The Bible in general and the gospels in particularly have strong warnings to those who consider themselves to be great teachers and examples. Look again at the warnings to the Pharisees in Matthew 23 and/or the implied criticisms of religious leaders in Luke 20. Pick out one warning you would particularly like *your* teachers/leaders/professors to pay attention to, and explain why that warning is particularly important.Sunday, February 1, 2015
Be not called Rabbi, Rabbi (extra credit)
The Bible in general and the gospels in particularly have strong warnings to those who consider themselves to be great teachers and examples. Look again at the warnings to the Pharisees in Matthew 23 and/or the implied criticisms of religious leaders in Luke 20. Pick out one warning you would particularly like *your* teachers/leaders/professors to pay attention to, and explain why that warning is particularly important.
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Matthew 23:23 struck me as something I think the leaders of today could listen to a bit better. Jesus is condemning the Pharisees for tithing these certain spices, and not paying attention to the weightier matters of the law. I think Jesus’s point was that it’s easy to be good and follow the rules on the external, but what about the internal? Justice, mercy, and faith seem to slip to the wayside in today’s political arena as well as in the time of Jesus. Politicians can easily talk about things everyone agrees on, but it would help if deeper matters could be addressed and dealt with, instead of being swept under a rug.
ReplyDeleteOne passage that stuck out to me as something that leaders, especially politicians, need to think about more is Matthew 23:27. Jesus is telling the scribes and Pharisees that they might look like whitewashed tombs on the outside, but they are full of dead men's bones. Political leaders need to read this verse and take them to heart. Just like in Jesus' time, the political leaders look like good people on the outside and look like they are looking out for the best interests of the people they are representing. In reality, however, they are wicked on the inside, and they only look out for themselves (or whoever gives them the most money). The main idea here is that politicians lie all the time. Why can't they just tell the truth? I'd rather have a true politician that nobody likes than a loved politician that does nothing but lie to the people.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 23:5-7 really stood out to me. These verses show how the Pharisees flaunt their leadership positions on their clothing, always have places reserved for them at feasts, and love to be called by their title of "Teacher." I think all of this is something that professors and leaders should look at. Just because you have a specific title, doesn't mean that you have to intimidate others and force them to call you by that title. I believe it is important that professors and leaders are approachable. This is one characteristic that great leaders have. The more that professors and leaders can relate to their students and followers, the better off for everyone.
ReplyDeleteFrom Matthew 23, I think the quote that stood out the most to me that related to teachers and professors would be lines five through eight. Especially because of having to greet them with "Rabbi,"and in this case it would be similar to teacher or professor. I have definitely had teachers in the past that take a large amount of pride in their title. And not that it isn't deserved, because I do think that teachers and professors deserve their titles. I just think that some of them take too much pride in their titles and forget about the teaching aspect of their careers. If they were able to connect with their students better than they would in turn be better teachers and would be more deserving of their title.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 23:27-29 is a great warning. It says you can look perfect on the outside but you are still bad on the inside. In public you are good in private you are bad. This is a great message to leaders it basically says before you teach people look at yourself.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 23:8-12 is what stood out to me the most.
ReplyDelete"8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
Jesus is telling the Pharisees and Sadducees to not worry about the titles that people give them. There is only one Rabbi, father, instructor. People care too much about their titles. Having said this, I plan to one day get my doctorate. I have said on numerous occasions to both family and coworkers, when I receive my doctorate they are to call me Dr. Street. It is usually met with laughter and answers of "no", but I would like the title.
I don't think that Jesus is talking about education other than religion when it comes to the titles teacher and professor. I believe it is ok for someone who teaches to be called a teacher and someone who professes to be called a professor.