Teach
Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words [1]
A. Verbs.
Lâmad ( לָמַד , Strong'S #3925), “to teach, learn, cause to learn.” This common Semitic term is found throughout the history of the Hebrew language and in ancient Akkadian and Ugaritic. Lâmad is found approximately 85 times in the text of the Hebrew Old Testament. In its simple, active form, this verb has the meaning “to learn,” but it is also found in a form giving the causative sense, “to teach.” This word is first used in the Hebrew Old Testament in Deut. 4:1: “… Hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you.…”
In Deut. 5:1 lâmad is used of learning God’s laws: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.” A similar meaning occurs in Ps. 119:7. The word may be used of learning other things: works of the heathen (Ps. 106:35); wisdom (Prov. 30:3); and war (Mic. 4:3).
About half the occurrences of lâmad are found in the books of Deuteronomy and Psalms, underlining the teaching emphasis found in these books. Judaism’s traditional emphasis on teaching and thus preserving its faith clearly has its basis in the stress on teaching the faith found in the Old Testament, specifically Deut. 6:4-9. Following the Shema’, the “watchword of Judaism” that declares that Yahweh is One (Deut. 6:4), is the “first great commandment” (Deut. 6:5; Mark 12:28-29). When Moses delivered the Law to his people, he said, “… The Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments …” (Deut. 4:14).
The later Jewish term talmud , “instruction,” is derived from this verb.
Yârâh ( יָרָא , Strong'S #3384), throw, teach, shoot, point out.” Found in all periods of the Hebrew language, this root is also found in ancient Ugaritic with the sense of “to shoot”; modern Hebrew uses the word to express the firing of a gun. Yârâh occurs approximately 80 times in the Hebrew Old Testament.
The first use of this verb in the Old Testament is in Gen. 31:51: “… Behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee.” This basic meaning, “to throw or cast,” is expressed in “casting” lots (Josh. 18:6) and by Pharaoh’s army “being cast” into the sea (Exod. 15:4).
The idea of “to throw” is easily extended to mean the shooting of arrows (1 Sam. 20:36- 37). “To throw” seems to be further extended to mean “to point,” by which fingers are thrown in a certain direction (Gen. 46:28; Prov. 6:13).
From this meaning it is only a short step to the concept of teaching as the “pointing out” of fact and truth. Thus, Bezaleel was inspired by God “to teach” others his craftsmanship (Exod. 35:34); the false prophets “teach” lies (Isa. 9:15); and the father “taught” his son (Prov. 4:4). It was the responsibility of the priests to interpret and “to teach” those things that had to do with ceremonial requirements and God’s judgments: “They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law …” (Deut. 33:10; cf. Deut. 17:10-11). Interestingly, priests at a later time were said “to teach” for hire, presumably “to teach” what was wanted rather than true interpretation of God’s word (Mic. 3:11).
B. Noun.
Tôrâh ( תֹּרָה , Strong'S #8451), “direction; instruction; guideline.” From yârâh is derived tôrâh , one of the most important words in the Old Testament. Seen against the background of the verb tôrâh , it becomes clear that tôrâh is much more than law or a set of rules. Tôrâh is not restriction or hindrance, but instead the means whereby one can reach a goal or ideal. In the truest sense, tôrâh was given to Israel to enable her to truly become and remain God’s special people. One might say that in keeping tôrâh , Israel was kept. Unfortunately, Israel fell into the trap of keeping tôrâh as something imposed, and for itself, rather than as a means of becoming what God intended for her. The means became the end. Instead of seeing tôrâh as a guideline, it became an external body of rules, and thus a weight rather than a freeing and guiding power. This burden, plus the legalism of Roman law, forms the background of the New Testament tradition of law, especially as Paul struggles with it in his Letter to the church at Rome.
C. Adjective.
Limmud —means “taught.” This adjective forms an exact equivalent to the New Testament idea of “disciple, one who is taught.” This is well expressed in Isa. 8:16: “… Seal the law among my disciples.” The word also occurs in Isa. 54:13: “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord.…”
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [2]
is used (a) absolutely, "to give instruction," e.g., Matthew 4:23; 9:35; Romans 12:7; 1—Corinthians 4:17; 1—Timothy 2:12; 4:11; (b) transitively, with an object, whether persons, e.g., Matthew 5:2; 7:29 , and frequently in the Gospels and Acts, or things "taught," e.g., Matthew 15:9; 22:16; Acts 15:35; 18:11; both persons and things, e.g., John 14:26; Revelation 2:14,20 .
for which see Inform , No. 2, Instruct No. 1, is rendered "to teach" in 1—Corinthians 14:19 , AV (RV, "instruct"); Galatians 6:6 (twice).
