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Particulars
of Christianity:
312
The Church Ethic
Reason
and Learning through Questions
The Church Ethic: Introduction
Church Ethic Scripture References
Being Like the Pharisees
Reason and Learning through Questions
Proverbs
18:17 The first to present his case seems right, till
another comes forward and questions him.
There is a curious method of teaching and learning found in
the pages of the Bible that is drastically different from
the model Churches follow today. In our modern Church, leaders
dictate truth to their congregations and those congregations
take notes so they can learn and recall what they have been
taught. But there is no room for questioning.
Sure, someone might say, "We can ask the Pastor questions."
Yes, but what kinds of questions and for what purpose? We
can certainly ask a Pastor questions for clarification, but
not to question his premise or conclusion. We cannot ask questions
with the possibility of exposing flaws in his reasoning or
teaching. And we certainly cannot ask questions on Sunday
mornings during the sermon in front of the whole church. How
disruptive that would be. No, we should wait till after the
service and ask him in private, at which point he will clarify
what we have misunderstood.
So, while we can ask questions, it is only with the presumption
on the part of both the pastor and the congregation, that
the pastor already knows what he's talking about. Even the
best of pastors may openly admit that they are human and can
make mistakes. But do they submit their doctrine and reasoning
to the examination of the congregation? If you think so, why
don't you try it with your pastor and see if he responds as
if his teaching might have any holes in it. Just as a test,
try implying (or even outright telling him) that he has a
flaw in his doctrine and see what he says.
Even if you are sure your pastor would be open and accepting,
would he regularly submit to such questions during the sermon?
Realistically, there is serious doubt that any pastor would.
But the pattern of learning and teaching in the Bible is entirely
different and we will demonstrate that in the scripture.
Philosophers understand something known as the dialectic.
The dialectic is a way of teaching and evaluating truth
claims by asking questions to test any truth claim.
In the Socratic dialectic, this model is applied equally
to students as to those who claim to have knowledge already,
including teachers. According to Plato's Apology, one
of Socrates' particular purposes was to expose the flaws in
what was commonly accepted to be true.
When we read passages like I Kings 10:1, II Chronicles 9:1-2,
or Proverbs 18:17, we start to see evidence that such a dialectic
was not foreign to the Biblical method of learning.
The New Testament is even clearer in this regard. It is perhaps
clearest when we view the two following Gospel passages side
by side. One of these passages is from the beginning of Jesus
life here on earth. The other is from just before his crucifixion.
Luke 2:46 And it came to pass, that after three days
they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the
doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding
and answers.
John 16:30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all
things, and needest not that any man should ask thee:
by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
We will soon see that this method of teaching and validating
teaching was a pattern in Jesus life. Here we see it early
on in Luke 2:46-47. When I used to read this passage, I used
to be a little confused when I came to the end of verse 47.
You see, in our modern way of learning both in the Church
and in secular education institutions, we think that it is
our answers that demonstrate our understanding. And while
that is true, when taken together, verse 46 and 47 show that
Jesus understanding was displayed as much by his questions
as by his answers.
The really, really significant point for us today is who this
young boy is questioning. He is questioning the "doctors,"
the learned theologians of his day. The word for doctors in
Luke is didaskalos, and it is defined as follows.
1320 didaskalos {did-as'-kal-os}
from 1321; TDNT - 2:148,161; n m
AV - Master (Jesus) 40, teacher 10, master 7, doctor 1; 58
1) a teacher
2) in the NT one who teaches concerning the things of God,
and the duties of man
1a) one who is fitted to teach, or thinks himself so
1b) the teachers of the Jewish religion
1c) of those who by their great power as teachers draw crowds
around them i.e. John the Baptist, Jesus
1d) by preeminence used of Jesus by himself, as one who showed
men the way of salvation
1e) of the apostles, and of Paul
1f) of those who in the religious assemblies of the Christians,
undertook the work of teaching, with the special assistance
of the Holy Spirit
1g) of false teachers among Christians
Here we see that his word doctor refers to the educated teachers
and leaders of the people. Who would that equate to in the
modern Church? Certainly it would include pastors, educators,
and authors. And here we see a twelve-year old boy engaged
with them in the dialectic. By asking them questions he is
both teaching them and pointing out flaws in their answers.
