HOW TO RECOGNIZE A REAL TEACHER PART 3

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marksman

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I took the trouble to look up every verse that spoke of a teacher and teaching to ascertain the answer to this question as there is a dearth of Spirit appointed teachers in the body of Christ.

There are plenty of people who think they are a teacher because they have been to Bible College but I cannot find anywhere in scripture where it says that going to Bible College makes you a teacher, or being a shepherd makes you a teacher.

What I did find however amongst the verses was this. In Ephesians 4 v 11 it says that "And indeed He gave some to be apostles, and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers;"

What stood out to me was the phrase "He gave some to be..."

This suggests to me that there is only one person that can make you a teacher (instructor in Greek) is Jesus himself. If he has not made you a teacher, then you are not a teacher regardless of what you may claim.

That being the case, how does Jesus make anyone a teacher? There are two ways that I know of and they are by anointing or by prophecy (the same as with any of these ministries).

I know of one way you do not become a teacher and that is to attend a denominational bible college and get approved by denominational leaders to lead a church. Without an anointing or a prophetic word you will not be a teacher so trying to be one will only rob the congregation of the ministry of a true teacher because they will expect you to do all the teaching because you are...ordained by man.

If you are not ordained by Jesus to be a teacher, the best thing to do is invite someone with a teaching ministry to come and stay in the fellowship for say a year and for him to teach as he is anointed to do. Just like Paul and other ministries did.

One of the characteristics of an anointed teacher is that they teach line upon line. They start at the beginning and finish at the end and in between, they give the required steps to get to the end.

They are not interested in being flighty and all over the place just so as they can entertain the troops. And they certainly don't harangue and lambast the listeners to try and get them to comply with what is being said.

A true teacher will set out the case and let the words speak for themselves, believing that the words will be anointed and achieve their specific aims. A person who cajoles and harangues does not have much faith in what they are saying if that is what they do.

Being a teacher in the body of Christ is not unlike being a teacher in a school. Every teacher in school always prepares their lessons in advance of the class so that they can run smoothly through the lesson so that the students get the maximum benefit from the lesson.

I had to drive for 45 minutes to one school I taught at and during that time, I used to run my lessons through my mind to see if I could improve upon what I had already prepared. Often I would remember a situation that could be used as an illustration for the lesson to help sheet home what I was wanting to teach.

Bottom line is that teaching is hard work even with an anointing for it as a good teacher will anticipate the questions they might be asked. I remember teaching legal studies to year 12 students and I delved into the subject so comprehensively that I felt that the students could not ask me a question I could not answer without having to refer to a textbook.

I went through the whole year and I didn't pick up a textbook once.

So, where am I in the scheme of things? One thing I had no desire to be was a teacher in the body of Christ. I had my sights on other things. However, when God speaks you listen if you have any common sense.

God nailed me right out of the blue and over a period of several weeks he gave me an anointing for teaching through prophecy from four different men on four different occasions at four different meetings at four different venues.

I was totally gobsmacked or should that be Godsmacked and when I came round to the fact, my whole outlook changed and the scriptures became a living, living word and I saw things that I had never noticed before.

Plus my personal library grew with books that threw light on the word of God.
 
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2 Chr. 34:19

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Agreed. Many are called, but few are chosen. Jesus chose 12. I always wondered if Paul was Judas’ replacement, (Matthias?)
Some of the greatest teachers I’ve ever known, blew me away, with their vast knowledge and teaching style. But they were well studied fellows and professors, from Bible college.

I’ve also sat under great teachers who were secular non-believers, but knew their subject really well...so...:)
Ironically, Some teachers I’ve endured were female. I wanted to be a teacher, but it wasn’t until I got into the classroom, that I realised I wasn’t called
 
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justbyfaith

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@marksman,

I hate to say it but I have not really seen you teach anything on these boards.

You may have a prophetic word that declares you to be a teacher but if you don't actually teach something, what good is that?

But I will say that I believe that the prophetic words spoken over you are true and that you simply need to step into your calling.

I have had a prophetic word spoken over me that I have the spiritual gift of "word of wisdom" so I do not describe myself as a "teacher" per se; however I do believe that I am able to contribute to the body of Christ utilizing the spiritual gift that the Lord has given me.
 

marks

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Agreed. Many are called, but few are chosen. Jesus chose 12. I always wondered if Paul was Judas’ replacement, (Matthias?)
Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, refers to "the 12". So in Paul's writing, Matthias is the 12th of the Apostles to the Jews.

