Learn or Fade

(Proverbs 4:2 KJV) For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

Another key to understanding is “good doctrine" ((sound (2896a) teaching (3948) NASB)). Teaching comes from a root that means to take. It might be better to style it “teachings”. This brings to mind the passage that talks about tickling your ears.

II Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but {wanting} to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. (NASB)

If “doctrine" (teaching NASB) (3948) as used here is really the idea of taking, that differentiates the Biblical idea of teaching from the modern idea of teaching. Modern teaching is about having fun. Learning is not presented as work or effort but natural and automatic. Educators use as an example the way in which small children learn spontaneously and seem to love it. This week while visiting relatives I observed a three year old joyfully writing words and playing number games. It seems to work. The responsibility is on the teacher to make learning fun. That is fine with beginning numbers but how do you make the idea of checks and balances into a fun game?

The Biblical idea here puts the responsibility on the student. He has to take. It is not a matter of the teacher tricking him into learning. This does not mean to make it dry and uninviting, but learning is a cooperative venture with the student bearing a good part of the load.

Another difference between Biblical teaching and modern teaching is the assumption that the older person has something to “give” (5414) {end}. A few years ago in one of our “in-services”, which are teacher training sessions, the principal brought a bunch of her children’s toys and laid them out in front of us. She told us to pick the toy that represented our style of teaching. Then we were going to share why we made our choice. I hate this kind of thing.

By the time I got over my rebellious attitude the only thing left was a tea pot. My first point was that I seemed to be the only one who seemed to feel that he had anything to pour out to the students. That got polite laughs so I continued. I also shared the science of tea making. You pick the type of tea that is best for the group you are serving. Then I talked about steeping the tea for just the right amount of time to get the full flavor and so forth. Most of the people shared about feelings and such. I was the only one who dealt with content and the students level of ability.

Again we come to choice, to our responsibility as learners and believers. Too often we are willing to “forsake" (abandon NASB) (5800a) God’s “law" (instruction NASB) (8451) [torah]. So much of our spiritual growth depends on our willingness and cooperation.