CD ROM Paradise Collection 4/CD ROM Paradise Collection 4 1995 Nov.iso/edu/jesu31.zip/METHODS.DOC

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                                   THE METHODS


                                Jesus' Principles

             Before  dealing with Jesus' specific methods of teaching, it
        would  be well  to present  some principles  of teaching  that he
        used.
             First  of all, he  was God-centered  and individual-focused.
        The curriculum was the Word of God.  The Word (or Law) was not to
        be used to break people, but to help people.  A prime example was
        Jesus' teaching on keeping the Sabbath:

             And it  came to  pass on the  second sabbath  after the
             first, that  he went through  the corn fields;  and his
             disciples  plucked the  ears  of  corn,  and  did  eat,
             rubbing  them in  their  hands.    And certain  of  the
             Pharisees said unto  them, Why do ye that  which is not
             lawful to do on the  sabbath days?  And Jesus answering
             them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David
             did,  when himself was an hungred,  and they which were
             with him;   How he went into the  house of God, and did
             take and eat the shewbread,  and gave also to them that
             were with him; which  it is not lawful  to eat but  for
             the priests alone?  And he said unto them, That the Son
             of man is  Lord also of  the sabbath.   And it came  to
             pass also  on another sabbath, that he entered into the
             synagogue and taught:  and there was a  man whose right
             hand  was  withered.   And  the  scribes  and Pharisees
             watched him, whether he would heal on the  sabbath day;
             that they might find an accusation against him.  But he
             knew their thoughts, and said  to the man which had the
             withered hand, Rise  up, and stand forth  in the midst.
             And he  arose and  stood forth.   Then said  Jesus unto
             them, I will  ask you  one thing; Is  it lawful on  the
             sabbath days to  do good, or to do evil?  to save life,
             or to  destroy it?   And looking round about  upon them
             all, he said unto the  man, Stretch forth thy hand. And
             he  did so:  and his  hand  was restored  whole as  the
             other.  (Luke 6:1-10).


             Jesus  taught and demonstrated  that people were  to be made
        whole.  They were to be conformed more and more into the image of
        God.  Jesus did not reject sinners and imperfect saints, but took
        the  "long  look," seeing  their  potential  and who  they  would
        become.
             Jesus began  where  people  were.   He  started  with  their
        interests and needs,  and using language and customs  familiar to
        them, moved them from the  known to the unknown--from the natural
        to the spiritual.
             He aimed at  decision.  He used logic,  emotion and biblical
        content to enlighten and arouse the conscience.
             He walked in the Holy Spirit.
             He  secured the learner's  self-activity.  He  commanded his
        disciples to DO his works.   (Generally, we retain 90 percent  of
        what we hear, see  and do.  We retain 30 percent  of what we hear
        and see.  We retain only 5-10 percent of what we hear).


                                  Jesus' Methods

             One method that  Jesus apparently  did not  use is  writing.
        This would seem strange if not for the fact that others DID write
        for  him.   During his  lifetime, he  was involved  in inscribing
        truth on human  hearts rather than  in books--discipling was  his
        best method.
             He taught  by being a role model.   (This was covered in the
        first part of this composition).
             He taught with authority:

             And  it  came  to  pass,  when Jesus  had  ended  these
             sayings,  the  people were  astonished at  his doctrine
             (teaching): For he taught them as one having authority,
             and not as the scribes. (Matthew 7:28-29).

        If we are sure of ourselves and our message, we will speak boldly
        and clearly.  We who would teach  the great truths of Christ must
        know Christ personally.   We must  know the scriptures.   Then we
        must speak  without apology,  for we have  a moral  obligation to
        proclaim the truth.   If so much  false doctrine is  being taught
        dogmatically, cannot we teach the truth boldly?
             Christ  healed the sick because of his compassion.  However,
        healing the sick is also a method of teaching.  Jesus once healed
        a paralytic and at the same  time taught that he (Jesus) had  the
        authority to forgive sins:

