Encouraging Others to Examine Biblical Basis for Teaching

Scripture consistently calls believers not merely to receive instruction but to examine and test what they hear against the written Word. Paul commends the Bereans precisely because "they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11). This pattern of verification establishes a biblical precedent: even apostolic teaching invited scrutiny through reference to the text itself.

The Responsibility to Discern Sound Doctrine

The New Testament places responsibility on hearers to evaluate teaching. Paul warns Timothy that "if anyone teaches other doctrine and does not devote himself to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness," such instruction deviates from the apostolic standard ^[4]. This implies that congregants must know the "sound words" well enough to recognize departures. The author of Hebrews rebukes believers who "by this time ought to be teachers" but instead "need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God's word" ^[1]. Maturity requires progressing beyond elementary instruction to the point where one can both teach and assess teaching.

James cautions against the proliferation of self-appointed teachers: "My brethren, be not many masters" ^[11]. John Gill notes this addresses an "affectation among the Jews" of claiming the title "Rabbi" without warrant ^[11]. The warning implies that teaching carries accountability, and hearers bear responsibility to discern who merits a hearing. The false teachers Paul confronts "despised dominion or government" and "encouraged disobedience to parents and masters" ^[7], demonstrating that doctrinal error produces ethical disorder. Congregations must therefore test teaching not only for theological precision but for its fruit in godliness.

The Primacy of Scripture as Standard

Christian tradition has consistently affirmed Scripture's role as the measure of all teaching. Smith's Bible Dictionary defines inspiration as "an extraordinary divine agency upon teachers while giving instruction," resulting in a text that "is the infallible guide of men, and is perfectly trustworthy in all its parts" ^[3]. This doctrine establishes the Bible as the criterion against which all subsequent instruction must be judged. When Paul instructs Timothy to "pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching" ^[2], the sequence is deliberate: public reading of Scripture grounds both exhortation and doctrinal instruction.

Calvin observes that "nothing could be more inconsistent with the nature of faith than that deadness which would lead a man to disregard his brethren, and to keep the light of knowledge choked up within his own breast" ^[6]. Faith naturally seeks to share what it has received, but this sharing must be tethered to the text. Calvin elsewhere notes that parents have a duty "to apply themselves diligently to the work of communicating what they have learned from the Lord to their children," ensuring "the truth of God is to be propagated by us, so that no one may retain his knowledge for his own private use" ^[13]. Yet this transmission depends on fidelity to the revealed Word, not private speculation.

Encouraging Examination Without Fostering Suspicion

Encouraging biblical examination does not mean cultivating a spirit of perpetual suspicion. Matthew Henry, commenting on the psalmist's prayer "Teach me thy statutes," notes that even those "well instructed in the law of God" must beg to be taught by God himself, "as knowing that none teaches like him" ^[12]. The posture is one of humility before the text, not arrogance toward teachers. Henry adds that "in difficult times we should desire more to be told what we must do than what we may expect, and should pray more to be led into the knowledge of scripture-precepts than of scripture-prophecies" ^[8]. The goal is clarity about duty, not merely doctrinal precision for its own sake.

The Tyndale commentary on Hebrews urges believers to "move beyond basic teachings" to "further understanding about the person of Christ" ^[5], suggesting that maturity involves not abandoning foundational truths but building upon them through deeper engagement with Scripture. Adam Clarke notes that those "who receive instructions in Christianity by the public preaching of the word" should "contribute to the support of the man who has dedicated himself to the work of the ministry" ^[10], indicating that examination of teaching does not negate gratitude or support for faithful instructors. The rabbinical method of "question and answer" seen in Luke's account of the boy Jesus in the temple ^[9] models how inquiry and instruction can coexist without hostility.

Encouraging others to examine the biblical basis for teaching thus balances reverence for Scripture's authority with respect for those called to expound it, fostering congregations that are both teachable and discerning.

