“But My Preacher Says...”

Sunday, September 17, 2023

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

(James 3.1-2)

The writer of these words certainly knew whereof he spoke.  He’d been one of the brothers who tried to use words to goad Jesus into making a public spectacle of himself and get it out of his system, because “not even his brothers believed in him” (Jn 7.3-5).  He had certainly stumbled in the things he’d said.  On top of that, as a teacher he had experience with the disproportionate influence his words could have on others, even when his words were misconstrued.  He agreed with Paul and Barnabas on the question of Gentile Christians and circumcision, and yet Paul described the false teachers pushing circumcision on the Gentile Christians of Antioch as “men [who] came from James” (Ga 2.12).  Was James to blame for this problem?  No, and Paul doesn’t really say he was.  These Judaizers held James in high regard, but when they presumed to speak on his behalf, telling Gentile converts they must become Jews in order to enjoy the blessings of Christ, they were mistaken about James’ view.  James’ own words, spoken during the conference at Jerusalem that soon followed, indicate this:

“Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree… Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God…”

(Acts 15.13-19)

When they wrote a letter to Gentile Christians spread far and wide, James and the other leaders in Jerusalem specifically disavowed the false teaching, both in the present and, crucially, in the past:

“some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions…”

(Acts 15.24)

James, and the other apostles and elders, had not been mistaken on this point, and yet their authority had been invoked, and their teaching misrepresented, in order to mislead.  Teachers are not chiefly responsible, of course, when their words are misconstrued; yet a conscientious teacher prefers to give few opportunities for such misunderstandings!

We’re especially prone to making mistakes of this kind, when we hold up any person other than Christ as the exalted teacher whose word is infallible and authoritative.  James, through no fault of his own, saw himself elevated in the minds of some of his followers, to their great detriment.  He’s among the first of many examples of this problem flaring up among Christians.  Some Christians still venerate Paul to an improper degree, so that they will flatly ignore or explain away truths God spoke through others of his servants—not to mention things Paul himself wrote, that ought to limit the extreme interpretations offered on a handful of points.

This shouldn’t shock us—there’s a long list of prominent teachers who were held in such regard that, practically speaking, many of their followers treated it, and in some cases still treat it, as if they were hearing “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” (Ac 12.22).  This list includes Marcion, Tertullian, Montanus, Origen, Arius, Athanasius, Donatus, Augustine of Hippo, Nestorius, Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, John Wycliffe, Jan Hus, Martin Luther, Huldrych Zwingli, Menno Simons, John Calvin, John Knox, John Smyth, and many more at lower levels.  While this list only covers the 2^nd to the early 17^th centuries, the problem is by no means exclusive to that period!

For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

(1 Corinthians 1.4-7)

This problem is almost as old as the church itself, and continues today, in many circles.  Teachers represent God in their work, as God told Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet” (Ex 7.1).  When their students begin to confuse the representative for the one he represents, they turn their spiritual leaders into idols.  In some cases, this is done despite the teacher’s warnings; in others, the teacher encourages it.  Be on guard against putting any man other than Jesus into the place of God.  We are commanded,

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.

(Hebrews 13.17)

God holds leaders responsible, to a greater degree than followers.  This is why James advised caution for aspiring teachers, and followers should strive to distinguish leaders who sincerely pursue God’s will, from those who pursue their own.

Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

(2 John 9-11)

Do not be deceived.  Do not put your eternal trust in mere mortals.  Respect and appreciate the servants, but listen to God.

Jeremy Nettles

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