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His Teaching |
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Nicodemus who was a teacher in Israel respectfully called Jesus a teacher (John 3:1-2).
Other teachers of renown fail to compare in ability or doctrine. Eyewitnesses describe Jesus'
teaching. At the early age of twelve, He amazed His hearers (Luke 2:47). This admiration
was not just for the moment. It was continuous throughout His teaching life (Luke 4:22).
Listeners were astonished at His teaching and authority (Luke 4:31-32; Matt. 7:28-29).
Even after hearing Him for three years, His words still captured the disciples' hearts (Luke
24:30-32). Albert Barnes says, "This is an expression denoting the deep interest and pleasure
which they had felt in his discourse..." If we could have been there, we, too, would admire the
Lord.
Centuries later, even antagonists publicly extol the Lord as a great teacher. A Unitarian Universalist clearly acknowledges Jesus as a great teacher, "... Jesus remains a great religious teacher...." From the pen of another antagonist, we have this acknowledgment, "Many Wiccans view Jesus as a great teacher and prophet." The PBS Frontline program said, "[Thomas] Jefferson discovered a Jesus who was a great Teacher of Common Sense." Add to these, the "Confessions of a Deist" in which the writer says, "I think Jesus was a great teacher, a great healer, a great philosopher, a great man." Would your enemies publicly express admiration for your capabilities? Compare the Lord's teaching with others. Those who heard Him classified the Lord as better than any they had heard. "The officers answered, Never man so spake" (John 7:40-53 ASV). Compare the suppressing teaching of Buddha. The Hindu Vedas command the wife to throw herself alive on the husband's burning funeral pyre. Consider the self-serving teaching of Mohammed. Someone has accurately observed, "When Mohammed wanted another wife, a revelation was forthcoming to sanction it. When he wanted to marry the wife of another, divorce was sanctioned by a revelation." Consider Zoroaster's misconceptions. In his view material prosperity and godliness went hand in hand. Consider Socrates' uncertainty. Plato tells us that at his death, Socrates said, "Death is one of two things. Either it is annihilation...or, as we are told, it is really a change..." (Plato, Apology, 40c-d). Why say such? Because of his basic teaching that we seek to know, not that we can know. Dear reader, Jesus is certain. We can know. Peter is right. "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God" (John 6:66-69). |