Didasko in Matthew and
Mark
1)
We might expect to find that Jesus is often called a
“preacher” in the gospels.
2)
Or, we might expect to find the word “evangelism” often
associated with Jesus’ life.
3)
A careful study of the gospels shows that both of these
ideas are incorrect.
4)
The main word that describes the work of Jesus Christ
is teacher.
5)
Jesus was a teacher.
He preached and He evangelized.
Jesus was primarily a teacher.
6)
Offering instruction to others was a giant part of the
Lord’s first century ministry.
a)
Last week I introduced a very common word in that New
Testament that describes teaching.
b)
This word occurs in various forms (a noun, adjective,
verb, etc.).
c) We saw some of the places
where this word is used and pointed out things we can learn from this word.
7)
This word occurs quite often as a verb and that is what
we want to look at tonight.
8)
As a verb this term is spelled didasko.
9)
This word is used time and found in most NT books, but
it is especially common in the Gospels.
10) Tonight
we look at several of the places where this term is found in Matthew and Mark.
11) We
find this word first occurring in Mt. 4:23 – Matthew says Jesus went throughout
“all
12) Jesus
was taking a sight-seeing tour; He was teaching.
13) Jesus
personally taught thousands of people during His earthly ministry.
14) This
point comes through again in Mt. 5, a chapter from which I will read.
a)
When we think about the Sermon on the Mount our minds
may be drawn to specific points.
b)
Maybe we remember some of the B-attitudes or some of
the well-known promises and warnings.
c)
Listen to some of what is said before Matthew tells us
about the actual sermon– Mt. 5:2 – READ
d)
Jesus was a teacher.
If we have become a Christian, we have a teacher we are to follow.
15) A
lot of people talk about loving Jesus and wanting to follow Him.
16) If
people really believed what they claim, they would also try to teach people.
17) Look
at verse 19 in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5) – READ
18) We
often speak of “doing” God’s will and that is certainly right.
19) Jesus
said being obedient is not the total sum of God’s will – we can also be
teachers.
20) Jesus
the master teacher wants us to be teachers.
a)
I think some may have a very narrow view of being a
teacher and teaching others.
b)
There may be those who think of teaching as sitting in
a classroom and teaching prepared material.
c)
This is one way to teach, but it is not the only way to
teach.
21) Imagine
a father who says to his son, “Let me teach you how to do that.”
a)
The father gives the child an example that his son can
follow.
b)
We might hand a book to someone and say, “This book
will show you what to do.”
c)
We also teach in this manner; it may be a lot less
direct, but it is still teaching.
d)
We also teach by example.
e)
Good examples teach good things. Bad examples teach bad things.
22) When
we assemble with God’s people, we are teaching others.
a)
When we support congregational activities we teach one
another that fellowship is important.
b)
When we take worship seriously, we are teaching others,
especially the young.
c)
We can teach with our words, our works (activities and
actions), and even our attitudes.
23) When
bulletins are passed out every morning here, a house to house publication is
also available.
24) We
hope those publications are not being discarded.
25) They
can be passed to a friend, neighbor, coworker and teaching can be done.
26) Jesus
the master teacher wants us to look for ways that we can teach people.
1)
We want to teach as many people as possible, and it is
not always going to be easy.
2)
The word we are looking at is used in Mt. 13:54 and
once again applied to the Lord’s life.
a)
Matthew says Jesus came into His “own country.”
b)
Jesus came to the area where people knew Him.
c)
They knew Him and His family so well they could name
his family members (verse 55).
d)
Jesus did try to teach these people (verse 54) – READ
e)
Jesus tried to teach some who knew Him, but how well
did He do?
f)
Verse 57 – READ
3)
Jesus did not have an “off day” in teaching these
people. He was not teaching anything
wrong.
4)
The problem, as shown at the end of verse 57, was with
the people.
5)
People knew Him and they did not think He could have
anything very important for them.
6)
This is still true today.
7)
The people who are closest to us may be the least
willing to hear the gospel from us.
8)
We still need to try to teach in these cases, but there
will probably be times when we also fail.
a)
It can be very difficult to convert blood relatives and
good friends.
b)
Jesus has already faced this problem. He also knows what success fails like.
c)
Jesus is the perfect friend for anyone who tries to
teach the gospel directly or by personal influence.
d)
When we need strength of encouragement for teaching,
look to the master teacher.
9)
The last verse I want to share from Matthew that has
this word is found in Mt. 28:15.
a)
Matthew says there was a “pay off” to some men after
the Lord’s resurrection.
b)
The elders (Mt. 28:12) gave some money to soldiers and
told them to lie about the resurrection.
c)
Not only did these soldiers get money, they got a lot
of money—a great sum.
d)
These men soldiers were supposed to say they were
sleeping and the disciples stole the body.
e)
One would think that the officials could have
constructed a better lie.
f)
If the soldiers were asleep, how would they know who
took the body?
g)
We want verse 15 – READ
10) These
men “did as they were taught.” Taught
is didasko (teach).