@marksman

Thank you for this post, and I've been wanting to say to you that after reading some of your other posts in another thread we were in recently, I forget which, probably the forerunner to this one, I feel that I've misunderstood about you previously, and I feel I understand you much better now. And if at any time I seemed "off" to you I no doubt was, and I apologize! And hopefully now I will be able to converse with you at a better level.

~~~~~~~

I don't know about anointings to ministry, though if this means that we suddenly see our lives take a turn towards something, and find that we're kind of like a train on tracks, and it's going where it's going . . .

I remember the day that I lost interest in reading all the books I've read every day of my life, novels and such, and became fascinated with the Bible. Didn't want anything else any longer. Had to learn everything that is in the Bible. Still working on that!

I remember the day I taught my first home study. Driving home from work I realized, as I was thinking over some things, that I suddenly I knew where the references were. I had gotten used to being able to tell you what it said, but not where it was.

Much love!
 
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Jay Ross

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Meet a preacher who had memorised the whole English Translation of the bible, not sure which translations, but when a translation error was pointed out to him he had trouble unlearning what he had committed to memory.

People thought that he was marvellous because he was able to link so many passages of the Bible together, but when pressed about the Text, he only knew what he knew and did not know how to change to fit in the new revelation that God was revealing to him.
 

Hidden In Him

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What I did find however amongst the verses was this. In Ephesians 4 v 11 it says that "And indeed He gave some to be apostles, and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers;"

What stood out to me was the phrase "He gave some to be..."

This suggests to me that there is only one person that can make you a teacher (instructor in Greek) is Jesus himself. If he has not made you a teacher, then you are not a teacher regardless of what you may claim.

Yes. You have to be called. One verse that the church has grossly neglected in their pursuit of "serving God" is James 3:1. It's natural that it should happen, because as we each learn things from God there is a natural tendency to want to share it with someone. That tendency then lends itself to thinking one might have a call to teach or pastor, but sharing insights is not the same as teaching people as an authority on the word, and a leader of the church. The limited things believers learn are often mostly just associated with the things the Lord is teaching them in their own life, and one's knowledge has to be far more extensive than that.
I know of one way you do not become a teacher and that is to attend a denominational bible college and get approved by denominational leaders to lead a church. Without an anointing or a prophetic word you will not be a teacher so trying to be one will only rob the congregation of the ministry of a true teacher because they will expect you to do all the teaching because you are...ordained by man.

Even someone who truly is called can mess things up with formal Christian education if they are not careful. I thought of getting a Masters in Theology beck when I was 24, but declined even then. If I were to attend seminary now, much of what I would write would give my professors so much pause that they would likely not have time to address me properly. But that's what happens when the Spirit of God is your Teacher for 30 years, and not simply resorting to and accepting blindly the interpretive assumptions of men.
 

marksman

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@marksman,

I hate to say it but I have not really seen you teach anything on these boards.

You may have a prophetic word that declares you to be a teacher but if you don't actually teach something, what good is that?

But I will say that I believe that the prophetic words spoken over you are true and that you simply need to step into your calling.

I have had a prophetic word spoken over me that I have the spiritual gift of "word of wisdom" so I do not describe myself as a "teacher" per se; however I do believe that I am able to contribute to the body of Christ utilizing the spiritual gift that the Lord has given me.
If you think that I have not taught anything you need to start looking up the threads that I started.
 

justbyfaith

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If you think that I have not taught anything you need to start looking up the threads that I started.
I'm sorry, I haven't seen them.

Maybe you could bump them up to the top (by posting something in them) so that they are in the forefront once again.
 

marksman

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I'm sorry, I haven't seen them.

Maybe you could bump them up to the top (by posting something in them) so that they are in the forefront once again.

Christian Forums @ Christianity Board

Facts About Abortion p16
Why is the church going out backward? p18
Book of Acts p21
Breaking of Bread p35
PLUS
Would you like to join a New Testament Church?
The Gifts of the Spirit

That should keep you busy.
 
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justbyfaith

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Christian Forums @ Christianity Board

Facts About Abortion p16
Why is the church going out backward? p18
Book of Acts p21
Breaking of Bread p35
PLUS
Would you like to join a New Testament Church?
The Gifts of the Spirit

That should keep you busy.
I'm not that interested in your teaching.

If you can create a link to each one of those things, I'll click on the link and read.

Otherwise, I'm not going to go searching for those titles throughout the boards.
 

