S'=), by Amos (2'), by Micah (4=), by Isaiah (l^S* etc.), by Zephaniah (3'). It is to be observed that in all these instances of the occurrence of the word in the prophets we never read of ' the tdrah of Moses' as in Ezra and later, but of 'Jehovah's t6rSh,' or 'the turCth' indefinitely. The clear dis- tinction, now resulting from OT criticism on the date of the Pent., accentuates the importance of teaching under the prophets by demonstrating that what formerly appeared to be a reference to the Mosaic law is, in fact, an allusion to the pro- phets' teaching. In early times the priests also undertook the religious instruction of the people. Thus Micah, rebuking the mercenary leaders in Jerusalem, declares, ' the priests thereof teach (ni*) for hire' (Mic 3")- After the return from the Captivity an immense impulse was given to reli- gious teaching. Religion had now passed into a literary phase. The public reading of the Law by Ezra was an indication that the new Judaism was to restore popular knowledge (Neh 8''*). It is a significant fact that the high priest took no part in this efibrt to popularize what had hitherto been cherished as a mystery in the sacerdotal clan. The scribe who not only copies the Law, but teaches it, now becomes the leader of the Jewish religion among the people, gradually taking the place of the prophet, but with an inferior rfile, since he cannot pretend to come ^-ith an original message from Jehovah, and must content himself with interpreting, commenting on, and ' fencing ' a fixed written turah. Thus he in turn comes into ant.igonism with the priest who performs official functions, administers the Law, and enjoys an aristueratic rank ; because the scribe's work in popularizing the Law lessens the power of the priesthood hy opening the eyes of tlie people and by making religion more an affair of ideas than of ritual, or if of ritual still of obser\'ances within the reach of the laity. Accordingly, the growth of the synagogue goes on side by side with the develop- ment of teaching by the scribes. See Rabbi.
In NT times teaching was most hi^lily valued among the Jews, and the teacher held in ^eat respect.* Josephus, writing the history ot his people from the standpoint of his own daj', relates how Moses commanded that ' boys should learn the primary laws {irpunovs tovs vdfiovs) as the best knowledge and the cause of prosperity' {Ant, iv. viii. 12) ; and affirms for his own time, 'We take most pains of all with the instruction of children ' (c. Apion. i. 12). Similarly Philo writes : ' Since the Jews esteem their laws as divine revelations, and are instructed in the knowledge of them from their earliest youth, they bear the image of the law in their souls' {Legat. ad Gai. 31); and, ' They are taught, so to speak, from their swad- dling-clothes, by their parents, teachers, and those who bring them up, even before instruction in the sacred laws and unwritten customs, to recognize one God as the Father and Creator of the world ' {ib.). The Talmud abounds in traditional sayings on the importance of teaching. This is much insisted on in the PirkS Aboth, where we read how Joshua ben Perachia said, 'Get thyself a teacher' (i. 6); Rabban Gamaliel, ' Appoint for thyself a teacher, so wilt thou avoid what is doubtful' (i. 16) ; Hillel, ' An ignorant man cannot be truly pious ' (ii. 5). Certainly elementary schools existed in the time of the Mishna, and the way in which they are referred to implies that they were then established institutions. It is most probable that they were in existence in the time of Christ. The name of these schools w.as beth, - sepher (tech n';) — ' the house of the book' — i.e. of the tdrdh. Thus we read (Jems. Mcgill. iii. 1), ' R. Pinchas said in the
* In 2 M&c 11° we read ot a Jew named Aristobuloa who ha^ been Ptolemy's * teacher ' (iihenrxtxx^).
TEACHER, TEACHING
TEACHER, TEACHING
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name of R. Hoshaiah tliat there were 480 syna- gogues in Jerusalem, and each liad a bcth-sepher ana a beth ■ Talmud, the former for the mikra (text of Scripture), the latter for the mishna (oral tradition).' A frequently (juoted sentence about the order of a child's education — of lute date, being found in an appendbc to the Abath of the post- Talmudic period — states that ' at 5 years old (he comes) to the reading of Scripture, at 10 to the Mishna, at 13 to the practice of the com- mandments, at 15 to the Talmud, at 18 to mar- riage,' etc. (Pirki Aboth, v. 21). For further particulars on this point see Scliiirer (IIJP 11. ii. §27, and artt. EDUCATION and SyXAGonrE).
In the NT, teaching is mentioned chiefly -with reference to the exposition of specifically Christian ideas. Nicodemus acknowledges Jesus to be 'a teacher (5i5d<rKaXos) come from God,' and addresses Him with the recognized Jewish name of a teacher, 'Kalibi' (pa/i^fl, Jn 3°). In all four Gospels the usual name for our Lord is ' Tcadier ' (SiSiaKaXos, tr. ' Master ' in A V and RV, but ' Teacher ' in RVni and in Twentieth Cent. NT). This word is not only used by the disciples ; it is also employed by others in addressing our Lord, e.g. the Pharisees and Herodians (Mk 12'''). No doubt it is the evangelist's rendering of the Aramaic title, 'Rabbi,' which occasionally appears in its original form in Jn (1*- ^ 32-=<'6'^, and once Rabboni, fxn^jiovvel, 20"). It is important to observe that a clear distinction between ' teachin" ' (SiSiaKw) and ' preaching ' (K>)pi;<r(rw) is maintained throughout the NT. This is manifest in our Lord's public ministry. He commenced with preacliing, as John had done before Him (Mk 1*). This preachin>; was the call to repentance in connexion with uie announce- ment that the kingdom of God was at hand, and was called ' preaching the gospel of God ' (Mk 1"). Then, having gathered some disciples about Him, our Lord proceeded to instruct them in the mys- teries of the kingdom, its nature, laws, and prin- ciples. This instruction is called ' teaching,' and it was with such teaching rather than with preaching that the later part of His ministry was occupied.