Teacher, teaching

In the OT various Heb. w ords are used for teachers and their work (chiefly verbal forms, \-2n, mi.i, nsS) ; and several other words are employed more indefinitely for teaching generally (i^k, T.it.n, ynin, no', .tt, S-Jci). This is one indication tliat in ear!}' times there was no recognized office of teacher with a technical title. Nevertheless the duty of teaching, especially in the education of the young, is much insisted on. In Deut. this is repeatedly urged as an obligation resting on p.

-irents (e.g. 4'° 6' ll'"). The he.id of the family is to be diligent in teaching his children the great precepts of the Law, and m talking of them habitually in the house and in the street. The prophets were recognized to be divinely- inspired teachers, commissioned to instruct the people in the knowledge of Jehovah and His will. The word tOrah (i-;iri), which was applied to Deut. in the days of josiali (e.g. 2 K 22'), and from the time of Ezra to the Pent. {eg. Neh 8'), means 'te.

iching' (lit. 'direction'), and was used in earlier times for the instruction given by the prophets. It is used in this sense by Rosea (4° 8' S'=), by Amos (2'), by Micah (4=), by Isaiah (l^S* etc.), by Zephaniah (3'). It is to be observed that in all these instances of the occurrence of the word in the prophets we never read of ' the tdrah of Moses' as in Ezra and later, but of 'Jehovah's t6rSh,' or 'the turCth' indefinitely.

The clear dis- tinction, now resulting from OT criticism on the date of the Pent., accentuates the importance of teaching under the prophets by demonstrating that what formerly appeared to be a reference to the Mosaic law is, in fact, an allusion to the pro- phets' teaching. In early times the priests also undertook the religious instruction of the people.

Thus Micah, rebuking the mercenary leaders in Jerusalem, declares, ' the priests thereof teach (ni) for hire' (Mic 3")- After the return from the Captivity an immense impulse was given to reli- gious teaching. Religion had now passed into a literary phase. The public reading of the Law by Ezra was an indication that the new Judaism was to restore popular knowledge (Neh 8'').

It is a significant fact that the high priest took no part in this efibrt to popularize what had hitherto been cherished as a mystery in the sacerdotal clan.

The scribe who not only copies the Law, but teaches it, now becomes the leader of the Jewish religion among the people, gradually taking the place of the prophet, but with an inferior rfile, since he cannot pretend to come ^-ith an original message from Jehovah, and must content himself with interpreting, commenting on, and ' fencing ' a fixed written turah. Thus he in turn comes into ant.

igonism with the priest who performs official functions, administers the Law, and enjoys an aristueratic rank ; because the scribe's work in popularizing the Law lessens the power of the priesthood hy opening the eyes of tlie people and by making religion more an affair of ideas than of ritual, or if of ritual still of obser\'ances within the reach of the laity. Accordingly, the growth of the synagogue goes on side by side with the develop- ment of teaching by the scribes. See Rabbi.

In NT times teaching was most hi^lily valued among the Jews, and the teacher held in ^eat respect.* Josephus, writing the history ot his people from the standpoint of his own daj', relates how Moses commanded that ' boys should learn the primary laws {irpunovs tovs vdfiovs) as the best knowledge and the cause of prosperity' {Ant, iv. viii. 12) ; and affirms for his own time, 'We take most pains of all with the instruction of children ' (c. Apion. i. 12).

Similarly Philo writes : ' Since the Jews esteem their laws as divine revelations, and are instructed in the knowledge of them from their earliest youth, they bear the image of the law in their souls' {Legat. ad Gai. 31); and, ' They are taught, so to speak, from their swad- dling-clothes, by their parents, teachers, and those who bring them up, even before instruction in the sacred laws and unwritten customs, to recognize one God as the Father and Creator of the world ' {ib.)

The Talmud abounds in traditional sayings on the importance of teaching. This is much insisted on in the PirkS Aboth, where we read how Joshua ben Perachia said, 'Get thyself a teacher' (i. 6); Rabban Gamaliel, ' Appoint for thyself a teacher, so wilt thou avoid what is doubtful' (i. 16) ; Hillel, ' An ignorant man cannot be truly pious ' (ii. 5).