As a footnote, this is the same word applied to Jesus as a
title by his followers in the Gospels. The following passage
is one example.
Mar 13:1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his
disciples saith unto him, Master [1320], see what manner of
stones and what buildings!
And we see this mode of learning, validating, and teaching
by questions throughout the Gospels.
Matthew 11:27-28 - Jesus is questioned about his authority
Matthew 11:29-33 - Jesus asks the Pharisees where John's
baptism was from
Matthew 12:1-5 - Jesus asks about the David, the priests,
and the shewbread
Matthew 12:24-27 - Jesus asks by whose power the Pharisees'
disciples cast out demons
Matthew 17:24-27 - Jesus asks Peter about who is obligated
to pay taxes
Matthew 19:3-9 - Jesus is questioned about divorce
Matthew 21:15-17 - Jesus is questioned about children
praising him as David's Son
Matthew 21:28-32 - Jesus asks which of the two sons
in his parable was obedient
Mark 7:5-23 - Jesus is questioned about the hand washing
tradition of the elders
Mark 12:14-17 - Jesus is questioned about paying taxes
to Caesar
Mark 12:18-27 - Jesus is questioned about marriage
and the Resurrection
Mark 12:28-34 - Jesus is questioned about which is
the greatest commandment
Luke 7:40-48 - Jesus asks which man in his parable
is more thankful for debt forgiveness
Luke 10:25-28 - Jesus is asked and asks questions about
how to receive eternal life
Luke 10:29-37 - Jesus is asked and asks questions about
who is our neighbor
Luke 14:1-6 - Jesus asks what kinds of work were permissible
on the Sabbath
John 8:3-11 - Jesus is questioned about the woman caught
in adultery
In fact, Luke 11:53 tells us that it became the practice of
the scribes and Pharisees to question Jesus publicly to try
and catch him in error.
There is little doubt that this pattern of questioning to
educate and examine truth claims was a part of the Jewish
culture in that day. We see the Pharisees, Sadducees, and
scribes using it against Jesus. We see Jesus using it against
the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes. We see Jesus using
it to teach his apostles different things. And at times we
even see members of the crowd asking Jesus questions, such
as the rich young ruler.
As we have said, perhaps the strongest proof that this type
of teaching method was in operation by Jesus and by the Jewish
leaders of his day is found in John 16:30.
John 16:30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all
things, and needest not that any man should ask thee:
by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
Notice what the apostles are saying. They are is declaring
that Jesus is in no need of any one to ask him any questions
because he already knows all things. The clear implication
is that for those whose understanding is not complete, they
are in need of someone to ask them questions and in that way
to instruct them.
Based on our modern educational practices and particularly
our Church services, we would expect this statement to be
reversed. We would expect to read here that Jesus is in no
need for someone to tell him something. But instead we find
that he is in no need for someone to ask him anything. So,
we see that the disciples understood quite well that the method
of instructing was questioning, not simply telling.
The other really, really significant thing in this one small
verse is the apostles' confession that we find here. Remembering
that this book was written by the apostle John, what according
to John was the basis of their belief that Jesus came from
God? Astoundingly, according to John it was the completeness
and flawlessness of his understanding, an understanding that
needed no man to instruct him through questions.
And what is the value of questioning as opposed to just telling.
Well, when you tell someone WHAT to think, you are giving
information. But by asking questions, you are actually instructing
them in HOW to think, how to analyze and how to problem solve
throught critical thought. By asking questions you are provoking
them to solve problems for themselves, to think farther on
their own. This very process teaches critical thinking skills
that simply telling information cannot do.
And the benefit is that your students no only become familiar
with sound doctrine, but they become familiar with the thought
processes involved in deriving sound doctrine.
Notice these instructions in the epistles and consider their
place in this process.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:
and be ready always to give an answer to every man that
asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness
and fear:
Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath
been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both
to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
These two verses are perhaps the strongest in the New Testament
regarding the necessity for believers to become able apologists.
What is an apologist? An apologist is one who is able to defend
the Christian faith against the arguments of any opposition.
