Becoming a Teacher of God’s Word

成為神話語的老師

by Richard Lim

Translated & Edited by Joyce Yang 

believe many of us during our school days had teachers who made an impact and inspired us to make decisions that we never dreamt of. However, to be a teacher of God’s Word has greater graveness and responsibility because you are a spokesperson of God. 1 Peter 4:11 says that anyone who speaks for the Lord needs to “speak as it were the oracles of God” or “let him speak as it were the utterances of God” in the NASB version. This means that we need to faithfully proclaim what the Word of God says. 相信我們很多人在我們上學的時候, 都有老師, 他們影響且激勵我們做出我們做夢也沒想到的決定。然而, 要成為神話語的老師, 就會有更重大的責任,因為你是神的代言人。彼得前書4:11 說, 「要照著神的話語講說」(CSBT)或「要按著神的聖言講」(CUVMPT)。這意味著我們需要忠實地宣告神所說的話。

James chapter 3 says that not many should become teachers. This seems counterintuitive and contradicting to the Hebrew writer who says that many of the Christians ought to become teachers and not stay stagnant as babes in Christ. In fact, Paul said that God gave shepherds, evangelists, and teachers for the equipping of the saints. God wants teachers. I believe He is not prohibiting or discouraging Christians to become teachers but rather offers a warning to those who teach. They must take the job of teaching seriously because teachers will receive a stricter judgement. 
雅各書第3章說, 不要多人作師傅。這似乎違背直覺, 且與希伯來書作家的說法相矛盾, 希伯來書說, 許多基督徒應該成為教師, 而不是像基督裡的嬰兒那樣停滯不前。事實上, 保羅說, 為了裝備聖徒，上帝給了長老、福音傳播者和教師（的角色）。上帝需要老師。我相信祂不是禁止或勸阻基督徒成為教師, 而是向那些教聖經的人發出警告。他們必須認真對待教學工作, 因為教師會得到更嚴格的審判。

James explains in verse 2 with the sentence that begins with the word, “for,” showing us the reason we need to be serious as a teacher. It is because we all stumble in many ways. One of the ways we stumble is in our words. How true it is! As teachers, we speak more than those who do not teach and therefore there are more words to be judged by God. 雅各書在第2節用「For原來」開頭的句子解釋, 向我們顯示作為老師需要認真的原因。這是因為我們都在很多方面都跌倒。我們跌倒的方式之一就是我們的話語。這是多麼真實啊！作為老師, 我們比那些不教的人說的更多, 因此有更多的話語將由上帝來審判。

In Matthew 12:36-37, Jesus said, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” James also reveals the attitude of the tongue. “If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.” His point is that controlling the tongue is difficult and the person who can control the tongue is a complete, mature Christian. It is not enough for a teacher to possess “the gift of gab” and then think that they are qualified in the eyes of God to teach his precious word. The teacher must be able to control the tongue and must be sure to say the things that are necessary, right, and helpful to others. 在馬太福音12:36-37 章, 耶穌說: 「36我又告訴你們，凡人所說的閒話，當審判的日子必要句句供出來。37 因為要憑你的話定你為義，也要憑你的話定你有罪。」(CUVMPT)雅各書還透露了舌頭的態度。「若有人在話語上沒有過失，他就是完全人，也能勒住自己的全身。」他的重點是, 控制舌頭是困難的，可以控制舌頭的是一個完全的, 成熟的基督徒。老師僅僅擁有 「口才」, 就認為他們在上帝眼中有資格教導祂寶貴的話語，這是不足夠的。老師必須能夠控制舌頭, 一定要說一些必要的、正確的、對別人有幫助的事情。

The teacher must practice what they teach and preach! In teaching we must never teach what we ourselves will not live and obey. Romans 2:21 says, “You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 老師必須實踐他們的教導和講道！在教學中, 我們絕不能教導我們自己沒有實踐和遵守的東西。羅馬書2:21 說: 「21 你既是教導別人，還不教導自己嗎？你講說人不可偷竊，自己還偷竊嗎？22 你說人不可姦淫，自己還姦淫嗎？你厭惡偶像，自己還偷竊廟中之物嗎？」(CUVMPT)

The bible warns us not to teach just to be exalted and honored. Perhaps there were Christians who were saying, “Why don’t I get my turn to be a teacher? I should be a teacher.” I believe there were people then, as there can be today, who see teachers as having a glorious position, with the opportunity to stand in front of the group, as if there is personal glory in that. 《聖經》警告我們, 不要僅為了被提升和尊敬而教聖經。也許有基督徒說: 「為什麼不輪到我當老師呢？我應該作一個老師。我相信過去有人, 就像今天一樣, 認為老師有光榮的地位, 有機會站在群體面前, 好像有個人的榮耀在裡面。