mjrhealth

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I'm not that interested in your teaching.

If you can create a link to each one of those things, I'll click on the link and read.

Otherwise, I'm not going to go searching for those titles throughout the boards.
@marksman Ye everyone wants to be a teacher but no one wants to learn...
 
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marksman

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I'm not that interested in your teaching.

If you can create a link to each one of those things, I'll click on the link and read.

Otherwise, I'm not going to go searching for those titles throughout the boards.
You don't have to as most of them are listed under the heading of Christian Forums @ Christianity Board.
 

justbyfaith

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I always take the time to read what other people say...

And I have made all of those posts over a long period of time.

If I did not read what other people said, I would not be able to respond with any kind of clarity.

I have not made 13,000 threads, but 13,000 posts...and many of those are concise responses to what others have said. In order for them to be so, I would have to have a concise concept of what it has been that others were saying.

So, you would do well to withhold your judgments of me until the day of judgment (1 Corinthians 4:5).

Also, there are some who will take any opportunity to try and put people like me down.

When all I was saying was, make your teaching more readily available, if you want people to be taught by you.
 

JohnDB

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A teacher is a teacher...no doubt that we all teach something as we go through life with the many interactions with others.

But...
What brings those around to want to listen to what knowledge you have to pass on?

Obviously Justbyfaith is like many others who claim that they haven't seen anything worth learning. But the real question is "Is that really true?"

The obvious answer is, "Of course not!"

These who claim such things are the "shallow soil" or the "weed choked soil" . Nothing more. Too blinded or unconcerned with what others say to ever learn anything. They are the blind guides that Jesus talks about...they know something but are never really able to come to the truth.

A true student/disciple of Jesus instantly recognizes the Master's voice. The Pharisees scoff and attack. But the true student hears anyway. You can tell who is listening by their firm understanding of having two ears but only one mouth. And the mouth is there to ask questions when in the presence of a teacher.

A man is who a man is. They aren't great because they have a job or have been gifted by their Creator with a task of instructing others. But the envious Pharisees never really understand that. They only see the power of those surrounding the teacher.

And as always...the teachers know that the biggest change and the greatest rewards from teaching is always through the quiet ones.
 
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ChristisGod

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I took the trouble to look up every verse that spoke of a teacher and teaching to ascertain the answer to this question as there is a dearth of Spirit appointed teachers in the body of Christ.

There are plenty of people who think they are a teacher because they have been to Bible College but I cannot find anywhere in scripture where it says that going to Bible College makes you a teacher, or being a shepherd makes you a teacher.

What I did find however amongst the verses was this. In Ephesians 4 v 11 it says that "And indeed He gave some to be apostles, and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers;"

What stood out to me was the phrase "He gave some to be..."

This suggests to me that there is only one person that can make you a teacher (instructor in Greek) is Jesus himself. If he has not made you a teacher, then you are not a teacher regardless of what you may claim.

.
I like how the late Dr Charles Stanley describes the gift of teaching in the body of Christ,

Are you concerned with accuracy when the Word of God is taught or interpreted? Are you concerned that the truth be passed on to the next generation or to those who currently are lacking in understanding and wisdom? Do you desire to see the lives of others changed as the result of information being given to them? You may be a person who has been given the motivational gift of teaching.

Those with other gifts may be teachers, but their motivation for teaching is not the pursuit of God's truth. A person may become a Sunday school teacher in the preschool department out of love and compassion for the children. That person is motivated to teach by a gift of mercy. Another person may be motivated to teach because he is concerned that too much emphasis is being placed upon discussion of the application of Scripture and not enough on the black and white, right and wrong absolutes of the Bible. That person is motivated to teach out of a ministry gift of prophecy.

The person who is gifted to teach is motivated solely because he loves the truth and wants to impart God's Word with accuracy and understanding.

One of the foremost teachers in the Bible is Luke. Just look at how he begins his Gospel account:

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. (Luke 1:1-4 - New American Standard Bible via BibleGateway (new window)" target="_blank" href="Bible Gateway passage: Luke 1:1-4 - New American Standard Bible">Luke 1:1-4)

Doesn't Luke sound like a teacher? He says of himself that he is an expert, that his understanding is "perfect," and that his account will be orderly. His desire is that Theophilus "know with certainty" - in other words, to know with exactness of detail. Luke's Gospel as well as the book of Acts are highly detailed accounts. They are intended to teach the truth with certainty that Jesus was the Christ.

