Jesus the Teacher Par Excellence

JESUS THE TEACHER PAR EXCELLENCE

A teacher is someone who instructs. In a Jewish society, the term Rabbi is interchangeably used with the term teacher. In this society, a teacher is a highly respected and valued person responsible for interpreting the law and all Jewish boys are supposed to learn the law at the age of 15. Apparently, the title Rabbi is commonly reserved for the educated elite such as the Pharisees because they are educated. For example, Nicodemus, Paul and his teacher Gamaliel belonged to this category of people. Surprisingly, Jesus was a special and unique individual with unsurpassable wisdom yet he did not go to any school. This was the reason why Jesus was known as a good teacher by the majority of the Jewish society. John 3: 1-5, asserts that even Nicodemus who was a highly educated and respected person recognized Jesus as a good teacher. It is worthy noting that as a good teacher, Jesus was very dynamic in his teaching because he always wanted to motivate his students. He was committed, compassionate, and very knowledgeable, he knew his audience well and he was flexible to ask and to answer questions. With this background therefore, this paper is set to discuss the perception that Jesus was the good teacher par excellence. The forth coming paragraphs will unfold the discussion by concentrating on the methodologies that Jesus used in his teaching such as parables, study trips, demonstrations, question and answer, lecture method and some resources that he used.

To begin with, parables which can also be considered as story telling. Jesus used this approach most to convey his message to the audience. Parables are fictions in which well known characters or locally available materials and activities are used in order to pass on the message and the truth. Parabolic method is provocative and participatory because it requires the audience to think while listening. Sometimes listeners had to find out the meaning of the message on their own. For example, the parable a Good Samaritan , had no explanation attached to it. However, at some other occasions Jesus taught through parables and explained them to simplify the teaching for his audience. For instance, when he used the parable of the Sower he later explained it to his disciples. More to that, Jesus used this approach as a way of teaching and getting his audience to think, reason and interact with him. For example while teaching about the kingdom of God, Jesus tells a parable about somebody who takes a mustard seed, plants it in the ground and it grows into a great tee. With this parable he begun by questioning; 'what shall we say the Kingdom of God is like? What parable shall we use to explain it?' Then he went on and compared it with the mustered seed. So the audience had to think and figure out what the exact kingdom is like. Is it small like the seed then it becomes big? The audience therefore is engaged in a debate, discussion among themselves and is provoked to react differently as they search for the lesson hidden in the parable. And this is exactly what Jesus wanted them to do. In other words, he wanted them to get interested and to be motivated.

Study trip is another method that Jesus used in his teaching particularly in training his disciples into his successors. In various occasions he would move with his followers to different places like towns, synagogues and hills. This was to enable his students actualize situations and the theories he taught them. In Mark it is stated that few times he went on a boat with his followers either to a lonely place or to teach elsewhere. For example in Mark 6: 30-32 they went to lonely place for the disciple to rest. At some other times he sent them two by two to work in various villages. Eventually, through such trips Jesus managed to provide a wide range of lessons, practical training to his permanent followers, was able to reach multitudes of people and passed on the values of love, respect, servitude and sharing. All these are social values which he capitalized in order to help his listeners to live a better life with their neighbours.

Another approach that Jesus used as a teacher was demonstration method. The approach was meant to concretely impart knowledge and values on his audience. For example, when he taught them on the attitude of humility in order to enter the kingdom of God, he told them that the needed to be like children and he brought a child to them. When he taught on love and service, he washed the feet of his disciples (Jn 13: 5-14). Through this approach, listeners are able to get the essence of the lesson easily and they can be able to remember the teaching since the objects used in demonstrations are available in everyday life. Furthermore, the approach is efficient because boredom is reduced and so there are greater chances that listeners would understood the content.

Another approach that Jesus used as a teacher was demonstration method. The approach was meant to concretely impart knowledge and values on his audience. For example, when he taught them on the attitude of humility in order to enter the kingdom of God, he told them that the needed to be like children and he brought a child to them. When he taught on love and service, he washed the feet of his disciples (Jn 13: 5-14). Through this approach, listeners are able to get the essence of the lesson easily and they can be able to remember the teaching since the objects used in demonstrations are available in everyday life. Furthermore, the approach is efficient because boredom is reduced and so there are greater chances that listeners would understood the content.

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