A Good Bible Teacher

Q

What makes a good Bible teacher based on Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11?

A

In light of all the people on TV and the internet who are passing themselves off as teachers these days, this is a very good question.

In effect, Ephesians 4:11 and Romans 12:7 say that the Lord has given some believers a supernatural talent for teaching. They will typically have an unusual ability to make the Bible understandable. It’s not that they see scripture differently than others do, but that they often see it more comprehensively, being able to tie verses from various books together to make sense of them. This helps them make difficult or confusing passages less complicated.

An important test to which we should subject all teachers is to compare what they teach with the Scriptures, as Acts 17:11 admonishes us. When you do this, you’ll find the words of a teacher who God has gifted are always consistent with God’s Word. Good teachers will also cause you to want to learn more about the Bible on your own.

Finally, good Bible teachers will be primarily concerned with being approved by God. They will not be ashamed to present the clear lessons of Scripture and will correctly handle the word of truth, instead of bending to popular opinion by only saying what they think people want to hear (2 Tim. 2:15, 2 Tim. 4:3-4).

If you are blessed to have a pastor or teacher who fits this description, give thanks to the Lord, because it’s a gift from Him.