(L, P)br...
Illustration
(L, P)
The teacher was getting rather annoyed at the passivity of several of her students. Not being able to take much more from them, she shouted at one of them, "What have I just been telling you? Where has your brain been? Why haven't you been listening to me?" Following this barrage of questions, the student timidly replied, "I forget," much to the consternation of the teacher.
Can't you just see Jesus walking with his disciples, yelling at them and accusing them of not listening or caring or studying? Yet, the word picture designed for us in this lesson of Scripture is a didactic narrative. Having declared that he was teaching his disciples, Jesus knew that the best teaching device is in being what one talks about. Having stated that he was going to have to be killed and then rise three days later, it would have "killed" his point to have in a sense "killed" his disciples ability to learn. And worse, he could have cut them down by calling them stupid or ignorant or some such thing.
Jesus had to be an example of what he was talking about. Cool. Patient. Understanding. Accepting. These are words powerful in example. These words do not find earthy words to describe them. Jesus was that example!
In college I learned that the ability to use big words (appropriately) was the hallmark of an intelligent sounding person. When I turned in my papers to the college professor I would be complimented. When I brought those same papers home and read them to some unsuspecting family member, I was told, "Use smaller words. I don't understand a single word." Jesus was a simple word doer!
-- Netz
The teacher was getting rather annoyed at the passivity of several of her students. Not being able to take much more from them, she shouted at one of them, "What have I just been telling you? Where has your brain been? Why haven't you been listening to me?" Following this barrage of questions, the student timidly replied, "I forget," much to the consternation of the teacher.
Can't you just see Jesus walking with his disciples, yelling at them and accusing them of not listening or caring or studying? Yet, the word picture designed for us in this lesson of Scripture is a didactic narrative. Having declared that he was teaching his disciples, Jesus knew that the best teaching device is in being what one talks about. Having stated that he was going to have to be killed and then rise three days later, it would have "killed" his point to have in a sense "killed" his disciples ability to learn. And worse, he could have cut them down by calling them stupid or ignorant or some such thing.
Jesus had to be an example of what he was talking about. Cool. Patient. Understanding. Accepting. These are words powerful in example. These words do not find earthy words to describe them. Jesus was that example!
In college I learned that the ability to use big words (appropriately) was the hallmark of an intelligent sounding person. When I turned in my papers to the college professor I would be complimented. When I brought those same papers home and read them to some unsuspecting family member, I was told, "Use smaller words. I don't understand a single word." Jesus was a simple word doer!
-- Netz
