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Teacher
TEACHER, TEACHING (See Occupations and Professions; School; Synagogue)
TEACHER (בִּין, H1067, יָרָה, H3723, לָמַד, H4340; διδάσκαλος, G1437).
The Old Testament.
The New Testament.
A comparison of
Bibliography
A. Edersheim, Sketches of Jewish Social Life in the Days of Christ (1876); W. Barclay, Train Up a Child; Educational Ideals in the Ancient World (1959); R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel; Its Life and Institutions (1961), 48-50.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)
tech, tech’-er, tech’-ing:
I. OLD TESTAMENT TERMS
1. Discipline
2. Law
3. Discernment
4. Wisdom
5. Knowledge
6. Illumination
7. Vision
8. Inspiration
9. Nourishment
II. NEW TESTAMENT TERMS
1. Instruction
2. Acquisition
3. Presentation
4. Elucidation
5. Exposition
6. Authority
7. Care
8. Supervision
III. OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY
1. In the Home
2. In Public
IV. EXTRA-BIBLICAL TEACHING
V. NEW TESTAMENT HISTORY
1. Christ’s Life
2. Apostolic Labors
3. General Considerations
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.
I. Old Testament Terms.
1. Discipline:
2. Law:
3. Discernment:
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 (
4. Wisdom:
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 (
5. Knowledge:
yadha’, "to see" (compare 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 (
6. Illumination:
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 (
7. Vision:
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 (
8. Inspiration;
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 (
9. Nourishment:
II. New Testament Terms.
Further light is thrown upon religious teaching in Bible times by a brief view of the leading educational terms found in the New Testament.
1. Instruction:
2. Acquisition:
manthano, "to learn": The central thought of teaching is causing one to learn. Teaching and learning are not scholastic but dynamic, and imply personal relationship and activity in the acquisition of knowledge (
3. Presentation:
paratithemi, "to place beside": The presentative idea involved in the teaching process is intimately associated with the principle of adaptation. When it is stated that Christ put forth parables unto the people, the sacred writer employs the figure of placing alongside of, or near one, hence, before him in an accessible position. The food or teaching should be sound, or hygienic, and adapted to the capacity and development of the recipient (
4. Elucidation:
diermeneuo, "to interpret": In the walk to Emmaus, Christ explained to the perplexed disciples the Old Testament Scriptures in reference to Himself. The work of interpreter is to make truth clear and to effect the edification of the hearer (
5. Exposition:
ektithemi, "to place out": The verb literally means "to set or place out," and signifies to bring out the latent and secret ideas of a literary passage or a system of thought and life. Thus Peter interpreted his vision, Aquila and Priscilla unfolded truth to Apollos, and Paul expounded the gospel in Rome (
6. Authority:
7. Care:
poimen, "a shepherd": The word for shepherd signifies one who tends a flock, and by analogy a person who gives mental and spiritual nourishment, and guards and supports those under his care (
8. Supervision:
episkopos, "an overseer": The bishop or overseer was to feed and protect the blood-bought church of God (
III. Old Testament History.
1. In the Home:
In the Jewish home the teaching of the law of the Lord was primarily incumbent upon the parents. The teaching was to be diligent, the conversation religious, and the atmosphere wholesome (
2. In Public:
Provision was also made for public instruction the law of God (
IV. Extra-Biblical Teaching.
The captivity gave mighty impulse to teaching. In far-away Babylon the Jews, deprived of the privilege and inspiration of the temple, established the synagogue as an institutional center of worship and instruction. During the latter part of the inter-Biblical period, religious teaching was carried on in the synagogue and attendance was compulsory, education in the Law being considered the fundmental element of national security (Deutsch, Literary Remains, 23; Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, I, 230). The Bible text alone was taught those from 5 to 10 years of age, the first lessons being taken from Le (Taylor, Sayings of the Jewish Fathers, 111). From 10 to 15 years of age the pupil was taught the substance of the Mishna or unwritten tradition, and accorded the privilege of entering into the discussions of the Mishna which constitute the Gemara (Edersheim, op. cit., I, 232). Selections of Scriptures like the shema (
LITERATURE.
Article "Torah," Jewish Encyclopedia (compare the articles "Talmud’’ and "Education"); Trumbull, Yale Lectures on the Sunday-School, 3-40; Hamburger. See Hauck-Herzog, Realencyklopadie fur protestantische Theologie und Kirche.
V. New Testament History.
1. Christ’s Life:
2. Apostolic Labors:
3. General Considerations:
See Catechist; Education; SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
Byron H. Dement