Jesus said: “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.” John 7:16
TOPIC: As true man Jesus learned the Scripture. As true God he wrote the Scripture.
BACKGROUND: Jesus amazed the teachers in Jerusalem.
Mark 1:22 says, “The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority.” Jesus was a master teacher. Huge crowds numbering in the thousands gathered to hear him teach. Luke 19:48 says, “All the people hung on his words.”
His methods and presentations have been studied by many educators. However, it is unlikely that Jesus had extensive formal training. Very little is told us of Jesus’ education. Luke 2 mentions that, “The child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom” (Luke 2:40). We are also told that when he was twelve years old, Jesus stayed in the temple amazing the teachers there. “Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers” (Luke 2:47). Later in his ministry we read: “Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews there were amazed and asked, ‘How did this man get such learning without having been taught?’” (John 7:14,15).
Jesus’ human nature needed to be trained in the Old Testament Scripture just as all the other Hebrew boys. Yet as true God, his mission was to do the will of his Father. The Pharisee Nicodemus admitted, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God” (John 3:2). And Jesus made it clear when teaching in the temple, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me” (John 7:16).
How blessed we are to have the very words spoken by Jesus written down so we might learn and believe in him.
PRAYER THOUGHT: by Julia H. Johnston
O holy Teacher, Friend and Guide,
With us for evermore abide;
May we be taught from Heav’n above
The wondrous lessons of Thy love. Amen.
PAUL WRITES ABOUT JESUS: “You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.” 1 Corinthians 3:23 CEV
From At the Feet of Jesus by Reynold R. Kremer