Sources

Hebrews “Hebrews 5:12 (BSB) — Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food!”
1 Timothy “Until I come, pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching. -- 1 Timothy 4:13”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Inspiration — Dr. Knapp given as the definition of inspiration, "an extra-ordinary divine agency upon teachers while giving instruction, whether oral or written, by which they were taught what and how they should write or speak." Without deciding on any of the various theories of inspiration, the general doctrine of Christians is that the Bible is so inspired by God that it is the infallible guide of men, and is perfectly trustworthy in all its parts, as given by God.”
I Timothy “I Timothy 6:3 (LEB) — If anyone teaches other doctrine and does not devote himself to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness,”
Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 6:1: 6:1-3 In light of the hearers’ immaturity (5:11-14), the author urges them to move beyond basic teachings. The six basic teachings here were all foundational elements of Jewish instruction. The author might be challenging them to move beyond these basic teachings to further understanding about the person of Christ, which he elaborates in 7:1–10:25. 6:1 Let us go on: Or Let us be carried on, suggesting that God initiates growth to maturity (Phil 2:12-13) and that it is an ongoing process. • Repenting and faith are the basic commitments that initiate a person to the”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 1, section 8.8: an ardent desire to spread the doctrines of religion, that every one not satisfied with his own calling and his personal knowledge will desire to draw others along with him. And indeed nothing could be more inconsistent with the nature of faith than that deadness which would lead a man to disregard his brethren, and to keep the light of knowledge choked up within his own breast. The greater the eminence above others which any man has received from his calling so much the more diligently ought he to labor to enlighten others. This points out to”
1 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Timothy 6:3: If any man teach otherwise,.... Or another doctrine, as the Syriac version renders it; a doctrine different from what the apostle had now taught, concerning the duty of servants to their masters; as did the false teachers, who despised dominion or government; not only civil government, and so spoke evil of rulers and magistrates; and church government, and therefore reviled the apostles, elders, and pastors of churches; but family government, and encouraged disobedience to parents and masters; see Pe2 2:10 or teach another doctrine, from that of the Bible, of Chris”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:124: Here is, 1. David's petition for divine instruction: "Teach me thy statutes; give me to know all my duty; when I am in doubt, and know not for certain what is my duty, direct me, and make it plain to me; now that I am afflicted, oppressed, and my eyes are ready to fail for thy salvation, let me know what my duty is in this condition." In difficult times we should desire more to be told what we must do than what we may expect, and should pray more to be led into the knowledge of scripture-precepts than of scripture-prophecies. If God, who gave us his statutes, d”
Luke (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 2:46: hearing . . . asking--The method of question and answer was the customary form of rabbinical teaching; teacher and learner becoming by turns questioner and answerer, as may be seen from their extant works. This would give full scope for all that "astonished them in His understanding and answers." Not that He assumed the office of teaching--"His hour" for that "was not yet come," and His equipment for that was not complete; for He had yet to "increase in wisdom" as well as "stature" (Luk 2:52). In fact, the beauty of Christ's example lies very much in His”
Galatians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Galatians 6:6: Let him that is taught in the word - He who receives instructions in Christianity by the public preaching of the word; Communicate unto him that teacheth - Contribute to the support of the man who has dedicated himself to the work of the ministry, and who gives up his time and his life to preach the Gospel. It appears that some of the believers in Galatia could receive the Christian ministry without contributing to its support. This is both ungrateful and base. We do not expect that a common schoolmaster will give up his time to teach our children their alphabet w”
James (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on James 3:1: My brethren, be not many masters,.... The apostle having dispatched the subject of faith and good works, which constitute the pure and undefiled religion mentioned in Jam 1:27 which gave rise to this discourse, he proceeds to consider the evidence of a religious man, suggested in Jam 1:26 who is one that bridles the tongue; and enters into an account of the use and abuse of the tongue: and which is introduced by this exhortation; and which seems to be opposed to an affectation among the Jews, to whom James writes, of being called "Rabbi, Rabbi", or "Mori, Mori", master,”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:33: Here, I. David prays earnestly that God himself would be his teacher; he had prophets, and wise men, and priests, about him, and was himself well instructed in the law of God, yet he begs to be taught of God, as knowing that none teaches like him, Job 36:22. Observe here, 1. What he desires to be taught, not the notions or language of God's statutes, but the way of them - "the way of applying them to myself and governing myself by them; teach me the way of my duty which thy statutes prescribe, and in every doubtful case let me know what thou wouldst have me to d”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 22.18: to posterity and that they may deliver the knowledge received through us, from hand to hand, (as we say,) to their descendants. Wherefore, it is the duty of parents to apply themselves diligently to the work of communicating what they have learned from the Lord to their children. In this manner the truth of God is to be propagated by us, so that no one may retain his knowledge for his own private use; but that each may edify others, according to his own calling, and to the measure of his faith. There is however no doubt, that the”

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