The Center of Preaching and Education in the Holy Church
The Center of Preaching and Education
in the Holy Church
Our Lord God, who grieved saying, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6), made teaching an essential foundation for spreading His Kingdom on earth. He personally undertook the work of teaching, was called the Teacher, and sent His prophets and apostles to be teachers.
Thus, teaching became the main work of the successors of the apostles—the bishops—and those who assist them from among the clergy. Teaching also became an important part of the Church’s rites and prayers.
Preaching and teaching are the work of the Lord Himself
Christ our God, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3), went about the world teaching. After John was arrested, “Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matthew 4:17).
St. Matthew says of Him: “Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people” (Matthew 9:35). “When Jesus had finished instructing His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities” (Matthew 11:1). When the crowds sought Him, He said to them: “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent” (Luke 4:43). And He said that the Scripture was fulfilled in Him: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor… to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18).
Out of His great concern for teaching, the Lord was called “Teacher.” Everyone called Him “Teacher.” In the incident of the sinful woman, the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery” (John 8:4). When the two disciples of John first spoke with Him, they said, “Rabbi—which is to say, when translated, Teacher—where are You staying?” (John 1:38). Mary Magdalene also said to Him, “Rabboni—which is to say, Teacher” (John 20:16). In His first meeting with Nathanael, he said, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God” (John 1:49). The disciples in general called Him this; when they saw the man born blind, they said, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents?” (John 9:2).
The Lord accepted this title and even called Himself by it.
For example, when the Passover was near, He said to His disciples, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand’” (Matthew 26:18). And clearly He said to His disciples after washing their feet, “You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am” (John 13:13).
Therefore, believers were called disciples. When the Jews saw that the man born blind believed in Christ, they reviled him saying, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples” (John 9:28).
The Christian life is discipleship to the Lord—and the Lord is the Teacher.
As a Teacher, the Lord attributed His teaching to the Father Himself:
He said openly, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me” (John 7:16). In His farewell prayer He said to the Father, “The words which You have given Me I have given to them” (John 17:8).
Preaching and teaching are the work of the holy apostles
What was the work of the holy prophets but teaching? Such was the work of Noah, Moses, Elijah, Daniel, Jeremiah, and all the prophets: they carried the Word of God to the people and taught them His ways. The Apostle says that “whatever things were written before were written for our learning” (Romans 15:4).
So also was the work of John the Baptist—“the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight” (Mark 1:3). St. Luke records parts of his sermons, concluding: “And with many other exhortations he preached to the people” (Luke 3:18). St. Matthew also says, “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matthew 3:1–2).
Preaching and teaching were the mission entrusted by the Lord to His apostles and disciples.
“The Twelve… He sent them to preach the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:2); likewise the seventy (Luke 10:9). “So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere” (Luke 9:6). St. Peter said, “He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify” (Acts 10:42).
As the Lord commanded them during their training, so also He instructed them before His ascension: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them… teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). And St. Mark continues: “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs” (Mark 16:20).
Likewise, Paul says, “Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 1:17), and, “Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). He remembers this responsibility: “The preaching which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior” (Titus 1:3), and, “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Thus the apostles fulfilled the command and lived for preaching, exhortation, and teaching:
“They did not cease daily in the temple and in every house, teaching and preaching Jesus” (Acts 5:42). “They spoke the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). From the day of Pentecost, they began teaching—“And with many other words he testified and exhorted them” (Acts 2:40). At the ordination of the seven deacons, the apostles said, “We will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). St. Luke wrote that they were “eyewitnesses and ministers of the word” (Luke 1:2), and that the people “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42).
Hence the Scripture records this eternal phrase: “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly” (Acts 6:7). The Jews and their rulers were upset because the apostles were teaching the people (Acts 4:2) and had “filled Jerusalem with their doctrine” (Acts 5:28).
With perseverance and strength, the apostles preached and ministered the word: “We exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children” (1 Thessalonians 2:11). St. Paul “spoke until midnight” (Acts 20:7). Peter and John declared, “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). The Lord Himself said to Paul, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you” (Acts 18:9). Paul obeyed, continuing to preach the kingdom of God “with all confidence, no one forbidding him” (Acts 28:31).
