In Matthew 28:18–20, Jesus says:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Jesus sends his disciples into the world to make more disciples, followers who walk in his ways. Jesus emphasizes two things that his disciples must do: baptize and teach. Baptism welcomes new disciples into the family of God. Teaching inculcates what it means to live as part of the family of God.
Interestingly, Jesus did not command them to just share the good news. He tells his disciples to teach “them to observe ALL that I have commanded.”
What did Jesus command? In the gospels, Jesus’ teaching covers every area of life:
- what God values (e.g., Matt 5:3–12; Luke 9:57–62)
- finances (e.g., Matt 6:19–34; Mark 10:17–31; Luke 12:13–21)
- marriage (e.g., Matt 5:27–32)
- worship (e.g., John 4:21–24)
- friendship (e.g., John 15:9–17)
- emotions (Matt 6:25–34; Luke 6:27–36; 10:25–37; 12:4–7)
- conflict (Matt 5:21–26; Luke 17:1–4)
- politics (e.g., Luke 20:20–26)
- not to mention that salvation comes through him alone (e.g., John14:5–14; 20:30–31)
- that he came to save the lost (e.g., Luke 19:10)
But that’s not all, Jesus drew on the authority of the Old Testament, and the rest of the New Testament draws its authority from Jesus’ teaching. So, the whole Bible fits under the umbrella of Jesus’ teaching, and Jesus’ teaching, which, remember, he tells his followers to pass on, covers every area of our lives and tells us who God is and what God is like.
Now, teaching is not simply filling the student’s head with facts. In the Bible, knowing almost never refers simply to apprehension of facts. Here Jesus says: “teach them to observe.” In other words, teaching is intimately connected to action. Until observance follows, the task of teaching remains necessary.
The goal of biblical teaching is not for the student to memorize the attributes of God, or the ten commandments, or any other conglomeration of facts. The goal is what we might call knowing. This word shows up all over the place throughout the entire Bible (20x in Hosea!!!).
Biblical knowing is only achieved when the student externalizes that which is known in embodied actions. There can be no separation between the head and the heart, between the mind and body. Teaching is not teaching and knowing is not knowing until head and heart, mind and body, cognition, emotion, and embodied action are all engaged.
Thus, the teaching that Jesus describes engages the whole of the human person. It encompasses every area of life because God cares about it all. What is this if not theological education? Do you see why this is important? It’s not just for professors or seminarians or pastors or ministry leaders. This is the Christian walk.
Biblical knowing is only achieved when the student externalizes that which is known in embodied actions.
That is why, as a theological educator, my aim is to help people know God more deeply and fully so that they see the world from God’s perspective and live in the world according to God’s design.
The church’s task to teach them to observe all that I have commanded is no small endeavor. No individual can do it on their own. But that is not surprising! After all, Jesus gave this command to the disciples collectively and promised “I am with you always!” Jesus’ continued presence became quite apparent as Jesus built his church through the disciples’ ministry (see the book of Acts).
So, why theological education?
Reason #1: The risen Christ told his disciples to make disciples, and a core part of this task is ongoing theological education.
Asi es la vida... 