Certainly elementary schools existed in the time of the Mishna, and the way in which they are referred to implies that they were then established institutions. It is most probable that they were in existence in the time of Christ. The name of these schools w.as beth,, sepher (tech n';) — ' the house of the book' — i.e. of the tdrdh. Thus we read (Jems. Mcgill. iii. 1), ' R. Pinchas said in the In 2 M&c 11° we read ot a Jew named Aristobuloa who ha^ been Ptolemy's teacher ' (iihenrxtxx^).

TEACHER, TEACHING TEACHER, TEACHING 691 name of R. Hoshaiah tliat there were 480 syna- gogues in Jerusalem, and each liad a bcth-sepher ana a beth ■ Talmud, the former for the mikra (text of Scripture), the latter for the mishna (oral tradition).'

A frequently (juoted sentence about the order of a child's education — of lute date, being found in an appendbc to the Abath of the post- Talmudic period — states that ' at 5 years old (he comes) to the reading of Scripture, at 10 to the Mishna, at 13 to the practice of the com- mandments, at 15 to the Talmud, at 18 to mar- riage,' etc. (Pirki Aboth, v. 21). For further particulars on this point see Scliiirer (IIJP 11. ii. §27, and artt. EDUCATION and SyXAGonrE).

In the NT, teaching is mentioned chiefly -with reference to the exposition of specifically Christian ideas. Nicodemus acknowledges Jesus to be 'a teacher (5i5d<rKaXos) come from God,' and addresses Him with the recognized Jewish name of a teacher, 'Kalibi' (pa/i^fl, Jn 3°). In all four Gospels the usual name for our Lord is ' Tcadier ' (SiSiaKaXos, tr. ' Master ' in A V and RV, but ' Teacher ' in RVni and in Twentieth Cent. NT).

This word is not only used by the disciples ; it is also employed by others in addressing our Lord, e.g. the Pharisees and Herodians (Mk 12'''). No doubt it is the evangelist's rendering of the Aramaic title, 'Rabbi,' which occasionally appears in its original form in Jn (1*- ^ 32-=<'6'^, and once Rabboni, fxn^jiovvel, 20"). It is important to observe that a clear distinction between ' teachin" ' (SiSiaKw) and ' preaching ' (K>)pi;<r(rw) is maintained throughout the NT.

This is manifest in our Lord's public ministry. He commenced with preacliing, as John had done before Him (Mk 1*). This preachin>; was the call to repentance in connexion with uie announce- ment that the kingdom of God was at hand, and was called ' preaching the gospel of God ' (Mk 1"). Then, having gathered some disciples about Him, our Lord proceeded to instruct them in the mys- teries of the kingdom, its nature, laws, and prin- ciples.

This instruction is called ' teaching,' and it was with such teaching rather than with preaching that the later part of His ministry was occupied. A similar distinction was observed in the apos- tolic ministry and in the life and organization of the early ('hnrches. Among the various functions in the ("'Inirch mentioned by St. Paul in Romans occurs that of 'teaching '(Rol2').

It there takes the third place in a series, being preceded by prophecy ami inini«trj', and followed by exhorting, giving, ruling, and showing mercy. The last of these functions being of a general character, and such as any one might be called on to exercise, suggests that the list as a whole may not point to definite offices. But, in a nearly contemporary and prob- ably earlier epistle, teaching is assigned to specific persons.

In 1 Co 12'^ this also comes third in a list ; but the list as a whole is ditl'erent from that in Romans, containing titles of persons, not merely functions ; so that we have ' teachers,' not merely •teaching.' They are preceded by ' first apostles, secondly prophets'; then we come to 'thirdly teachers.' The form changes after this to gifts »nd functions — ' miracles,' ' gifts of healing,' etc.

That the teaching is ascribed in an especial way to Rome people, to the exclusion of otliers, is shown by St. Paul's questions, 'Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all tearhers?' (v.^). Never- theless, the following questions, ' Are all workers of miracles? have all gifts of healing?' etc., show that the personal dilleren<es rest on dillcrcnces of gift. At Corinth they who have gifts of teaching are teachers, as they who have gifts of healing are healers.

Another arrangement appears in Ephe- sians: 'and he gave some to be apostles ; and some, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors antl teachers ' (Eph 4"). Here we have four ollices. and that of teacher set last, an oflice not men- tioned in the earlier lists — the evangelist's — coming between it and the offices of apostles and prophets.

