Jesus- A smart Teacher

Jesus- A smart Teacher

Let us pray, May the words of my mouth and thoughts of our hearts be acceptable to you O Rock and Redeemer.

A kid reached his home after Sunday school. His grandma asked him, what your Sunday school teacher taught you today.  Kid started to tell that, Israelites who were under the bondage of Egypt. Moses came with the help of God and saved them. On the way, Israelites were stuck between the red sea, Behind with pharaoh and his army. “What happened thambi”, asked Grandma curiously. You know what happened grandma, Israelites were praying to God. Suddenly, God sent some helicopters, they all escaped using that helicopters before pharaoh reached them.  Grandma said “No no no, this is funny, tell me what your Sunday school teacher taught you”, Kid replied “Paatima, If I would have told what my teacher said you would laugh out like anything”.  Teaching is not an easy task. Especially teaching to smarty’s today is like accepting a momo challenge.

Luke who is considered to be the author of Luke’s Gospel shows that salvation includes even the marginalized by telling about how Jesus associated with the social and religious outcasts of the first century Palestine, giving them a new status and a new identity. Especially to Samaritans, women, tax collectors and even the poor.

Thus, The Gospel of Luke plays greater attention to the marginalized that includes women, tax collectors, people with various diseases and the poor.  The given passage also comes under this type by casting the demon out from the demon possessed man,

As 5^th Sept, today is teacher’s day, I would like to concentrate on only vs 32,         

People were astonished by Jesus’s teaching because he spoke with authority. I would like to entitle my reflection as Jesus – a Smart Teacher. I would like to concentrate only on the teaching of Jesus, and divide this reflection into three…   

Firstly, An Interesting Teacher 

 “Sermon on the mount is considered to be one of the best sermon in my lifetime” expressed Gandhi ji.” When it comes to preaching and teaching Jesus never disappoints his/her listeners. He used parables, metaphors and stories with simple and common language to attract all age listeners, he used to ask questions in between to make sure that everyone is following him or not.                    A Great communicator who was able to reach out to his thousands of listeners. Interesting and Interactive teaching is all about instructing the listeners in a way they are actively involved for a higher level of understanding. The people who are enlightened by his teaching were uncountable, In that sense, Jesus is an interesting teacher.

Secondly, An Intellectual Teacher

During and before Jesus time, Jews follow a particular style by by-hearting their torah and used to tell it without even seeing the text. This was the usual practice happened at that time. But Jesus goes to next level, by telling the  particular verse and specifically says that in that torah it was mentioned like this and what I am going to express is that is like this... For example, My house is a prayer house is the one written and Jesus further says that you are making as the den of robbers. These type of unique sayings made Jesus is something special among them. Techniques like these also made people to follow jesus by telling that (in verse 32 as) Jesus spoke with Authority unlike. Thus. Jesus used his mind creatively by answering tricky questions like, which is the best commandment? What can be done to the adultered woman?, etc. This clearly shows us the intellectuality of Jesus.  Intellect can be defined as A person who uses the mind creatively. Jesus too used his mind creatively, thus Jesus an intellectual teacher.

Finally, An Inclusive Teacher

Jesus was an inclusive teacher, he loved humans irrespective of where he/she comes from, what disease they have, what age group they belong, etc. he wanted to help them to know and learn about God and God’s Reign. Jesus being a humble person with inclusive ideology made Pharisees and Sadducees to question him continuously. For example, Jesus healed a woman in Sabbath day by calling her Abraham’s lineage, likewise zacheaus, a tax collector too.

The Pharisees and Sadducees were dividing the people by their teaching and social structure which is already prevailed that time, but Jesus united the people for God’s reign through his inclusiveness.  

Today in  hindu phobia this inclusive model is a great one to approach and apply.

Conclusion

One day a Sunday school teacher conducted a competition. The challenge is the yoke inside the egg have to be removed but there should be a life inside it. This is a tricky challenge but 3 students came up with their answer.

1^st student- leaf and flower inside egg shell

2^nd student- small stone from water is kept inside the egg shell represent fungus

3^rd student who always thinks smartly kept an empty shell.

Teacher was surprised and asked what is this, I can see only empty egg shell. That student replied that egg represent the empty tomb of Jesus Christ. The teacher astonished and hugged him. Friends, there can be many theories which is related to that, like wrong tomb theory, hallucination theory, stolen body theory, moved body theory, etc. but our faith defines where we stand and how we see the incarnated Jesus.

From the Sunday school kid who showed the empty shell and the kid who narrated the story of Moses and red sea, we can see the smartness of this generation. I consider pastors also as teachers because they too struggle a lot to make others understand what they wish to tell, both of them prepare notes sleeplessly to make the students/listeners actively participate.

To teach, preach or interpret Gospel in today’s scenario is a challenging task more than Jesus did 2000 years ago. We too should learn the methodology from our Smart teacher Jesus Christ- used smart techniques – who taught us to teach interestingly, intellectually and inclusively.     

May God bless these words! Amen!