“Let not many of you become teachers, my brothers and sisters, knowing that we will experience greater condemnation. For we all stumble in many ways.” (James 3:1-2a my translation).
Reflection
In James 3:1-2a, James gives a warning to those who are or would be teachers. One should be careful because teachers will be held to a stricter standard. As I teach biblical studies, I take this passage very seriously. James has in mind teachers within a church setting. The role of teacher, mentioned in Acts 13:1 alongside that of prophet, would have been a role that brought honor socially, much as being a professor in most disciplines does today. Apparently people, both fit and unfit, sought the role of teacher. James elaborates on the primary issue for teachers in James 3:2b-12: the tongue. Teachers have significant influence through what they say. There are at least two spheres in which this warning from James is important to me: the church and the classroom. [Read more…] about Bible-Believing Biblical Scholar, Part 2: Integrating Christian Faith and Biblical Scholarship (Scholar’s Compass)