Even the epistles were written for preaching and teaching.
Jude says, “I write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). Peter says, “I have written to you briefly, exhorting” (1 Peter 5:12).
Preaching and teaching are the work of the holy bishops
Paul writes to his disciple Timothy the bishop:
“Give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:13). “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16). “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). “Do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5). “Teach and exhort these things” (1 Timothy 6:2).
He also writes to Titus the bishop: “Speak these things, exhort” (Titus 2:15). “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine… showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned” (Titus 2:1,7–8).
Therefore Paul says, “A bishop then must be… able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2). And again, “Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict” (Titus 1:9).
The Didascalia Apostolorum, in its third chapter, elaborates on this:
“The bishop must be full of all instruction, eloquent, skillful in speech, and lively in heart in teaching… Let the bishop instruct the laity with steadfastness and exhort them… Feed your people with the light of the Law, that they may be enriched by the abundance of your teaching.” It warns also, “If you bishops do not teach the people and bear witness to them, the sin of those who are ignorant is upon you” (Ezekiel 33:2–9).
Our holy father bishops were preachers and teachers.
How beautiful is their history in teaching! St. Athanasius the Apostolic traveled teaching and strengthening people in the true faith against Arianism. St. Cyril of Alexandria, “Pillar of Faith,” taught with precision and fought Nestorianism. Likewise, our teacher Dioscorus (the 25th Pope) opposed the Council of Chalcedon, and St. Severus of Antioch traveled for 28 years strengthening the faith and answering questions.
Should we not mention St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople, whose eloquent sermons earned him the title “Golden-Mouthed”? Or St. Gregory of Nazianzus, “the Theologian,” renowned for his deep argumentation? Or the sermons, writings, and letters of St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo? Or St. Hilary of Poitiers, called “the Athanasius of the West”? Or St. Basil the Great, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Cyprian of Carthage, or St. Ambrose of Milan?
Each of them was—according to the Apostle’s expression—
“Rightly dividing the word of truth.”
They were teachers of the universe, champions of faith, and their sermons, teachings, and writings remain sources for our faith.
The bishop must be able to teach, for as a member of the Holy Synod he is entrusted with legislation, combating heresies, and explaining the faith.
Preaching and teaching are the work of the priests
The Didascalia calls the priests “teachers.” From the priest’s mouth people seek the law. In addition to priestly service, they have the ministry of teaching. St. Paul says, “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine” (1 Timothy 5:17). In the ordination prayer, the bishop prays: “Grant him the spirit of wisdom, that he may be filled with works of healing and words of teaching, to instruct Your people with meekness.” In the charge read to him, the bishop says: “Be enlightened by study, continuing in reading and teaching the meanings of the Church’s books.”
We have examples of priestly preachers such as St. John Chrysostom when he was a priest in Antioch. In our modern times, notable priests such as Archpriest Philotheos and Fr. Mansi Yuhanna excelled in teaching.
Preaching and teaching are the work of the deacons
Though deacons serve the poor and assist at the altar, teaching is also among their most important duties. St. Stephen, the archdeacon, taught with great wisdom, and “they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (Acts 6:10). Philip the deacon preached in Samaria (Acts 8:5) and evangelized the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:35). Deacon Athanasius, at the Council of Nicaea, exemplified the teaching ministry of deacons. In our modern era, we remember Habib Girgis and Iskandar Hanna for their work in education.
Preaching and teaching are the work of the Readers (Anagnostis)
The Anagnostis (Reader) reads the Holy Scriptures in church, understands their meanings, and explains them to the people. The canon law says: “He who fills the ears of the people with words—should he not understand their meaning?” And at ordination, the bishop prays: “Show Your face upon Your servant (Name), who stands before You, that he may proclaim Your holy words, preach Your commandments to Your people, and teach them Your pure word by which their souls are saved.”
After ordination, he is charged: “You must teach the passages of the Holy Scriptures, the breath of God entrusted to you, that you may exhort the people with them.”
Conclusion
Let us care for teaching, preaching, and evangelism. For, “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14).
Let us always teach, encourage teachers and preachers, give them space, and provide them with the means to work.
And to this topic, we shall return—if the Lord wills and we live.
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