Philip Dampier's Blog

Chapter 3, Verse 1 “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

It appears in verse one as if James is going to talk about the role of teachers in the body of Christ, and the point he makes should be considered by all who take the teaching responsibility. The influence of a teacher is far greater than that of the non-teacher though both had influence in the pagan world. It is true that all men must give an account for their actions and words. It is sobering to be reminded that every word that escapes our lips is subject to judgment. It is even more so for the one who teaches.

But, as we will discover in the next eleven verses, James has something particularly in mind in regard to teachers. In James’ time, teachers did so orally. They used words to instruct. There was always the possibility of giving erroneous or misleading information to the students. When dealing with the word of God accuracy was paramount. No mistake could be made. That is why the New Testament is God breathed.

Task for Today: If you are a teacher of the word of God, please take this passage seriously. When you say, ‘God said,’ be sure you are completely accurate. If you are not a teacher but are considering teaching the word, make sure you are thoroughly prepared to present it accurately.