Characteristics of the Gift of Teaching

Teaching was considered a highly valued profession in both Jewish and Greek circles. To be a teacher within the early church was also an exalted position - few were called teachers. A great responsibility was placed upon teachers to be accurate, wise, diligent in their research, and skilled in their ability to present information. Then, as now, the gift of teaching was expected to display the following seven characteristics:

1. The gift of teaching includes a great concern with a systematic sequence. Teachers seek to present material in a way that is easy for others to follow. Luke notes that he is going to write an "orderly account." Another translation of those words would be "consecutive order." The teacher lays out his material so it all points toward specific themes, which taken together covey the main point.

2. The gift of teaching includes a concern with the accuracy of words and the use of language. A teacher is concerned with precise definitions and shades of meaning. A teacher can be irritating at times because he or she is always asking, "What do you mean by that? What does that mean to you?" He wants to hear and speak with accuracy.

3. The gift of teaching includes a delight in researching and reporting as many details as possible. The Gospel of Luke contains more details about key events than any other Gospel. Luke sees meaning in details. The person gifted in teaching delights in his own research. He takes great joy in seeing meaning in factual details that may have been overlooked by others. Once this information has been acquired, the teacher longs to share everything he knows. At times that can be more information than others want or need to hear, but the teacher feels compelled to "teach all."

No other Gospel writer tells us about the birth of Jesus as Luke tells us. Nearly three chapters of His Gospel are devoted to the birth of Jesus - he not only tells the story of Mary and Joseph, but also the stories of Zacharias and Elizabeth, and Simeon and Anna. He does not deal only with the facts of the story, but with dialogue, monologue, and references to the Old Testament.

4. The gift of teaching includes a great interest in knowing as much as possible about a subject being studied. A teacher never tires of delving into a chosen area of study, or engaging in multiple studies with increasing depth over time. The teacher desires that all of the information he presents is accurate, valid, and verifiable. Traditional historical accounts tell us that Luke took several years to research his Gospel, talking to numerous people who had known Jesus personally.

5. The gift of teaching is concerned with the acquisition of knowledge and understanding, both of which are vital to wisdom. The prophet is concerned that a person make the right decision and recognize fully what is at stake if the wrong decision is made. A changed life is the goal. The person who exhorts is concerned that a person understand the step-by-step process necessary to reach a particular goal, and admonishes others that no step and no necessary requisite behavior be omitted or overlooked. A correction is the goal. The teacher, by comparison, is concerned that a person know the Bible and the commandments of God with precision and full understanding. Acquisition of knowledge is the goal, as Luke wrote to Theophilus, "that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed" (Luke 1:4).

6. The gift of teaching is primarily concerned with fact, not illustration or application. Teachers are rarely impulsive and often reject emotional material or illustrations. They nearly always have a tendency toward logic and organization. They are not likely to delight in lengthy discussion. In fact, they can quickly become irritated with those who talk too much, and especially so if the person doesn't seem to know what he or she is talking about!

7. The gift of teaching is usually pursued in a very systematic way. Most teachers have developed a personal "method" for doing research and presenting information to others. They develop a means for determining what is true. They sift all things necessary for their method before drawing a conclusion.

Those who operate under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and who recognize that they are gifted as teachers will not find teaching to be a burden - rather, these behaviors will be the natural way they respond to any opportunity to teach.

Characteristics of someone with the gift of teaching:

· Strong desire to present truth systematically.
· Requires thoroughness.
· Needs to validate information.
· Checks out the teacher.
· Great delight in researching.
· Tendency to avoid illustrations from non-biblical sources.
· Needs to clarify misunderstandings.

hope this helps !!!
 
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JohnDB

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I like how the late Dr Charles Stanley describes the gift of teaching in the body of Christ,

Are you concerned with accuracy when the Word of God is taught or interpreted? Are you concerned that the truth be passed on to the next generation or to those who currently are lacking in understanding and wisdom? Do you desire to see the lives of others changed as the result of information being given to them? You may be a person who has been given the motivational gift of teaching.

Those with other gifts may be teachers, but their motivation for teaching is not the pursuit of God's truth. A person may become a Sunday school teacher in the preschool department out of love and compassion for the children. That person is motivated to teach by a gift of mercy. Another person may be motivated to teach because he is concerned that too much emphasis is being placed upon discussion of the application of Scripture and not enough on the black and white, right and wrong absolutes of the Bible. That person is motivated to teach out of a ministry gift of prophecy.