             And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken
             with a  palsy: and they  sought means to bring  him in,
             and to lay  him before him.   And when  they could  not
             find by what way they might bring him in because of the
             multitude, they  went upon  the housetop,  and let  him
             down  through the tiling with  his couch into the midst
             before Jesus.   And  when he saw  their faith,  he said
             unto him,  Man, thy  sins are forgiven  thee.   And the
             scribes  and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who
             is  this which  speaketh blasphemies?  Who can  forgive
             sins, but  God alone?   But when Jesus  perceived their
             thoughts, he answering  said unto them, What  reason ye
             in your hearts?  Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be
             forgiven thee;  or to say, Rise up  and walk?  But that
             ye may know that  the Son of man hath  power upon earth
             to forgive sins, (he said  unto the sick of the palsy,)
             I say unto  thee, Arise, and take up thy  couch, and go
             into thine  house.  And  immediately he rose  up before
             them, and took up that  whereon he lay, and departed to
             his  own house,  glorifying  God.   And  they were  all
             amazed,  and they glorified  God, and were  filled with
             fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day. (Luke
             5:18-26).

        When people see a  sick person healed, God is made  more real and
        the love and power of God is taught.
              What about  today?   Does divine  healing detract  from the
        central truth of salvation as some would allege?  F. F.  Bosworth
        answers from experience:

             Instead of the "ministry of healing" diverting from the
             more important  matter of  salvation for  the soul,  we
             have seen more happy conversions in a  single week than
             we ever saw in a whole year of evangelistic work during
             the  thirteen years  before the  Lord led us  to preach
             this part  of the  Gospel in a  bolder and  more public
             way.  ....
                  In our last revival preceding the writing of this book,
             conducted in Ottawa,  Canada, during the seven weeks  of the
             meeting, six  thousand came  for healing,  and about  twelve
             thousand for salvation.  [F.  F. Bosworth, CHRIST THE HEALER
             8th ed.  (Old Tappan, NJ:  Fleming H. Revell Co.,  1973), p.
             71].

