“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26).
Jesus was going away. And in preparing the disciples for this change, as well as the explosion of growth and ministry that was to follow, He had some good news: He would not leave them comfortless. And He would not leave them without a teacher.
“The Holy Spirit will teach you all things,” Jesus said.
Teach? Interesting. I have heard much about the Holy Spirit’s power, gifts, and such. Teacher? Not so much.
The word is used in the classic sense. To the disciples, this meant, “The Holy Spirit will teach you everything you need to know, even though I am not with you.” In other words, “The Holy Spirit will do what the rabbis do in general, and what I have done specifically.”
A Different Kind of Teacher
The preferred teaching method of the day was to read scripture and expound on it (not unlike some forms of teaching and preaching today). But Jesus revolutionized teaching by doing two things: telling stories, and “teaching with authority” (teaching as if He had been the one writing the scripture to begin with). He also used Q/A and debate to some extent.
The Holy Spirit is different, and so are His methods. In classical instruction, the teachers sat in a seat of authority to expound their truths. The Holy Spirit is different. The word Jesus used is “Comforter.” Literally it means one who calls Himself alongside us. He teaches us as He walks beside us.
(Reminder – this is God!)
When I am driving to work, He is teaching.
When I observe a butterfly appearing to be on his last leg, He is teaching.
When I wake up with a song on my mind, He is teaching.
When I feel physical pain, He is there… teaching.
When I encounter the problems and pains of other people, He is teaching.
When I engage in conversation with one of His children, He is teaching (by the way – one of His most effective methods of teaching me is to reveal wisdom-on-the-spot through my own words while I’m talking to somebody else.)
My Ovation today is to walk with my Teacher. To listen. To observe. To apply. To receive instruction.
In this school, the bell never rings.