B. IN CRITICISM
I. OLD TESTAMENT TERMS
(4) Most significant of all, Jesus uses the publican, as He did the Samaritan, in a parable in which the despised outcast shows to advantage in an attitude acceptable to God (<421809>
Luke 18:9 ff).
This parable is reinforced by the statement, made more than once by our Lord, that the readiness to repent shown by the publicans and other
outcasts usually found with them was more promising of salvation than the spiritual pride shown by some who were satisfied with themselves
(<420312>Luke 3:12; compare 7:29; <402131>Matthew 21:31,32; <421501>Luke 15:1). The
choice of Levi as a disciple (<401003>Matthew 10:3, etc.) and the conversion of Zaccheus (<421908>Luke 19:8 f), of whom Jesus speaks so beautifully as a son of Abraham (<421909>Luke 19:9), justified the characteristic attitude which our Lord adopted toward the despised class, about equally guilty and
unfortunate. He did not condone their faults or crimes; neither did He accept the popular verdict that pronounced them unfit for companionship with the good and without hope in the world. According to the teaching and accordant action of jesus, no man or woman is without hope until the messenger of hope has been definitely rejected.
It is fitting, if somewhat dramatic, that a study of taxation — that historic root of bitterness periodically springing up through the ages — should end in comtemplation of Him who spoke to an outcast and guilty tax-collector
(<421910>Luke 19:10) the wonderful words: “The Son of man came to seek and
to save that which was lost.”
Louis Matthews Sweet TEACH; TEACHER; TEACHING
<tech>, <tech’-er>, <tech’-ing>:
A rich variety of words is employed in the Bible to describe the teaching process. The terms do not so much indicate an office and an official as a function and a service, although both ideas are often expressed or implied.
and trained. By a noble evolution the term came to describe the process of disciplining and training men in war, religion and life (<230203>Isaiah 2:3;
<281011>Hosea 10:11; <330402>Micah 4:2). As teaching is both a condition and an
accompaniment of disciplining, the word often means simply “to teach,”
“to inform” (<141707>2 Chronicles 17:7; <197117>Psalm 71:17; <200513>Proverbs 5:13).
The glory of teaching was its harmony with the will of God, its source in God’s authority, and its purpose to secure spiritual obedience
(<050405>Deuteronomy 4:5,14; 31:12,13).
2. Law:
hr;y: [yarah], “to cast”: The teaching idea from which the law was derived is expressed by a verb which means “to throw,” “to cast as an arrow or lot.” It is also used of thrusting the hand forth to point out or show clearly
(<014628>Genesis 46:28; <021525>Exodus 15:25). The original idea is easily changed
into an educational conception, since the teacher puts forth new ideas and facts as a sower casts seed into the ground. But the process of teaching was not considered external and mechanical but internal and vital
(<023534>Exodus 35:34,35; <140627>2 Chronicles 6:27). The nominal form is the
usual word for law, human and divine, general and specific
(<050408>Deuteronomy 4:8; <191908>Psalm 19:8; <200108>Proverbs 1:8). The following are
suggestive phrases: “the book of the law” (<052861>Deuteronomy 28:61; <122208>2 Kings 22:8); “the book of the law of Moses” (<060831>Joshua 8:31; <121406>2 Kings 14:6); “the book of the law of God” (<062426>
Joshua 24:26); “the book of the law of Yahweh” (<141709>2 Chronicles 17:9). Thus even in the days of Joshua there was in the possession of the religious teachers a book of the Law of the Lord as given by Moses. This recorded revelation and legislation continued to be the divine norm and ultimate authority for priest, king and people (<142311>2 Chronicles 23:11; <160801>Nehemiah 8:1-3).
3. Discernment:
ˆyB [bin], “to separate”: The word meaning “to separate,” “to
distinguish,” is often used in a causative sense to signify “to teach.” The idea of teaching was not an aggregation of facts bodily transferred like merchandise. Real learning followed genuine teaching. This word suggests a sound psychological basis for a good pedagogy. The function of teaching might be exercised with reference to the solution of difficult problems, the interpretation of God’s will, or the manner of a godly life (<270816>Daniel 8:16,26; <160807>
Nehemiah 8:7-9; <19B934>
Psalm 119:34).
4. Wisdom:
lk”c; [sakhal], “to be wise”: The verb from which the various nominal forms for “wisdom” are derived means “to look at,” “to behold,” “to view,” and in the causative stem describes the process by which one is enabled to see for himself what had never before entered his physical or intellectual field of consciousness. The noun indicates a wise person or sage whose mission is to instruct others in the ways of the Lord
(<201623>Proverbs 16:23; 21:11; and often in the Wisdom literature). In
<271203>
Daniel 12:3 we read: “They that are wise (margin, “the teachers”) shall shine as the brightness of the firmament.”
5. Knowledge:
[d”y: [yadha’], “to see” (compare [oi+da, oida]): This verb literally means “to see” and consequently “to perceive,” “to know,” “to come to know,” and “cause to know or teach.” It describes the act of knowing as both progressive and completed. The causative conception signifies
achievement in the sphere of instruction. It is used of the interpretation and application by Moses of the principles of the law of God (<021816>Exodus 18:16,20), of the elucidation of life’s problems by the sages (<200909>Proverbs 9:9; 22:19), and of constant Providential guidance in the way of life
(<191611>Psalm 16:11).
6. Illumination:
[d”y: [zahar], “to shine”: This verbal root signifies “to shine,” and when applied to the intellectual sphere indicates the function of teaching to be one of illumination. Ignorance is darkness, knowledge is light. Moses was to teach the people statutes and laws, or to enlighten them on the principles and precepts of God’s revelation (<021820>Exodus 18:20). The service rendered by the teachers — priests, Levites and fathers — sent forth by Jehoshaphat, was one of illumination in the twofold sense of instruction and admonition (<141908>
2 Chronicles 19:8-10).
7. Vision:
ha;r; [ra’-ah], “to see”: The literal meaning of this verb is “to see,” and the nominal form is the ancient name for prophet or authoritative teacher who was expected to have a clear vision of spiritual realities, the will of
God, the need of man and the way of life (<090909>1 Samuel 9:9; <130922>1 Chronicles 9:22; <141607>2 Chronicles 16:7 f; <233010>Isaiah 30:10).
8. Inspiration;
ab;n: [nabha’], “to boil up”: The most significant word for “prophet” is derived from the verb which means “to boil up or forth like a fountain,”
and consequently to pour forth words under the impelling power of the Spirit of God. The Hebrews used the passive forms of the verb because they considered the thoughts and words of the prophets due not to
personal ability but to divine influence. The utterances of the prophets were characterized by instruction, admonition, persuasion and prediction
(<051815>Deuteronomy 18:15-22; <263301>Ezekiel 33:1-20).
9. Nourishment:
h[;r; [ra`ah], “to feed a flock”: The name “shepherd,” so precious in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, comes from a verb meaning
“to feed,” hence, to protect and care for out of a sense of devotion,
ownership and responsibility. It is employed with reference to civil rulers in their positions of trust (<100502>2 Samuel 5:2; <242302>Jeremiah 23:2); with reference to teachers of virtue and wisdom (<201021>Proverbs 10:21; <211211>Ecclesiastes 12:11); and preeminently with reference to God as the great Shepherd of His chosen people (<192301>Psalm 23:1; <280416>Hosea 4:16). Ezekiel 34 presents an arraignment of the unfaithful shepherds or civil rulers; Psalm 23 reveals Yahweh as the Shepherd of true believers, and John 10 shows how religious teachers are shepherds under Jesus the Good Shepherd.