallible. Just because a much loved Bible teacher is persuasively passionate about a subject does not, of itself, mean he/she is right, no matter how authoritative, how used of God or how much genuine revelation the person has received on other subjects.
On the other hand, we should not reject a certain understanding of Scripture just because people who are often wrong in their beliefs and/or behaviour happen to believe it.
We must neither blindly accept nor blindly reject a teaching on the basis of what others believe.
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