11) These
men were willing to help promote a lie because someone paid them to tell a
falsehood.
a)
When people tell someone something, they have some type
of motivation.
b)
Maybe they are bored and talk to someone because they
have nothing else to do.
c)
In other cases a person may communicate information
because they want to hurt (slander) someone.
d)
We find instances where people teach because they are
paid.
e)
There have been cases where people communicated
information because they were happy.
f)
As Christians we want to be sure that our motivation
for teaching others is right.
g)
Teaching is not to show off what we know or to make
ourselves look good.
12) The
right motivation is the recognition that we want people to be in a right
relationship with God.
13) We
want to use whatever tools and resources at our disposal to help people know
and do what is right.
14) We
want people to know all that God has commanded them to do (Mt. 28:20).
15) Leaving
the book of Matthew we turn to the book of Mark and continue to find this same
verb.
a)
Our word occurs in various passages such as Mk. 4:2.
b)
Mark says Jesus “taught” the people in parables.
c)
This statement implies that some of Jesus’ teaching was
not done in parables.
16) Jesus
was a teacher who used many different methods.
17) This
point is instructive for us as we try to instruct others.
18) We
can and we ought to use a wide variety of methods to instruct people.
a)
I remember a teacher from high school who was, in my
eyes, Mr. Predictable.
b)
There was never anything fresh or interesting about
this man’s classes.
c)
He developed a style from probably the 1950’s and he
probably died with that teaching style.
d)
He was a man who was literally stuck in time.
e)
His method was not a bad style, it was just the same
thing time after time after time.
f)
He could have made a recording of himself and never
attended another class.
19) Students
usually like at least a little variety in a class setting.
20) By
using variation teaching remains interesting and sometimes some lessons are
better learned.
21) Jesus
used parables, illustrations from daily life, the things people believed, and
other methods.
22) Good
teachers try to change things up a bit when they offer instruction.
23) Another
point we see from this word in Mark’s gospel is found in Mk. 6:6.
a)
Jesus tried to teach people but His instruction was met
with some “unbelief.”
b)
Jesus could have said, “People do not want to hear what
I have to say” and stopped teaching.
c)
He did not do that.
Even when faced with rejection He still tried to teach and influence.
d)
This is also a critical lesson for us. Good teachers are persistent.
e)
Students or potential students may not be interested
today, next week, month, or next year.
f)
Good teachers hold out hope because many do eventually
want to learn and obey.
g)
Jesus continued to hold the door open for people and
this should be the way we also behave.
24) Towards
the end of Mark’s account we find some information in the 14th
chapter – 14:49.
a)
Mark says Jesus was in the temple “daily” and teaching
the people.
b)
Jesus knew His time was limited so He tried to make the
most of it.
c)
Jesus’ daily involvement with teaching during this
period reminds me of another useful point.
d)
There are some things that we can master.
e)
When it comes to dialing a telephone, we can be a
virtual expert on that activity.
f)
We may be so good at dialing the phone we do not need
to even look at the numbers.
g)
Once we become proficient at using phones, there is
little else to learn.
h)
Teaching is not like that. There is always more to learn.
i)
Such is also true for the scriptures.
25) With
God’s word we have an inexhaustible supply of material.
26) Teachers
should always try to better their knowledge and their teaching skills.
27) I
once read about a man who was able to read through the entire Greek New
Testament without helps.
28) From
the beginning to the end he read through the New Testament in its original
language.
29) After
this feast this man then thought to himself, “what else is left?”
30) For
a while he thought he had studied out all there was –nothing else was left.
31) He
soon realized that there were some additional things that could be studied.
32) We
cannot exhaust the material in God’s word.
a)
We could teach every single day for 8 hours a day, but
we would never know all there is to know.
b)
The riches of God’s word will never be exhausted.
c)
Even if we could exhaust the New Testament in our
lifetime, there would be the Old Testament.
33) The
good news with Christianity is that we always have access to new and fresh
material.
34) This
is important as we raise children and as we teach Bible classes.
35) A
Sunday or Wednesday teacher can think, “I taught all this stuff before.”
36) That
may be true, but let’s not think we know all there is to know from these
stories.
37) There
are additional ways they may be applied and probably some things we have not
yet found.
38) Our
final passage comes from Mk. 6:34.
a)
Jesus is said to have taught people who were confused.
b)
People were like sheep without a shepherd.
c)
Whether we pass out house to house or are teaching in a
classroom, people need help.
d)
They need instruction in the word of God.
e)
We are ready to begin a new week.
f)
Let’s see how many people we can try to help guide in
the right way over the next 7 days.
g)
There is surely at least one person we can find and try
to help turn to the right way.
39) All
of us in one sense or another can be teachers.
40) If
this has not been our choice, it is not too late to change.