             Miracles also had  teaching value.  Jesus'  raising the dead
        taught that  he had  power over  death.   For  examples of  Jesus
        raising dead people, see:  (1) the son of the widow of Nain (Luke
        7:11-17);  (2) the daughter  of Jairus (Luke 8:41-42, 49-56); and
        (3) Lazarus (John  11:1-44).  His casting out  demons taught that
        he had power over demons (see Matthew 8:16).  Jesus' stilling the
        storm taught  that he had power over creation (Luke 8:22-25).  In
        short, Jesus  taught that he  was Lord of demons,  disease, death
        and the deep (creation).
             Jesus  made use of  the lecture.   A  famous example  is the
        Sermon on the Mount, which would be better named the  TEACHING ON
        THE  MOUNT (Matthew  5-7).   Generally, the  lecture is  good for
        teaching a large  number of people.   However it is weak  in that
        the audience will probably retain less.
             Another teaching  method of Jesus  was that of  question and
        answer.   This method  gains and holds  the listener's attention.
        It also involves the listener and provokes thought.
             Jesus also used  discussion, usually on a  one-to-one basis,
        but sometimes  in small  groups.   This conversational  method of
        teaching  is  good  because  it  is  tailored  to  the  needs  of
        individuals.  The ideal teacher to pupil ratio is one-to-one.  If
        a small group is involved, the members should all have  about the
        same training and interests.
             Another  method Jesus  used was  that of  observation.   The
        disciples  observed him as  he taught, prayed,  healed, performed
        miracles, answered critics, etc.
             An  excellent method  of teaching  that  Jesus employed  was
        learning by doing.  Two examples are his sending the
        twelve  to perform  the works  of God  (Matthew 10:1-42)  and his
        sending the seventy to do the same thing (Luke 10:1-20).
             The use of parables was an effective way of teaching.  Jesus
        took a  familiar story from  the natural world or  current events
        and taught a  new spiritual  truth.   Even if the  truth did  not
        immediately "soak in," the  story, along with the encoded  truth,
        would be preserved in the minds of the hearers so that  the truth
        might be  grasped  later.   On  the other  hand,  truth could  be
        withheld from  truth-rejectors and this  would become  an act  of
        mercy to  them on  judgment day--Jesus taught  that one  would be
        judged according to the amount of light that he had.
             Jesus  probably  used  music  as  a  teaching  method.    He
        certainly learned scriptures by chanting  or singing them in  the
        synagogue.   The gospels record Jesus quoting  38 scriptures from
        21  Old Testament  books.   Singing  and chanting  causes a  much
        higher retention  rate than mere  reading.  One  scientific study
        indicated that the  greatest retention was by  smell association,
        followed by  singing.  Today,  the Holy Spirit has  led those who
        minister in music to return to singing the scriptures.
             Jesus used the  sense of smell to help  teach forgiveness of
        sins at the house  of Simon the Pharisee  (Luke 7:36-50).   While
        Jesus was  visiting  Simon, a  formerly sinful  woman showed  her
        gratitude to  Jesus by  washing his feet  with her  tears, drying
        them with her  hair, and pouring perfume on them.  From that time
        on, Simon must have been reminded of Jesus' lesson on forgiveness
        every time he smelled perfume.  The Old Testament worshipers were
        treated to the smell of incense.   The coupling of the good  with
        the pleasant is a  proper association.  The coupling of  the good
        with the beautiful is also a proper association.
             Jesus also used  the sense of taste to  teach.  For example,
        Jesus fed  the  5,000 (Matthew  14:15-21).   Since the  multitude
        could  not easily  buy food, Jesus  manifested his  compassion by
        feeding them.  They learned through firsthand experience that God
        is concerned that people should have enough food.  The experience
        "left a good taste in their mouths" about God and his concern.
             We use  the sense of  taste to good  advantage when we  give
        treats to  children  on special  occasions,  and when  we  invite
        people to dinner.   People are more receptive to  the gospel when
        they have eaten.
             Missionary  Alva Walker related  how that  he would  shoot a
        hippopotamus  to feed  Africans.   One  hippopotamus would  yield
        about a  ton of meat  that tasted like  pork.  After  eating, the
        people would listen to the gospel after being convinced that this
        missionary really loved them!
             Jesus spoke  to great  philosophic problems.   For  example,
        people have  a desire to learn about  life after death, and about
        the resurrection.   There is  a natural set  to learn when  these
        problems  are  discussed.    People  pay  attention  when  life's
        greatest questions are answered.
             Jesus  spoke about  the  future.   People  have a  universal
        desire to know about what is going to happen in the future.  When
        Jesus  prophesied  about  the future,  he  immediately  had their
        attention.  People  remembered his prophecies and the  truth they
        contained.
             Dialogue  was  also used  as  a  method  of teaching.    For
        example,  his  conversation   with  the  Pharisees  riveted   the
        attention of those  nearby.  The polemic or  apologetic nature of
        dialogue captures and holds  the attention of those involved  and
        those  listening.   (Apologetics  is  the  art of  defending  and
        proving Christianity.  One attempts to  persuade others to become
        Christians through  logic and other  moral means.  Polemics  is a
        "war-like" attempt to  win others to Christianity.   An effort is
        made to  destroy others' false  religious beliefs.   It is  not a
        literal war or "conversion with the sword.")
             Jesus won leaders, e.g., Nicodemus.   When we win leaders to
        Christ, we multiply our influence on society.  We will reach more
        people  for Christ  by reaching  key people  who will be  able to
        reach more  than we  could alone.   Denominational  ministries on
        university campuses are putting this principle into practice.
             Jesus used symbolic act and  drama as teaching methods.  The
        incident of the Canaanite woman serves as a good example:

             Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of
             Tyre and  Sidon.  And,  behold, a woman of  Canaan came
             out  of the  same coasts, and  cried unto  him, saying,
             Have  mercy  on me,  O  Lord,  thou  son of  David;  my
             daughter  is grievously  vexed with  a devil.   But  he
             answered her not  a word.  And his  disciples came  and
             besought him,  saying, Send  her away;  for she  crieth
             after us. But he  answered and said, I am not  sent but
             unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.   Then came
             she and worshipped him, saying,  Lord, help me.  But he
             answered  and  said,  It  is  not  meet   to  take  the
             children's  bread, and  to cast  it to  dogs.   And she
             said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which
             fall  from their masters'  table.  Then  Jesus answered
             and said  unto her, O woman, great  is thy faith: be it
             unto thee even as thou  wilt. And her daughter was made
             whole from that very hour. (Matthew 15:21-28).

