Teacher

Summary:

1) It is written in the Bible that "TEACHERS" (Ephesians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 12:28) are listed among the spiritual gifts.

2) TEACHER is not a title to be called by. 

3) Preconditions to be TEACHER can include:

- Setting one's heart to study the word of God. 

- Doing the word of God.

All this before teaching others. 

4) Being a TEACHER can involve:

4) A) Having the ability to teach others.

4) B) Having the ability to adapt the teaching level to the audience.

4) C) It can even involve doing signs (not necessarily but it can). 

5) Those who operate in this spritual gift carry a greater responsibility and face a stricter judgment for several reasons. 

You can find more details below:

1) Teacher is a spiritual gift:

It is written in the Bible that "TEACHERS" (Ephesians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 12:28) are listed among the spiritual gifts.

This is a spiritual gift among the list of other spiritual gifts available.

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List of spiritual gifts:
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2) Teacher is not a title to be called by:

A teacher is not a title to be called by, rather it is a ministry of service. Jesus said: "But you, DO NOT BE CALLED ‘Rabbi’. For ONE IS YOUR TEACHER, and you are all brothers" (Matthew 23:8). Jesus can be called our teacher. 

Jesus is described as the master-teacher, as He said: "Nor be called master-teachers, because YOUR MASTER-TEACHER IS ONE, THE CHRIST" (Matthew 23:10). All other teachers whom Christ gives to the church are under Him. 

3) Preconditions to be a teacher:

Operating as a teacher requires deep and intentional preparation in the Word of God. 

The Ezra model:

This can be seen in the Ezra model, as it is written: "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel" (Ezra 7:10). 

Ezra did two things before teaching the Lord's statutes to others:

1) Setting his heart to study the Law of the Lord. 

2) Doing the Law of the Lord.

Without step 1), someone would remain "unlearnt" (2 Peter 3:16).

Without step 2), someone may be a hypocrite (teaching others what he doesn't do), or teaching others things that he has not seen God accomplish in Himself (and thus cannot really say if those are correct). 

Paul as a teacher following the Ezra model:

Paul was a "TEACHER" (1 Timothy 2:7) of the Gentiles. He would have followed the Ezra model. 

1) Paul took multiple years to prepare himself for his ministry (Galatians 1) and was trained in the law. 

2) Paul wrote: "I-will not dare to-speak anything (of things) which Christ did not accomplish through me (in) word and deed" (Romans 15:18).

4) What being a teacher can involve:

4) A) Having the ability to teach others:

Being a TEACHER involves having the ability to TEACH others. 

For more information:

Teaching:
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4) B) Having the ability to adapt the teaching level to the audience:

Being a TEACHER can involve having the ability to adapt the teaching level to the audience, which in turns involves a certain mastery of the teaching imparted. 

A teacher knows how to build teachings upon one another, adapting to what the hearers are currently able to bear. 

For example, Jesus did not speak about heavenly matters if the people did not believe yet in earthly matters, saying: "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" (John 3:12).

In another instance, Jesus said to His disciples: "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth" (John 16:12-13). Jesus was not giving everything He could teach at once, but He could tell what His hearers were able to bear or not at a given moment. 

Paul also practiced this adaptation to the audience, restricting his teaching based on the spiritual maturity of the Corinthians, as he wrote to them: "I-gave you milk to-drink, not food, for you-were not-yet able." (1 Corinthians 3:2).  

Paul even continued, asserting that his then-current spiritual discernment was consistent with corroborating evidence, writing: "But not-even still now are-you-able, for you-are still fleshly. For where (there is) jealousy and strife among you, are-you not fleshly and walking in-accordance-with human (thinking)?" (1 Corinthians 3:2).

4) C) It may involve doing signs:

A TEACHER who comes from God may also be accompanied by signs validating their ministry (it is not necessarily the case, but it can happen). 

For example, in John 3 someone came to Jesus and said: "“Rabbi, WE KNOW that You have come from God as a TEACHER. FOR no one is able to be doing these signs which You are doing unless God is with him”" (John 3:2).

5) Warnings of responsibility:

James wrote a strict warning for those desiring this gift: "Do not become many teachers, my brothers, knowing that we-will-receive (a) greater judgment" (James 3:1).

The next verse indicates the reason: "FOR we all stumble many (ways). If one does not stumble in speech, this (one is a) perfect man able to-bridle also the whole body" (James 3:2). 

Teachers will have more opportunities to stumble in speech, simply because they are given to teach and use many words. It is written in Proverbs that "When words are many, sin is not absent" (Proverbs 10:19).

Furthermore, the Greek word for "GREATER judgment" (James 3:1) can imply a COMPARATIVE DEGREE of judgment. The teacher is able to stumble with his own words, but he is ALSO able to make his hearers stumble by his words, which gives him a GREATER responsibility than those who are only hearing him.

This principle is echoed in Malachi, in which it is written: "For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge [...] But you have turned aside from the way. YOU HAVE CAUSED MANY TO STUMBLE by your instruction" (Malachi 2:7-8). 

Paul wrote to Timothy highlighting this dual responsibility, telling Timothy to "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the TEACHING. Persist in this, for by so doing you will SAVE BOTH YOURSELF AND YOUR HEARERS" (1 Timothy 4:16). This may also imply the inverse: failing to closely watch one's own teaching can actively endanger both oneself and one's hearers, thus again demonstrating that a teacher has a GREATER responsibility than those who are only hearing him.

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