In Matthew 23:8-12, Jesus warns against those who aspire to be teachers and want the position due to the honour and prestige. “But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Jesus was a great master teacher that showed us humility. In the account of John 13:13-16, Jesus said, “13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.” 在《馬太福音》23: 8-12 , 耶穌警告那些渴望成為教師並因榮譽和聲望而想要這個職位的人。「8 但你們不要受拉比的稱呼，因為只有一位是你們的夫子，你們都是弟兄。9 也不要稱呼地上的人為父，因為只有一位是你們的父，就是在天上的父。10 也不要受師尊的稱呼，因為只有一位是你們的師尊，就是基督。11 你們中間誰為大，誰就要做你們的用人。12 凡自高的，必降為卑；自卑的，必升為高。」耶穌是一位偉大的大師, 向我們展示了謙卑。在約翰福音13:13-16的敘述中, 耶穌說: 「13 你們稱呼我夫子，稱呼我主，你們說的不錯，我本來是。14 我是你們的主、你們的夫子，尚且洗你們的腳，你們也當彼此洗腳。15 我給你們做了榜樣，叫你們照著我向你們所做的去做。16 我實實在在地告訴你們：僕人不能大於主人，差人也不能大於差他的人。」

Paul gave the instructions to Titus on the qualifications of the elders in Tit. 1:5-9 and in verses 10-11, he instruct- ed that one of the tasks for the elders of local congregations was to put a stop to those who were teaching just for the money that they could obtain. “10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. “ These kinds of teachers are like what Jesus metioned in John 10:1-18 about the difference between a hireling and the shepherd. The true shepherd will lay down his life for the sheep but the hireling will flee when the wolves comes. A good teacher is one that will go the extra mile to show concern and care towards their students. 保羅在《提多書》 1:5-9和10-11 節 中指示提多當地教會長老的資格, 他指出地方教會長老其中的一個任務就是阻止那些僅僅為了他們能拿到錢而教聖經的人。「10 因為有許多人不服約束，說虛空話欺哄人，那奉割禮的更是這樣。11 這些人的口總要堵住。他們因貪不義之財，將不該教導的教導人，敗壞人的全家。」這類老師就像耶穌在約翰福音 10:1-18 中所說的雇工和牧羊人之間的區別。真正的牧羊人會為羊獻出自己的生命, 但當狼來的時候, 雇工就會逃跑。一個好的老師是一個會付出額外努力對學生表示關心和關懷的老師。

As a teacher of God’s word, we must not only guard against teaching things that are false but also not neglect to teach all of what we should teach. Paul, when speaking to the elders of the church in Ephesus did not hold back but said, “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.” 作為上帝話語的老師, 我們不僅要提防錯誤的教導, 還不能忽視教導所有我們應該教導的東西。保羅，對以弗所教會的長老說話時,並沒有退縮, 而是說: 「26 所以我今日向你們證明，你們中間無論何人死亡，罪不在我身上。27 因為神的旨意我並沒有一樣避諱不傳給你們的。」（使徒行傳20:26-27(CUVMPT)）

Ezekiel mentioned that as a watchman of God we must warn whenever we can and if don’t, we will be guilty. Ezekiel 3:17-21 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wicked- ness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. 20 “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.” 以西結提到, 作為神的守望者, 只要可以我們就必須警告, 如果不這麼做, 我們就有罪。

以西結書3:17-21 (CUVMPT)「17 「人子啊，我立你做以色列家守望的人，所以你要聽我口中的話，替我警戒他們。18 我何時指著惡人說他必要死，你若不警戒他，也不勸誡他，使他離開惡行，拯救他的性命，這惡人必死在罪孽之中，我卻要向你討他喪命的罪[a]。 19 倘若你警戒惡人，他仍不轉離罪惡，也不離開惡行，他必死在罪孽之中，你卻救自己脫離了罪。20 再者，義人何時離義而犯罪，我將絆腳石放在他面前，他就必死。因你沒有警戒他，他必死在罪中，他素來所行的義不被記念，我卻要向你討他喪命的罪[b]。21 倘若你警戒義人，使他不犯罪，他就不犯罪，他因受警戒就必存活，你也救自己脫離了罪。」Footnotes:  a.  以西結書3:18 原文作：血。b. 以西結書3:20 原文作：血。

Let us all remember that anyone who becomes a Christian has the responsibility of becoming involved in doing their best to teach & convert others. Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have command- ed you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” 讓我們都記住,任何成為基督徒的人都有責任參與進來, 盡最大努力去教導和改變他人的信仰。

馬太福音 28:19-20 (CUVMPT)「19 所以你們要去，使萬民做我的門徒，奉父、子、聖靈的名給他們施洗[a]，20 凡我所吩咐你們的，都教訓他們遵守。我就常與你們同在，直到世界的末了。阿們。」
Footnotes: 馬太福音28:19 或作：給他們施洗，歸於父、子、聖靈的名。」