Sermon Tone Analysis

Wenstrom Bible Ministries

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Tuesday October 20, 2009

www.wenstrom.org

Romans: Romans 12:7b-The Function Of The Spiritual Gift Of Teacher

Lesson # 409

Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 12:1.

Last Thursday we studied Romans 12:7a in which Paul teaches that the function of the gift of service is manifested by serving the body of Christ.

Tonight we will complete this verse by noting that the function of the spiritual gift of teacher is manifested by teaching the body of Christ.

Romans 12:1, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Romans 12:3, “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”

Romans 12:4-5, “For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

Romans 12:6-8, “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith.

If service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Let’s now concentrate on verse 7.

Romans 12:7, “If service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching.”

“He who teaches” is the articular nominative masculine singular present active participle form of the verb didasko (didavskw) (did-as-ko), which means, “to teach, to educate, to train, to impart information in a public assembly.”

The verb didasko was used among the Greeks “for the impartation of practical or theoretical knowledge,” which was basic to the development of skill of any kind.

The word was used typically for the relationship between teacher and pupil, instructor and apprentice.

The practice of teaching through example was not intended to elicit imitation of the teacher but rather the aim was to develop the skills and talents of the student without jeopardizing the student’s individuality.

The verb didasko was used in the Greek New Testament both of the Lord’s teaching, the apostles’ and those who were pastor-teachers, such as Timothy and Titus.

The word is used often in the Greek New Testament for practical instructions or rulings on the basis of Scriptural interpretation and also in the sense of instructing others in regards to the kingdom of God and the mystery doctrine for the church age.

The verb didasko is used of the Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching ministry in which He was always teaching publicly whether in the Temple in Jerusalem, the synagogues or outside in the open air (Matt.

4:23, 5:2; 9:35; 11:1; 26:55; 28:20; Mark 1:21-22; 2:13; 4:1-2; 6:2, 6, 34; 8:31; 9:31; 10:1; 11:17; 12:35; 14:49; Luke 4:15, 31; 5:3, 17; 6:6; 11:1; 13:10, 22; 19:47; 20:1; 21:37; 23:5; John 6:59; 7:14, 28; 8:2, 20; 18:20; Acts 1:1).

Our Lord set the example for the pastor-teacher in the church age by teaching daily in the Temple (Matt.

26:55; Mark 14:49; Luke 19:47).

The apostles taught in the Temple in the midst of the stiff opposition from the Sanhedrin (Acts 5).

The verb is used of Paul’s “teaching” ministry (Galatians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 4:17; Colossians 1:28).

In Romans 12:7, the verb didasko refers to the function of the permanent spiritual gift of teaching or communicating the Word of God to the congregation.

This involves the responsibility of being devoted to studying and teaching the Word of God (1 Timothy 4:11; 6:2; 2 Timothy 2:15, 24; Ezra 7:10).

It also involves being devoted to prayer (Acts 6:1-6) and to exemplify the Christian way of life (1 Timothy 4:11-12; Hebrews 13:7).

The noun didaskalos, “teachers” is used to signify this gift of teaching in 1 Corinthians 12:28 and in Ephesians 4:11.

1 Corinthians 12:28, “And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.”

Ephesians 4:11, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers.”

The man who has the spiritual gift of teaching also holds the office of pastor since the pastor shepherds his flock by providing his flock spiritual nourishment, which is the Word of God (Matthew 4:4; John 21:15-17).

This is also indicated in Ephesians 4:11 by the expression “pastors and teachers,” which because of the figure of hendiadys refers to one individual and not two.

The term “pastor” refers to a position of authority in the body of Christ, which was subordinate to the apostles and prophets in the first century apostolic church prior to the completion of the canon of Scripture.

During the post canon period of the church age with the completion of the canon of Scripture, they now exercise the highest position of authority in the church.

The term “teacher” emphasizes the manner in which his authority functions, namely by communicating the Word of God.

The term “pastor” emphasizes his office while “teacher” emphasizes his spiritual gift.

He is to exercise this authority in order to further the spiritual growth of his congregation to Christ-likeness.

Every believer in the church age has been assigned to a pastor-teacher without exception (1 Pet.

5:1-4).

Every believer has been assigned to a pastor-teacher who has charge over them in the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

The pastor has been delegated authority from the Lord Jesus Christ and is accountable to Him (James 3:1; Hebrews 13:17).

The pastor-teacher has four responsibilities that are the means by which he tends and shepherds the flock of God: (1) Study (2 Tim.

2:15) (2) Teach (1 Tim.

4:13) (3) Pray (Acts 6:1-4) (4) Set Example of Christian conduct (1 Timothy 4:11-12; 2 Timothy 3:10).

If a pastor loves the Lord and the Lord’s flock, he will feed them (John 21:15-17).

The spiritual growth of each individual believer is dependent upon that which the pastor-teacher provides, namely, the Word of God, which he is to communicate (Eph.

4:7-16).

God has given the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher to men only since 1 Timothy 3:2 teaches that an overseer must be the husband of one wife.

According to the Scripture a woman is to never exercise authority over a man because God has ordained man as the authority over woman and Eve was deceived while Adam was not (1 Timothy 2:12-14).

However, even though women can never hold the office of pastor, Paul teaches in Titus 2:3 that the more mature women in the congregation are to teach the immature women.

The pastor who is diligent in feeding the flock of God is to be highly esteemed (1 Thess.

5:12-13).

The congregation is to imitate their conduct, which is a result of applying that which they teach their congregation (Hebrews 13:7).

The congregation is to submit to their spiritual authority since they keep watch over the souls of the congregation (Hebrews 13:17).

No accusation against a pastor should ever be received unless there are two or more witnesses (1 Timothy 5:19).

Although the pastor-teacher is the spiritual authority in the local assembly, he is not to lord his authority over the congregation (1 Peter 5:1-4).

He is to adhere to the principle of spiritual authority in which he is to operate, namely, humility (Matthew 20:24-28).

In Romans 12:7, the verb didasko refers to the function of the permanent spiritual gift of being a teacher of the Word of God.

Romans 12:7, “If service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching.”

“In his teaching” is composed of the preposition en (e)n), “in” and the articular dative feminine singular form of the noun didaskalia (didaskaliva) (did-as-kal-ee-ah), “his teaching.”

In Romans 12:7, the noun didaskalia refers to the activity or function of the spiritual gift of teaching the Word of God.

The preposition en functions as a marker of means and the noun didaskalia as a dative instrumental of means indicating that the function of the spiritual gift of teacher is manifested “by means of” teaching the Word of God.