Further, it is also known by the name of ' pastor ' ; for the arrangement of the clauses ('and some' introducing each class) shows that the ' teachers ' and the ' pastors ' are the same persons. The dis- tinction of the teacher from the evangelist is sig- nificant, suggesting the difierentiation of function in which the evangelist preaches, declaring the gospel, and the teacher instructs the converts. The companion title ' pa.

stor ' points to a settled ministry within the Church as distinct from the travelling mi.ssionary activity of apostles and evangelists ; but it is to be observed that the apostles gathered up in themselves the several functions that were afterwards distributed among various members of the Churches. Thus St. Paul describes himself as appointed ' a preacher and an apostle ... a teacher,' etc. (1 'Ti 2' — assuming these to be St. Paul's words).

When we turn to Acts we meet with yet another arrangement. Here teachers seem to oe identified with prophets (Ac 13') ; but St. Luke may mean that the pro- minent men whose names he gives consisted of prophets and teachers, as two classes. In course of time the teacher melts into the bishop, his function is absorbed in the episcopate ; as a sepa- rate officer he is discredited by comparison with the higher official, and ere long he disappears entirely.

These stages may be noted thus : (1) At the first ai)pearance of the teacher there is no reference to the V)ishop : thus there is no indication of bishops in 1 Cor. or Romans. (2) At the time of the Ejip. of the Captivity the teachers seem to have practical oversight, like that of the early bishops, even if the name is not given to them, since they are called '])astc)rs' (Eph 4").

It seems reasonable to sup- pose that these were equivalent to the ' bishops ' of Pli 1', especially since the word ' bishop ' in the latter case may be functional rather than official, as Dr. Hort suggested. (3) In the Pastoral Epistles teaching is joined to the episcopal office. The bishop must be ' apt to teach ' (1 Ti 'A- ; com- pare Tit 1"). Especial lionour is to be given to the eUioi s who ' labour in the word and in teaching ' (1 Ti .

5") : this suggests that teaching was not carried on by all the elders. St. Paul will not allow women to teach publicly in the Church (1 Ti 2"), and yet he had written of aged women being ' teachers of that which is good ' (Tit 2'), when he must have meant home teacning, or perhaps teach- ing by example, unless we are to su])pose that he changed his views on the subject between Titus and 2 Tim., which is improbable.

Already the teacher's ollice is falling into unworthy hands ; and the a])ostle writes of the time when i)eople will not endure 'healthful teaching' (RVm ir/iaivovari^ SidaiTKaXlai, not 'sound doctrine' AV and RV), but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts (2 Ti 4^).

(4) In the sub-Apostolic age we still meet with the teacher as distinct from the bishop, though teaching now is more and more appropriated by the latter ofiicer, and the teacher is sinking in importance. In the Didarhi there are ' teachers ' as well as ' apostles ' and ' prophets.' All three of these functionaries ai)pear as itinerant ministers visiting the Churches.

"The tea(ther is to be tested by what he teaches, and received or rejected according as his instruc- tion agrees with what is laid down in this treatise or dill'ers from it (see Didnrhf xi.) These travelling teachers are quite distinct from the ' bishops and deacons ' whom the writer bids his readers ' appoint for yourselves' (x v.)

Still later we meet with ' teachers ' in the Shepherd of Hermas, and here they appear among the otficera of the Church, coming between tlic bisliop and the 692 TEBAH TEKOA deacon. The stones in the mystical buililing ' are the apostles and bishops and teachers and deacons ' ( ]'is. iii. 5). Hennas writes disparagingly of 'self- appointed teachers,' who ' praise themselves as having understanding,' ' senseless though tliey are' (Sim. IX. 22).

We have no definite account of the manner in wliich the teachers perfornjed their work, or of the substance of their instructions. We are tempted to think of the catechetical teaching of later times ; but there is no clear indi- cation of a catechumenate in NT. StUl sometliing of the kind must have arisen early from the neces- sity of the case. The Didachi seems to have been a text-book for some such teaching.

It has been suggested that the Logia recently discovered in Egypt might be a list of sayings of Jesns drawn up for use in teaching. Possibly St. Matthew's Logia was compiled with that end in view ; and the same may be suggested of the canonical Gospels (cf. A. Wright, NT Problems, p. 91tf.) AVitli reference to teachers and teaching in the NT see Allen, Christian Institutions, pp. 28, 29, 40, 42; McGiffert, Apostolic Age, 52811., 64011., 654 ff. ; Weizsiicker, Daa Apostulische Zeitnlter, pp.

621, 022. W. V. Adeney.