Master the Bible: How to Get and Keep the Big Picture of the Bible's Story

Chapter 1: The Way of the Rabb i

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4. He intentionally taught his disciples specifically his most intimate thoughts and teachings.

a. Luke 8.10 – he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.”

b. Matt. 13.16-17 – But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. [17] Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

5. Conversely, Jesus taught the crowds in the form of parables, Matt. 13.10-13.

6. He interpreted the parables privately to his disciples, Matt. 13.10ff.

7. “Among the more mature students the scribe would introduce several legal questions for discussion. At the close of the discussion, during which previous decisions by earlier scribes were cited, the teacher would sum up his doctrine in a crisp aphorism [proverb]. This material in turn became part of the oral tradition that was trans mitted to succeeding generations of students” (Metzger, The New Testament , p. 50).

8. Although Jesus taught with authority (i.e., not simply quoting past scribes or rabbis), he followed the custom by discussing with his disciples the implications of his teaching.