The Master Teacher

By Dan C. Bailey

As Christians we should desire to learn everything that we can about Jesus, and about teaching the lost. Jesus was surely the Master of all teachers. We cannot go wrong if we faithfully follow His methods of teaching. Let us strive to follow the Master teacher. 

Jesus was deeply and sincerely concerned about the lost. Jesus wept when thinking about the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem. He knew that there were dire consequences of sin; and He sincerely shed tears over the tragedy of His own people rejecting the truth. "And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes" (Luke 19:41-42).

Even though Jesus was the greatest teacher of all time, His teaching was rejected by so many. They sought to kill Jesus according to John 8:40. "But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham." They hated him without a cause. "But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause" (John 15:25). All of this was foretold by Isaiah the prophet. "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not" (Isaiah 53:3). Jesus was the Master Teacher and if He was rejected, we as His followers should not be surprised if we are rejected. The truth will not be accepted by multitudes. It is still our responsibility to teach others the truth of God's word.

Jesus was unafraid and boldly taught the truth. He called the scribes and the Pharisees hypocrites. "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:7-9). All those who refuse to teach the commands of Christ and choose to teach the commandments of men, are hypocrites. Jesus said so, therefore, I know that this is true. It is just as true today as when Jesus walked upon the earth.

Jesus insisted upon true worship. There are so many in church today who want to be entertained. Many want to have plays, dramas, and musical concerts during worship. If our worship is not directed by truth, it is vain worship. Worship that seeks to please men and does not follow God's commandments is not true worship. "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24)." "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9).

Jesus upheld the authority of God's word. When Jesus was tempted by the Devil, He quoted the word of God on three occasions (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). He told the Sadducees, "Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29). When men reject the authority of the word of God they reject the Lord himself. "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48).

Jesus taught openly. Jesus did not hide His teachings in a corner. He openly proclaimed His Father's will. It is said in John 8:20, "These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come." As Christians we should never be ashamed to teach the truth openly. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16). When Jesus preached to the honest in heart, His word was received. So it was then and so it is now. 

Let us always look to Jesus, the Master Teacher as our example.