"to teach a different doctrine" (heteros, "different," to be distinguished from allos, "another of the same kind:" see ANOTHER), is used in 1—Timothy 1:3; 6:3 , Rv , AV, "teach (no) other doctrine" and "teach otherwise," of what is contrary to the faith.
Matthew 28:19 Acts 14:21Disciple Acts 16:21 1—Corinthians 2:13Taught
"skilled in teaching" (akin to No. 1 above: Eng., "didactic"), is translated "apt to teach" in 1—Timothy 3:2; 2—Timothy 2:24 .
King James Dictionary [3]
Teach pret. and pp. taught. L. doceo dico, dicto, and both these and the Gr. to show, may be of one family all implying sending, passing, communicating, or rather leading, drawing.
1. To instruct to inform to communicate to another the knowledge of that of which he was before ignorant.
He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. Isaiah 2
Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. Luke 11 .
2. To deliver any doctrine, art, principles or words for instruction. One sect of ancient philosophers taught the doctrines of stoicism, another those of epicureanism.
In vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15
3. To tell to give intelligence. 4. To instruct, or to practice the business of an instructor to use or follow the employment of a preceptor as, a man teaches school for a livelihood. 5. To show to exhibit so as to impress on the mind.
If some men teach wicked things, it must be that others may practice them.
6. To accustom to make familiar.
They have taught their tongue to speak lies. Jeremiah 9
7. To inform or admonish to give previous notice to.
For he taught his disciples, and said-- Mark 9 .
8. To suggest to the mind.
For the Holy Spirit shall teach you in that same hour what ye ought to say. Luke 12 .
9. To signify or give notice.
He teacheth with his fingers. Proverbs 6
10. To counsel and direct. Habakkuk 2
TEACH, To practice giving instruction to perform the business of a preceptor.
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire. Micah 3
TEACH, n. In sugar works, the last boiler.
Webster's Dictionary [4]
(1): ( v. t.) To impart the knowledge of; to give intelligence concerning; to impart, as knowledge before unknown, or rules for practice; to inculcate as true or important; to exhibit impressively; as, to teach arithmetic, dancing, music, or the like; to teach morals.
(2): ( v. t.) To direct, as an instructor; to manage, as a preceptor; to guide the studies of; to instruct; to inform; to conduct through a course of studies; as, to teach a child or a class.
(3): ( v. i.) To give instruction; to follow the business, or to perform the duties, of a preceptor.
(4): ( v. t.) To accustom; to guide; to show; to admonish.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [5]
(Heb. prop. לָמִל , but also many other words; Gr. prop. Διδάσκω , but often other terms). Teaching is an important branch of the commission which Christ gave to his apostles before he left the earth. "Go," said he, "teach all nations," or, as we have it recorded by another of the evangelists, "Preach the Gospel to every creature." In this way they were to make disciples, as the word Μαθητεύσατε imports. It is one of the precious promises of the new covenant that all its subjects shall be "taught of the Lord" ( Isaiah 54:13). The Lord Jesus quoted these words in the days of his public ministry ( John 6:45), and describes the effect of this teaching thus: "Every man, therefore, that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me," which he afterwards explains to mean neither more nor less than believing on him. (See Preaching).
Teachers, or "doctors" (v.r.), are mentioned among divine gifts in Ephesians 4:11, and it is possible that the apostle does not mean such ordinary teachers (or pastors) as the Church now enjoys; but as he seems to reckon them among the Extraordinary donations of' God, and uses no mark of distinction or separation between apostles, with which he begins, and doctors, with which he ends, it may be that he refers to the nature of the office of the Jewish doctors; meaning well-informed persons, to whom inquiring Christian converts might have recourse for removing their doubts and difficulties concerning Christian observances, the sacraments, and other rituals, and for receiving from Scripture the demonstration' that "this is the very Christ;" and that the things relating to the Messiah were accomplished in Jesus. Such a gift could not but be very serviceable in that infant state of the Church, which, indeed, without it, would have seemed, in this particular, inferior to the Jewish institutions. With this agrees the distinction ( Romans 12:7) between doctors ( Teaching, Διδάσκων ) and exhorters, q. d. "he who gives advice Privately, and resolves doubts, etc., let him attend to that duty; he who exhorts with a loud voice ( Παρακαλῶν ), let him exhort" with proper piety. The same appears in 1 Corinthians 12:28, where the apostle ranges, 1st, apostles, public instructors; 2d, prophets, occasional instructors; 3d ( Διδάσκαλοι ), doctors or teachers, private instructors. (See Gifts).
For monographs on our Lord as the Great Teacher, see Hase, Leben Jesu, p. 130 sq. (See Jesus Christ).
