The teaching method of Jesus

As Christians we know we are to be like Jesus. It is no different when it
comes to the teaching office in the church, we should teach like Jesus. Many look at what Jesus taught but few have looked at how Jesus taught. His techniques, methods and understanding of the education process is evident throughout the gospels. While ultimately all learning is the work of God's Spirit it does not negate diligently learning how to be a more effective teacher. My hope in these blogs is that our saviors teaching method helps someone be a better teacher.


Lets us begin by looking at the subject of education from a wide view lens. The context in which all educational endeavors take place is called the teaching situation. The teaching situation involves six essential elements.

1. a teacher
2. a pupil or pupils
3. An environment: examples include a classroom, laboratory, library, apparatus, even a person's social context.
4. Curriculum: the things taught
5. The aim of the teacher: that which the teacher would accomplish by means of instruction in the life of the pupil.
6. Method, or the Way of the process.

Example from Jesus's ministry to see if we can find the teaching situations in the story.

A.) The story of Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3.

1. teacher: Jesus
2. pupil: Nicodemus
3. Environment: night scene
4. Curriculum: the subject of the instruction is "the birth from above."
5. Aim: jesus aimed to affect change in the life of the pupil. (Did jesus accomplish his aim? see John 7:50, 19:39)
6. The method: conversation - dialogue including question and answer, concrete illustration of the work of the Spirit, and explanation.

In many other areas Jesus understand the teaching situation and uses it with great skill to accomplish his aim in teaching. The teaching situations helps us see all the aspects that are involved in learning. Assessing the teaching situation with accuracy is important in using the right method for the situation and the good of the pupil.