Doctrine

May 22

Doctrine
didaskalia

In 1Ti_4:13, Paul tells Timothy that there is one more thing he is to preach-doctrine. To the ancient Greeks, didaskalia (G1319) meant imparting information and later the teaching of skills.

Didaskalia (with other forms) appears some twenty-six times in the Pastoral Epistles. Is there any doubt, then, what the preacher’s job is?

This is precisely why back in 1Ti_3:2 Paul mentions that one of the required qualifications for the ministry is that a man is “apt to teach,” which is one word in the Greek (didaktikos, G1317) that means “skilled in teaching.”

As one expositor puts it: “Not merely given to teaching, but able and skilled in it. All might teach to whom the Spirit imparted the gift: but skill in teaching was the especial office of the minister on whom would fall the ordinary duty of instruction of believers and refutation of gainsayers.”

I’ve heard certain preachers say, “I’m not really much of a teacher, but I sure love my flock,” and I have heard several Christians say, “Well, he’s not a good teacher, but he does have a pastor’s heart.”

While loving God’s people is commendable, if a man is not a skilled teacher, he simply is not qualified for that ministry, for he can’t do the number-one thing his job requires.

That is equivalent to a surgeon who does not know how to make an incision or a carpenter who doesn’t know how to use a tape measure.

It’s interesting, in fact, that in that entire list of qualifications, “love” is not even mentioned, while being a skillful teacher is high on the list. Of course, the pastor loves the sheep, which is understood in the shepherd/sheep analogy and certainly implied in the word patient (1Ti_3:3), but Paul specifically says that the candidate must be a good teacher.

In fact, the most outstanding facet of this qualification is that it’s the only one in the list that relates specifically to a candidate’s giftedness and function, the only qualification that deals specifically with what he is to do.

And what does he do? He teaches. That is his function! He’s not an entertainer, an administrator, or even primarily a counselor. He is a teacher. Men who are not doing that betray the office and bring shame to Christ.

No, doctrine and theological teaching are not popular today, but they are biblical.

Scriptures for Study: Read the following scriptures, noting the pastor’s function: 1Ti_2:7; 1Ti_4:6, 1Ti_4:16; 1Ti_5:17; 2Ti_1:11; 2Ti_3:16-17; 2Ti_4:1-4, Tit_1:9.

 
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