The person who is gifted to teach is motivated solely because he loves the truth and wants to impart God's Word with accuracy and understanding.

One of the foremost teachers in the Bible is Luke. Just look at how he begins his Gospel account:

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. (Luke 1:1-4 - New American Standard Bible via BibleGateway (new window)" target="_blank" href="Bible Gateway passage: Luke 1:1-4 - New American Standard Bible">Luke 1:1-4)

Doesn't Luke sound like a teacher? He says of himself that he is an expert, that his understanding is "perfect," and that his account will be orderly. His desire is that Theophilus "know with certainty" - in other words, to know with exactness of detail. Luke's Gospel as well as the book of Acts are highly detailed accounts. They are intended to teach the truth with certainty that Jesus was the Christ.

Characteristics of the Gift of Teaching

Teaching was considered a highly valued profession in both Jewish and Greek circles. To be a teacher within the early church was also an exalted position - few were called teachers. A great responsibility was placed upon teachers to be accurate, wise, diligent in their research, and skilled in their ability to present information. Then, as now, the gift of teaching was expected to display the following seven characteristics:

1. The gift of teaching includes a great concern with a systematic sequence. Teachers seek to present material in a way that is easy for others to follow. Luke notes that he is going to write an "orderly account." Another translation of those words would be "consecutive order." The teacher lays out his material so it all points toward specific themes, which taken together covey the main point.

2. The gift of teaching includes a concern with the accuracy of words and the use of language. A teacher is concerned with precise definitions and shades of meaning. A teacher can be irritating at times because he or she is always asking, "What do you mean by that? What does that mean to you?" He wants to hear and speak with accuracy.

3. The gift of teaching includes a delight in researching and reporting as many details as possible. The Gospel of Luke contains more details about key events than any other Gospel. Luke sees meaning in details. The person gifted in teaching delights in his own research. He takes great joy in seeing meaning in factual details that may have been overlooked by others. Once this information has been acquired, the teacher longs to share everything he knows. At times that can be more information than others want or need to hear, but the teacher feels compelled to "teach all."

No other Gospel writer tells us about the birth of Jesus as Luke tells us. Nearly three chapters of His Gospel are devoted to the birth of Jesus - he not only tells the story of Mary and Joseph, but also the stories of Zacharias and Elizabeth, and Simeon and Anna. He does not deal only with the facts of the story, but with dialogue, monologue, and references to the Old Testament.

4. The gift of teaching includes a great interest in knowing as much as possible about a subject being studied. A teacher never tires of delving into a chosen area of study, or engaging in multiple studies with increasing depth over time. The teacher desires that all of the information he presents is accurate, valid, and verifiable. Traditional historical accounts tell us that Luke took several years to research his Gospel, talking to numerous people who had known Jesus personally.

5. The gift of teaching is concerned with the acquisition of knowledge and understanding, both of which are vital to wisdom. The prophet is concerned that a person make the right decision and recognize fully what is at stake if the wrong decision is made. A changed life is the goal. The person who exhorts is concerned that a person understand the step-by-step process necessary to reach a particular goal, and admonishes others that no step and no necessary requisite behavior be omitted or overlooked. A correction is the goal. The teacher, by comparison, is concerned that a person know the Bible and the commandments of God with precision and full understanding. Acquisition of knowledge is the goal, as Luke wrote to Theophilus, "that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed" (Luke 1:4).

6. The gift of teaching is primarily concerned with fact, not illustration or application. Teachers are rarely impulsive and often reject emotional material or illustrations. They nearly always have a tendency toward logic and organization. They are not likely to delight in lengthy discussion. In fact, they can quickly become irritated with those who talk too much, and especially so if the person doesn't seem to know what he or she is talking about!

7. The gift of teaching is usually pursued in a very systematic way. Most teachers have developed a personal "method" for doing research and presenting information to others. They develop a means for determining what is true. They sift all things necessary for their method before drawing a conclusion.

Those who operate under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and who recognize that they are gifted as teachers will not find teaching to be a burden - rather, these behaviors will be the natural way they respond to any opportunity to teach.

Characteristics of someone with the gift of teaching:

· Strong desire to present truth systematically.
· Requires thoroughness.
· Needs to validate information.
· Checks out the teacher.
· Great delight in researching.
· Tendency to avoid illustrations from non-biblical sources.
· Needs to clarify misunderstandings.

hope this helps !!!

One of the things that I always marvel over is the three different Gospel accounts (excluding John for a moment because he has a different focus)

Matthew is focused on the Jewish scholar.
Mark is focused on the common Jewish man.
Luke is focused on the Roman Empire.

