Have you had a teacher that simply amazed you? Was there one teacher that stood out above the rest? Did that teacher seem to know everything there is to know? Did they have an aura about them? Was there an authoritative air about them?
Whether we realize it or not, we are taught in many ways by a wide variety of people. We can easily remember some of our teachers from elementary or high school. We may remember our professors from college. Often there are one or two who stand out in our memory.
Despite having many teachers or even having one who we thought knew everything, we have had no teacher like Jesus. Teachers today teach from a textbook, which is much like the scribes of the first century. They teach what has been written by someone else. They may be well versed in the material and may be able to answer every question posed to them. Yet, they are not speaking of their own accord.
Jesus did not teach from a manuscript. He didn’t need to read the Scriptures and teach on them. He taught with the authority of God. His teaching came directly from God without any interpretation. Because He taught as God, there was an air of authority about Him. He commanded the people’s attention. They were amazed at not only what He taught, but how He taught.
The best we can do to understand is to imagine Him speaking to us as we read what He taught. Our Sunday school teachers and pastors are teaching from what has been written. Jesus is the reason for what is written. He is the master teacher. His authority is boundless. The guidance and direction provided in His teaching is pure, firsthand, and authoritative.
I pray we all see Jesus as the master teacher. I pray we seek to better understand His teachings. I pray each one of us will spend time reading His teaching and viewing it as coming straight from God. Jesus is the master teacher. He speaks as God. He has authority. Read Jesus’ teaching.
Mark 1:21-22 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Marty Pressey 