(Part 9 of 9)
Matthew 7:28–29 (28)And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, (29)for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.(ESV)
Jesus asked questions. He told stories. He pointed at things people could see. He sent His disciples out to do what they’d been learning. He demonstrated lessons with His own actions. He changed His approach depending on the person in front of Him. He taught crowds publicly and explained things privately. He challenged people in the places they least wanted challenged.
Jesus was consistent in truth. He wasn’t uniform in method.
Somewhere along the way, teaching can become routine.
The same structure. The same delivery. The same approach. Week after week.
There’s comfort in consistency, but there’s also danger when consistency becomes predictability.
People change. Their knowledge changes. Their questions change. Their attention changes.
What reaches someone today may not be what reaches them tomorrow.
Jesus seemed to understand that perfectly.
He didn’t change the truth to keep people interested. He changed the way He presented the truth.
There’s a difference.
Good teaching doesn’t entertain people instead of teaching them. It finds ways to hold their attention long enough for truth to reach them.
Jesus could make someone think with a question, stop with a story, look at a flower, step into ministry, kneel beside a basin, or walk away troubled by something they’d just heard.
One Teacher. Many methods.
So perhaps the question for those of us who teach isn’t simply whether what we’re saying is true. Perhaps we also need to ask whether anyone is still listening.
If Jesus refused to teach everyone the same way, why are we so comfortable doing it?
How Jesus taught: He changed the method without changing the truth.
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