All three are very different in how they present the information and what they focus on. It's those similarities and yet differences between them I always have found facinating.
 
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ChristisGod

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One of the things that I always marvel over is the three different Gospel accounts (excluding John for a moment because he has a different focus)

Matthew is focused on the Jewish scholar.
Mark is focused on the common Jewish man.
Luke is focused on the Roman Empire.

All three are very different in how they present the information and what they focus on. It's those similarities and yet differences between them I always have found facinating.
Yes I like to call it the vantage point. have you seen the movie Vantage Point ?

Its about the lives of 4 people who witnessed a bombing attack for their perspectives when the crime was committed so that when you put all their eyewitness testimonies together we can see exactly how this crime was pulled off.

I think this illustrates very well the different vantage points, perspectives and eyewitness accounts of the 4 gospels and their testimonies. They are seeing if from different vantage points concerning the life of Christ.

The same with the epistles which each have their own reason and emphasis behind them.

hope this helps !!!
 
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justbyfaith

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Obviously Justbyfaith is like many others who claim that they haven't seen anything worth learning. But the real question is "Is that really true?"

The obvious answer is, "Of course not!"

These who claim such things are the "shallow soil" or the "weed choked soil" . Nothing more. Too blinded or unconcerned with what others say to ever learn anything. They are the blind guides that Jesus talks about...they know something but are never really able to come to the truth.

I always take the time to read what other people say...

And I have made all of those posts over a long period of time.

If I did not read what other people said, I would not be able to respond with any kind of clarity.

I have not made 13,000 threads, but 13,000 posts...and many of those are concise responses to what others have said. In order for them to be so, I would have to have a concise concept of what it has been that others were saying.

So, you would do well to withhold your judgments of me until the day of judgment (1 Corinthians 4:5).

Also, there are some who will take any opportunity to try and put people like me down.

When all I was saying was, make your teaching more readily available, if you want people to be taught by you.

Are you concerned with accuracy when the Word of God is taught or interpreted? Are you concerned that the truth be passed on to the next generation or to those who currently are lacking in understanding and wisdom? Do you desire to see the lives of others changed as the result of information being given to them?

Yes, yes, and yes.

3. The gift of teaching includes a delight in researching and reporting as many details as possible.

4. The gift of teaching includes a great interest in knowing as much as possible about a subject being studied.

I do not usually concern myself with the details of history; such as what you might find in "Manners and Customs of Bible Times"

6. The gift of teaching is primarily concerned with fact, not illustration or application.

For these reasons, I believe that my gift is more "the word of wisdom" than teaching. For I am more concerned with application; while I do try not to get my facts wrong.

Most teachers have developed a personal "method" for doing research and presenting information to others.

This is true of me.
 

JohnDB

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Yes I like to call it the vantage point. have you seen the movie Vantage Point ?

Its about the lives of 4 people who witnessed a bombing attack for their perspectives when the crime was committed so that when you put all their eyewitness testimonies together we can see exactly how this crime was pulled off.

I think this illustrates very well the different vantage points, perspectives and eyewitness accounts of the 4 gospels and their testimonies. They are seeing if from different vantage points concerning the life of Christ.

The same with the epistles which each have their own reason and emphasis behind them.

hope this helps !!!

The fact that all of the Gospel writers except for Luke were personally trained by Jesus is the thing here. Luke was trained by Paul.

But each learned and was capable and able to teach others what they knew. The leader of the apostles being Peter who was one of the least formally educated amongst the lot of them. (His cousin Mark wrote his Gospel account for him)
Paul was the most formally educated amongst the lot of them. His fellow, Bartholomew or Barnabas (can't remember) wrote one of the most intricate of letters to the Pharisees(Hebrews) that takes a very long time to disseminate. But Paul writes in a more simplistic fashion to his Roman audiences. Again demonstrating his mastery of the gift of teaching.

Peter's trial in front of the most educated and yet receiving only a whipping instead of the death penalty also is remarkable. They knew he was uneducated...but they also couldn't find reason enough to kill him either.
(Another miracle)

And I find the resulting question daunting.
How do you train/teach someone knowing that what you are teaching them will have the results that befell Peter and the other Apostles. (At least physically)
They were beaten and tortured. They often went hungry and thirsty. They were despised by every authority figure. People lost their homes and livelihoods. Sure it's the truth...but ignorance is bliss.
That line from "a few good men" ringing in my ears "You can't handle the truth".

And as always...that smoldering fire in my bones that refuses to let me remain silent when I am asked direct questions.
 
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