1. Teaching is instructing hearers (by what is spoken) or readers (by what is written) in the truth and righteousness of Scripture. Teaching is an essential duty of Christ’s Church (1 Timothy 4:11).
2. Jesus requires faithful ministers to teach His disciples with His authority to observe all things whatsoever He has commanded (Matthew 28:18-20). To teach what Jesus has not commanded in the Old and New Testaments is to teach doctrine according to the commandments of man (Mark 7:7).
3. All of Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for the instruction of man in what one is to believe (in order to distinguish truth from error), and how one is to live (in order to distinguish righteousness from wickedness — 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
4. Teaching is not simply repeating the very words of Scripture—it is giving the meaning of Scripture in the language of the people. This Jesus did (Mark 6:6) as did the apostles of Christ (Acts 18:11).
5. Teaching is not a mere academic exercise, but is both an intellectual and a spiritual exercise of looking in knowledge, faith, and love to the Spirit of truth (John 16:13) to grant a true understanding of Scripture (Ephesians 1:17-18).
6. Teaching faithfully the meaning of Scripture can only come from comparing Scripture
with Scripture, rather than imposing one’s particular idea upon the meaning of Scripture (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13).
7. Teaching does not limit instruction to certain parts of God’s Word, but instructs throughout the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).