        The Canaanite woman approached Jesus,  asking him to cast a demon
        our of  her daughter.   Jesus' disciples began to  manifest their
        Jewish  prejudice   against  her.    Jesus  took   up  the  play,
        "insulting" her and  ACTING as though he held  the typical Jewish
        prejudice  against Canaanites.   He finally showed  the disciples
        their error by  saying to the persistent woman, "You  are a woman
        of great  faith!  What you want will  be done for you."  (Matthew
        15:28, Today's English Version).  At that moment her daughter was
        instantly   healed,  stamping  indelibly  in  the  minds  of  the
        disciples that  GOD LOVES EVERYONE  EQUALLY.  Other  examples are
        Jesus' baptism in water, the  Lord's Supper, the triumphal  entry
        and Jesus driving money changers from the Temple.
             Jesus used  the spectacular as  a teaching method.   A prime
        example is his transfiguration:

             And after six  days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John
             his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain
             apart,  And was transfigured before them:  and his face
             did shine as the sun, and  his raiment was white as the
             light.  And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and
             Elias  [Elijah] talking with him.  Then answered Peter,
             and said  unto Jesus,  Lord, it is  good for  us to  be
             here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles;
             one for  thee, and  one for Moses,  and one  for Elias.
             While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed
             them: and behold a voice  out of the cloud, which said,
             This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear
             ye  him.  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on
             their face, and  were sore afraid.  And  Jesus came and
             touched them, and said, Arise,  and be not afraid.  And
             when they  had lifted up  their eyes, they saw  no man,
             save  Jesus only.    And  as they  came  down from  the
             mountain, Jesus charged them,  saying, Tell the  vision
             to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the
             dead.  (Matthew 17:1-9).1

        Associated with  the transfiguration  is the  supremacy of  Jesus
        over Moses  (the Law), and Elijah (the Prophets)--etched into the
        disciples memories by this spectacular experience.  A more modern
        example of the spectacular method of teaching occurred when Aimee
        Simple  McPherson rode  a  motorcycle down  the aisle  of Angelus
        Temple in  Los Angeles  while dressed in  a policeman's  uniform,
        stopped at the front, held up her  hand and cried, "Stop!  You're
        racing  toward  destruction!"   Even  if  every sinner  were  not
        converted that night,  each would remember the message!   (A word
        of caution is in  order here.  Using the spectacular bypasses the
        will of  the observer--he will  remember the incident  whether or
        not he  chooses  to.   Use it  sparingly and  only for  important
        truths).
             Jesus used  group  dynamics  to  teach.   He  harnessed  the
        positive peer pressure  of his group of twelve to help them learn
        scriptural principles and to help facilitate character training.
             Jesus also used  object lessons.  He  used a child to  teach
        humility:

             At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying,
             Who  is the  greatest in  the kingdom  of heaven?   And
             Jesus called  a little child  unto him, and set  him in
             the  midst of them,   And said, Verily  I say unto you,
             Except  ye be converted, and become as little children,
             ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
             Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little
             child, the same is greatest  in the kingdom of heaven.
             (Matthew 18:1-4).