Notice that according to Peter this process is likely to involve
being able to give answers to opponents who ask us for answers.
And Titus 1 instructs us that we must be familiar with orthodox
doctrine (the word as it HAS BEEN taught), in order to be
able to convince those who oppose it.
But what are the practical implications for the modern Church.
Well, let's consider our main mode of teaching in today's
church, the sermon.
Now, there is nothing wrong with a sermon itself, at least
with sermons as we find them in the New Testament. As we have
seen and will continue to see, sermons in the New Testament
involved the opportunity for the audience to question the
speaker about his doctrine and its implications. However,
our point here is that sermons in the modern church differ
sharply from sermons in the New Testament with regard to this
particular trait - the opportunity to question the statements
of the speaker.
A sermon in the modern church is nothing less than a one sided-monologue.
No one is allowed to interrupt it particularly to question
some of the statements and truth claims made by the speaker.
Even if we have questions, we should save them until after
the service since to interrupt and criticize the truth claims
of the speaker would be to commit the cardinal sin in a church
service.
Therefore, the main method and model of instruction in the
modern church has taken great precautions to prevent the very
mode of learning employed by people in the time of Christ
and employed by Christ himself. But is there anything in the
New Testament that would indicate our services SHOULD be structured
in a way that accommodates a process of questioning those
who claim to have understanding?
Fortunately there is. We find it in I Timothy 2 and I Corinthians
14. As we will see, these are, in fact, parallel instructions.
I Timothy 2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with
all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach,
nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not
deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if
they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
I Corinthians 14:34 Let your women keep silence
in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak;
but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also
saith the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let
them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women
to speak in the church.
These two verses tell us Paul's position on women's participation
in the Church services. Paul did not permit them to speak,
but if they wanted to learn they should do what? Ask their
husbands questions at home. In other words, women were not
allowed to ask questions during the gatherings of the whole
church.
So, what does that have to do with the structure of Church
services? Well, if women were not allowed to speak, who was?
Don't we see that Paul is clearly making a distinction here
between what was permitted for men and what was permitted
for women. Women were not allowed to speak or ask questions
but had to learn in silence. But would Paul have written this
about women if it was the same for men? No, men were not required
to learn in silence. It was the practice of their meetings
for the men to be able to ask questions during the meeting,
not after it. Asking questions after the meeting was what
women were required to do.
This is a very sharp contrast to the way sermons and services
are structured today. Today, all of the congregation, men
as well as women are required to learn in silence and to save
their questions for after the Church meeting. We have completely
deviated from the Church structure in the first century and
from the mode of teaching employed by Jesus.
And has the result of our deviation from the Biblical standard
been beneficial? Of course, not. The congregations of today's
Church are far less knowledgeable of the scripture, far less
able as apologists, and far less able to use critical thinking
to discern truth from error than those in the first century.
And unfortunately it has not only effected the so-called "lay
people," but the leadership of the Church has been just as
effected. The multitude of denominations and doctrines are
just one evidence of this.
Attempts to combat Biblical illiteracy in the Church will
not be effective until and unless we incorporate the Biblical
dialectic into our services and into our Bible studies and
into our thought processes as a whole. We should remember
God's word in Ephesians 4:13-14. God wants us all to grow
into maturity and unity in not only the faith in the Son of
God, but the knowledge of the Son of God as well.
By instructing just by telling people what to believe, we
are invoking the process of indoctrination. Indoctrination
requires no critical thinking, only the acceptance of what
we are told by our leaders. Because of this, people can be
indoctrinated into both correct and incorrect theology. But
because it invokes critical thinking processes, simply asserting
the ability and opportunity for people to ask questions during
a teaching goes a long way toward counteracting mere indoctrination.
We end this article with a quote from Hebrews and II Timothy.
Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be
teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the
first principles of the oracles of God; and are become
such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For
every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness:
for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that
are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their
senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto
God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.
Telling someone what to think and believe does not require
them to exercise discernment. Only by using the Biblical practice
of teaching and validating teaching through questions can
we develop our skills in the word, to discern truth from error,
and to rightly divide the word of God.
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