Matthew 7:28–29
“When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”
John 7:45–46
“No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.”
These verses highlight a profound truth: there was something uniquely powerful and captivating about the way Jesus taught. His words stirred hearts, confronted minds, and left even His critics in awe. People didn’t just listen—they were amazed, moved, and transformed.
We all understand that knowledge alone doesn’t have the power to transform. Information can educate, but it doesn’t necessarily change lives. So, what was the secret behind Jesus’ teaching? What made His pedagogy so effective—so unforgettable?
Jesus taught with authority, not derived from institutions or traditions, but from an intimate connection with the Father. His authority came from who He was—truth embodied, not merely explained. He wasn’t just relaying information; He was revealing the heart of God.
His teaching was relational. He didn’t stand at a distance; He walked with people, looked into their eyes, touched the untouchables, and spoke in ways they could understand. He used parables, questions, and daily experiences—meeting people exactly where they were, yet always calling them higher.
His teaching demanded a response. It wasn’t merely academic; it was deeply transformational. He called for repentance, faith, and action. And He modeled what He taught—His life was His curriculum.
So, when we ask, “What is the secret of Jesus’ teaching?”—the answer is not found in technique alone, but in the integrity, intimacy, and intentionality of the Teacher Himself.
May we, as learners and teachers, seek not just to share knowledge, but to live and teach in such a way that others say of us—“No one ever spoke, loved, or taught like this”—because they have encountered Christ in us.
What made the teaching of Jesus so powerful, so astonishing, so unforgettable? The crowds were amazed, the religious leaders were speechless, and even the guards couldn’t bring themselves to arrest Him. What was His secret?
- Jesus is the Messenger and the Message
In John 1, we read: “The Word became flesh and lived among us.”
Jesus didn’t just bring the Word—He was the Word, embodied in human life. In Luke 8:11, He
explains: “The seed is the Word of God, and the sower is the Son of Man.”
This changes everything. When we look at Jesus, we don’t just see a messenger; we see the
message itself in action. His life validated every word He spoke.
- He said in John 6:41, “I am the living bread,” and He literally fed the hungry—both bodies and souls.
- In John 8:12, He declared, “I am the light of the world,” and He gave sight to the blind and brought clarity to lost hearts.
- In John 10:7, “I am the gate,” and He laid down His life, becoming the way, the truth, and the life.
Jesus lived what He taught. His message had power because His life was His testimony. And
as followers of Christ, that is our calling too.
If we don’t live what we teach, we lose our credibility.
But if we do—empowered by the Holy Spirit—we can mark our students in the
same way Jesus marked everyone He encountered.
Let’s ask ourselves: Do people see Jesus in the way we live? Are we reflecting the
message we proclaim?
Because Jesus didn’t just speak the gospel—He was the gospel.
2. Jesus Used Everyday Experiences to Teach Eternal Truths
Mark 4:33 says, “With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them…” He didn’t speak in abstract theories. He spoke of mustard seeds, birds, lamps, coins, sheep, lilies—the everyday objects and moments of His listeners’ lives.
Why?
Because He knew His audience. He knew their world, their language, their needs. He used life to explain the kingdom. He made the eternal accessible. He connected heaven to their daily experiences.
Imagine I start talking to you in deep theology and philosophy—in Portuguese. I might feel confident in the subject, but what value would it bring you if you can’t understand?
That’s why Jesus used parables:
- To hold attention
- To make abstract truth concrete
- To provoke a response
- And to reveal deep truth to those ready to hear
So, the question is: Is our message being heard? Is it being understood?
We must learn from the Master Teacher. We need to speak the language of the people. Use their world to open the door to God’s Word. As Paul said: “Make the most of every opportunity.”
3. Jesus Aimed Not Just for Knowledge, but for Transformation
In John 3, a religious scholar, Nicodemus, came at night. He admired Jesus as a teacher and wanted a theological conversation. But Jesus didn’t offer him a lecture—He offered him new life.
Nicodemus wanted information.
Jesus offered transformation.
Nicodemus sought knowledge.
Jesus introduced the Kingdom of God.
He said: “You must be born again.”
That’s the goal of Jesus’ pedagogy: not just better people—but new people.
As Paul later said, “He made you alive, even when you were dead.”
As C.S. Lewis wrote, “Christians are not just good people. They are new people.”
Jesus didn’t come to build a better education system. He came to transform hearts, minds, and destinies. Only the Spirit can do that—but He does it through teachers like you and me, when we yield to Him.
Conclusion: The Commission
Matthew 28:18–20 gives us our mission:
- A command: “Go and make disciples”
- A method: “Teaching them to observe everything I’ve commanded you”
- A message: The life-giving gospel of Jesus Christ
- A promise: “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
So let’s ask ourselves again:
- Are we teaching to inform—or to transform?
- Do we teach like Jesus—with authority, relevance, and integrity?
- Do our lives reflect the truth we proclaim?
Jesus taught with power because He lived the truth. He reached people’s hearts because He spoke their language. And He transformed the world—because He aimed for the soul.
Let us go and do likewise.
May the Lord teach us to teach as Jesus did. Amem.
Rev. Julio Cesar Lomeu