        Children  trust their parents completely.  They humble themselves
        before  their parents and other authority figures. They are quick
        to forgive others and do not hold grudges.
             He  used footwashing  to  teach service  and  humility.   He
        performed the  task of  a slave to  his disciples.   Slaves would
        wash the  feet of guests who  were tired from walking  to refresh
        the travelers:

             Now before the feast  of the passover, when  Jesus knew
             that his  hour was  come that he  should depart  out of
             this  world unto the Father, having loved his own which
             were in  the world, he  loved them  unto the end.   And
             supper being ended,  the devil having now  put into the
             heart  of Judas Iscariot,  Simon's son, to  betray him;
             Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into
             his hands, and that he was  come from God, and went  to
             God;    He  riseth  from supper,  and  laid  aside  his
             garments; and took a towel, and  girded himself.  After
             that he poureth  water into a bason, and  began to wash
             the  disciples' feet, and  to wipe them  with the towel
             wherewith  he  was girded.    Then cometh  he  to Simon
             Peter: and Peter  saith unto him, Lord,  dost thou wash
             my feet?   Jesus answered and said unto him,  What I do
             thou  knowest not now;  but thou shalt  know hereafter.
             Peter saith  unto him, Thou  shalt never wash  my feet.
             Jesus answered  him, If I  wash thee not, thou  hast no
             part with me.  Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my
             feet only, but also my hands  and my head.  Jesus saith
             to him, He that is washed needeth  not save to wash his
             feet, but  is clean every  whit: and ye are  clean, but
             not all.  For he  knew who should betray him; therefore
             said he, Ye are not all clean.  So after he  had washed
             their  feet, and  had taken his  garments, and  was set
             down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done
             to you?   Ye call me Master and  Lord: and ye say well;
             for so I  am.  If  I then, your  Lord and Master,  have
             washed  your feet; ye also ought  to wash one another's
             feet.  For  I have given you an example, that ye should
             do as I have done to you.  (John 13:1-15).

        He even washed Judas' feet--the one he knew would betray him.
             He used a Roman Denarius to teach paying taxes:

             Then  went the  Pharisees, and  took  counsel how  they
             might entangle him in his talk.  And they sent out unto
             him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master,
             we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God
             in truth,  neither carest  thou for  any man: for  thou
             regardest not  the person of  men.  Tell  us therefore,
             What thinkest thou? Is it  lawful to give tribute  unto
             Caesar,  or not?  But Jesus perceived their wickedness,
             and said, Why tempt  ye me, ye hypocrites?  Shew me the
             tribute money. And they brought  unto him a penny.  And
             he  saith   unto  them,   Whose  is   this  image   and
             superscription?   They  say  unto  him, Caesar's.  Then
             saith  he unto them,  Render therefore unto  Caesar the
             things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that
             are  God's.   When  they  had heard  these  words, they
             marvelled, and  left him, and went their way.  (Matthew
             22:15-22).

        The principle still remains--we should all pay the  proper amount
        of taxes.
             The persecution  of Jesus  demonstrated his  character.   HE
        SHONE THE BRIGHTEST AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF UNJUST PERSECUTION.
        The cross was the culmination of his persecution:

             And when they  were come to the place,  which is called
             Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors,
             one on the right hand, and the other on the left.  Then
             said Jesus,  Father, forgive  them; for  they know  not
             what they  do. And  they parted his  raiment, and  cast
             lots.  (Luke 23:33-34).

        Jesus taught his love for all of us by undergoing persecution and
        death.  He also forgave his persecutors and  killers while he was
        dying  on the  cross--the ultimate  demonstration of the  love of
        God.   By  forgiving  those who  murdered  him, he  taught  us to
        forgive all people for all harmful acts--even those who do us the
        greatest harm.   Jesus performed  the highest heroic act  of love
        and  illustrated the supreme  teaching method by  giving his life
        for us.
             God taught us through the raising of Jesus from the dead (1)
        that  Jesus is who he claimed to be,  the Son of God; (2) that we
        could be saved and  eventually raised from the dead; and (3) that
        God is holy, loving, wise and powerful.
             Some day we may be called upon to suffer and possibly die as
        Jesus did in  order that  others may  be drawn to  Christ and  be
        saved.  But  like our Lord, on the resurrection day, we too shall
        be raised from the dead!