How to Be a Teacher

For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Ezra 7:10

In the above verse, Ezra exhibits the four qualities that are a necessary part of being a great teacher of God’s word.

First, Ezra set his heart to become a teacher of God’s word. The Hebrew word koon is translated ‘set.’ It literally means to establish an object so it stands steadfast. The Hebrew word translated for heart is lebab and refers not only to the physical heart, but also to the innermost emotional being and soul of a person. Ezra did not have some vague wish to do something. He established the very center of his being, everything that he was, to achieve his goal. Many times people express a desire to complete a project, but they do not really possess the aptitude or inclination necessary to truly complete the project. For example, anyone who has been a student expresses the wish to complete his or her homework. But will the student put everything they are and have into completing the homework? Probably not. Now imagine a young man, about 16, who desires to buy his first car. For years he has dreamed of having his own car so he can be distinguished among his peers and be somewhat independent from his parents. At the age of 13, he began diligently working towards his goal. He mowed lawns, performed chores around the house, painted houses, worked at the local McDonald’s, anything he could think of to earn money. Finally the moment has arrived for him to buy the car. He researches various makes and models, compares and contrasts different options and finally chooses one. The young man set his heart on buying a car and for many years his entire being was focused on this one goal. In the same way, Ezra set his heart to not only study the word of the Lord, but to practice and teach it to others also. His entire life focused around these three intertwined purposes.

Not only must one devote his or her life to teach the word of God, but one must study it. The Hebrew word here literally means 'to seek.' This word immediately brings to mind a treasure hunt. Imagine a pirate finding a map to a vast store of hidden jewels, gold, silver, and other precious things. Would he not diligently study the map and the clues, and prepare himself to embark on the trip? The word of God is often referred to as precious stones and hidden treasure. The psalmist writes “Thy word I have treasured in my heart” (Psalm 119:11). Wisdom is said to be “more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her” (Proverbs 3:15). In the New Testament, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a treasure hidden in a field and a costly pearl. The man and the merchant who discovered the treasure and the pearl sold everything they had in order to possess these valuable items (Matthew 13:44-45). Ezra “set his heart to seek the law of the Lord” because it is a hidden treasure infinitely more valuable than all the precious stones in the world combined. After all, everything material will fade away, “but the word of the Lord endures forever” (I Peter 1:25).

After determining his purpose to teach God’s word and studying it with all diligence, Ezra practiced the law of the Lord. The Hebrew word here is asah and “conveys the notion of performing an activity with a distinct purpose, a moral obligation, or a goal in view” (Strong’s). It is not enough to simply read words and agree with them; one must show obedience through doing. In the book of James, the author uses the example of someone who is without food or clothing. A man says to the person in need “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” but does nothing to help the person in need. Has he truly helped that person? No! James’ point here is that words alone mean nothing, just as faith alone is useless. James writes “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself” (2:17). If Ezra studied the law of the Lord every second of every day until he died, but never practiced what he read, he might as well have spent his life pursuing fleshly lusts. In the recent movie The Book of Eli, Denzel Washington plays a futuristic character who has the last copy of the Bible after a nuclear explosion wipes out modern civilization. He spends twenty years memorizing the text as he travels to the one remaining library on earth. Towards the end of the movie, he realizes that although he has memorized the entire text, he has failed to act on that text by obeying the truths found within. He realizes that the Bible is useless to a person if one does not do what it instructs. A critical part of being a good Bible teacher is to practice the law of the Lord as Ezra did.

Finally, after setting his heart, seeking and practicing the law of the Lord, Ezra teaches God’s statutes and ordinances to the people. The Hebrew word translated ‘to teach’ is lamad and literally means ‘to goad.’ The teacher’s responsibility is to impart knowledge and wisdom to the student in whatever way necessary for the student to learn. When training a horse, one first approaches the animal with gentleness so it may learn that your purpose is not to harm him. After gaining his trust, you may begin asking the animal to do various things. Pat Parelli, a popular horse trainer, describes the training process in the following manner: the trainer first suggests an action, then asks for it, then demands it. If you are asking the horse to move away from you, you might first point the horse in the direction you want him to move. If he does not move, you continue to point the horse in the right direction while twirling a rope or whip behind his hips. If the horse continues to stand still, you finally hit the horse with the rope until he moves. Eventually, the horse will learn to move when you first point him in a certain direction. In the same way, a teacher instructs his students. If, upon the instructor’s first gentle instructions, the student refuses to learn (by continuing to do the things he has always done), the teacher gradually becomes more firm until he goads the student into changing his habits. Ezra taught the people the word of God first by gentle instruction, then by forcing them to change their wicked ways by (in one specific instance) separating the foreigners from the holy people of God.

By setting his heart to seek, practice and teach the law of the Lord, Ezra sets a prime example for those desiring to be teachers and preachers of God’s word. Paul writes to Timothy “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth” and “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (II Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17).

Now that I have thoroughly studied Ezra 7:10, I aim to go practice and teach the word of the Lord!