Jesus’ Laws of Teaching

JESUS – Embodied the Truth He Taught

1. The teacher’s life is the life of his teaching
2. I am…the truth – John 14:6
3. Incarnation of truth
   • As God he possessed qualities of God in perfection
   • He studied truth, experienced it, and made it part of Himself
     • Luke 2:52 – increased in wisdom
     • Hebrews 2:10 – became complete through testing / suffering
4. Benefits
   • Gave Him authority – Mark 1:22
   • Inspired confidence in what He said

JESUS – Took a Long-Range View

1. Discerned what was in His disciples that they nor others could see
2. Looked at future possibilities, not present qualifications
   • Examples: outcast woman, Zacchaeus, Matthew, Peter, John
3. Realized it takes time to shape ideals, character, form attitudes, develop habits
4. Mark 4:28
5. What we have in our society tomorrow we must put in our schools today

JESUS – Drew Out the Best

1. A critical and caustic attitude drives students away
2. Appealed to finer nature and drew out the good
   • The sinner
   • The immature
3. Did it by stressing future possibilities
4. To get faith out of men He showed faith in them
5. Put our confidence, optimism, and inspiration against the doubt, discouragement, and defeat of our pupils

JESUS – Stayed with Vital Matters

1. Dealt with vital problems, matters that pertained to definite moral and religious living
2. Not much emphasis upon organization, equipment, or materials – details of subjects
3. Not given to theological discussion
4. Dealt with human problems at their source – human nature
5. Not merely denouncing the issues of the day
6. Kept to positive approach
7. Kept spiritual relationship integrated with rest of life

JESUS – Understood Human Nature

1. Teaching persons/not merely subjects
2. Scripture given…that the man of God may be complete – II Timothy 3:17
3. He knew that was in man – John 2:25
4. Knowing thoughts – Matthew 9:4 (gift of word of knowledge)
5. Knowing…John 6:61-64; Mark 12:15; John 1:47; John 4:17-18
6. He knew people and taught to meet their needs

JESUS – Began Where People Were

1. Taught naturally and informally, starting with pupil’s interests to needs
2. Began with living persons in terms of their experience compared to formulated structure for lessons
3. Led them to where he wanted them to go
4. Questioned first, then to Scripture
   • Luke 10:25-26
   • John 4:10
5. Also involves using language familiar to student (bread, sheep, leaven, soils)

JESUS – Secured Pupil’s Self-Activity

1. Learn to do by doing
2. Sent out disciples in pairs
3. Intellectual knowledge, emotional stirring, and volitional response
4. Instead of ready-made answers, He threw people back on their own resources
5. John 7:17
6. Matthew 7:24-27 – hearing and doing building house…
7. Parable of talents – using them
8. His was a gospel of thought and action as well as hearing and feeling
9. “arise,” “come,” “follow,” “go,” “wash,” “watch,” “preach,” “teach,” “disciple,” “feed”

JESUS – Worked on the Conscience

1. Scribes and Pharisees tried to build character by minute regulations – Luke 11:46
2. Realized the inadequacy of responses that were dominantly emotional and without sufficient convictions
3. Never compelled, dictated, forced assent, impose His teaching dogmatically
4. He wanted decisions that would be permanent, properly motivated
5. No short-cuts; better no response at all than a spurious one
6. Matthew 23:23; Matthew 25:27
7. Worked on conscience more than intellect-preserved freedom