A. What qualifies a person to be a teacher of God's word? Is it influence, powerful speech, intelligence, attitude, personal goodness, credentials, or something else?
B. Certainly, there are many opinions, but let us consider the Scriptures for a definitive answer.
1. We will consider some things that the Lord expects from teachers of His word.
2. For each of these points, we will also consider some things that men may expect from teachers but the Lord does not require.
II. QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHING GOD'S WORD
A. The Lord requires teachers of His word to have accurate knowledge.
1. This is the most obvious requirement, but it must not be taken for granted.
a. Consider the emphatic charge of Paul to Timothy in 2Timothy 4:1-2
1I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
b. It is evident in this charge that knowledge of God's word is prerequisite to preaching and teaching the word. Without knowledge, a teacher has no sound basis for making reproofs, rebukes, or exhortations. A man cannot preach the word if he does not know it.
2. This qualification is obtained only by a sincere dedication to accurate learning and teaching.
a. This is evident in another instruction given to Timothy in 2Timothy 2:15 -- Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
b. Indeed, the teacher of God's word must be in constant study of it. Consider that Timothy had known the Scriptures since his childhood (2Tim. 3:14-17), but he still needed study.
B. The Lord does not require teachers of His word to have experience in every area.
1. It is not experience that equips the man of God, but rather it is the word of God.
a. It is the inspired word of God that allows the man of God to be "adequate, equipped for every good work" (2Tim. 3:16-17).
b. Through the Scriptures, teachers can have powerful knowledge of many things without having any firsthand experience.
2. Consider the example of the apostle Paul, who was unmarried, yet he wrote some of the most essential passages concerning marriage found in the Bible (see 1Cor. 7:10-40; Eph. 5:22-33). His knowledge did not come by experience but by the Holy Spirit.
3. Like Paul, teachers of God's word may teach on any subject or principle revealed by God in His word. Experience may add to their understanding, but they can teach accurately without it.
C. The Lord requires teachers of His word to take great care with their words.
1. A fearful warning is found in James 3:1 -- Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.
a. The context of this passage (Jas. 3:1-12) teaches the dangers of the tongue.
b. Because a teacher employs his tongue as his primary tool, he works with great risk of sin. "When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable..." (Prov. 10:19).
2. Because a teacher of God's word purports to convey the message of God, he cannot be careless with his words.
a. A teacher of God's word incurs stricter judgment because he is accountable to God for his words (Matt. 12:36-37), for keeping his own teachings (Rom. 2:21-24), and for the actions others take because of his words (Ezek. 23:1-9).
b. A careless teacher can mislead others and become partially responsible for their condemnation. Therefore, every teacher of God's word must use the greatest care.
D. The Lord does not require teachers of His word to have eloquence in their speech.
1. Consider the apostle Paul, who was chosen by Christ to be one of the foremost preachers of the gospel but was not a smooth speaker.
a. Paul acknowledged the opinions of others concerning his lack of eloquence in 2Corinthians 10:10 -- For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible."
b. This was by design, for Paul explains in 1Corinthians 2:4-5:
4And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
2. Eloquence in speech can be helpful in the work of teaching (consider Apollos, Acts 18:24-28), but it is the gospel of Christ that makes teaching powerful for salvation (Rom. 1:16).
E. The Lord requires teachers of His word to have spiritual maturity.
1. Those who teach must be mature enough to handle the "solid food" of God's word according to Hebrews 5:12-14:
12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
2. As this passage shows, spiritual maturity comes by means of practicing righteousness according to the word of God. This is seen in the character of an elder, who must "[hold] fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict" (Tit. 1:9).
F. The Lord does not require teachers of His word to be of any certain age.
1. Consider the example of the young preacher Timothy, who was told in 1Timothy 4:11-12:
11Prescribe and teach these things. 12Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
2. Maturity does not necessarily require age, and age does not always produce maturity. Instead of age being the key factor, it is devotion to Christ and His teachings that make one mature.
G. The Lord requires teachers of His word to exemplify their teachings.
1. The passage just quoted above (1Tim. 4:11-12) demonstrates the necessity of teachers practicing their own words. Teachers must both say and do the will of God to be effective.
2. For teachers who do not exemplify God's word but instead violate it, consider their effect on others according to Romans 2:21-24
21You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? 24For "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," just as it is written.
H. The Lord does not require teachers of His word to possess sinless perfection.
1. Only Jesus has ever had this trait, and He is the only "Good Teacher" the world has ever known.
a. In Mark 10:17-18, when a man addressed Jesus as "Good Teacher," Jesus replied, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone."
b. The Lord was not implying that He was not good, but rather He was revealing that He was God. As the sinless Son of Man and Son of God, He is the only truly good teacher.
2. Although teachers take on the task of teaching the infallible word of God, they themselves are not infallible, which they and those who hear them must always remember.
a. It is a mistake if men demand perfection in their teachers and do not tolerate any faults. If such standards were necessary, then no one could teach God's word.
b. It is also a mistake for men to esteem teachers of God's word too highly, for teachers are mere men and are susceptible to weakness and error like all others (Ps. 14:3; 1John 1:8).
III. CONCLUSION
A. Finally, consider two more requirements of the Lord for teachers -- love and humility.
1. Teachers must be careful to maintain the balance that is implied in 1Corinthians 8:1-3:
1...Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. 2If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; 3but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.
2. This is not written to deter us from knowledge, but rather it is to teach us to be careful how we use knowledge. Teachers must not become arrogant because of their knowledge or their influence, but instead they must humbly use their knowledge in love to edify their hearers.
B. This study shows us that teaching is a task to be taken seriously. Let us pray that God will help us do so.
