When considering teaching spiritual gifts, I was curious about 1 John 2:27, Romans 12:7, and Ephesians 4:11, so I researched the differences between 2:27 and Romans 12. This post won’t appeal to most; it was just something I journaled, thinking it may help a few others who might be studying gifts, anointing, and teaching. During my research, I dived into several study bibles and a commentary or two. This is basically a self-study of the chosen text and not meant to be a sermon, or a teaching for others. It can be used to assemble a sermon or teach a class. I understand if you do neither and are not interested in such a word study. I record my thoughts here, so I’m not trying to persuade anyone to understand what I do because what I understand today may change tomorrow. I have nearly 30 years of writing in this journal that shows my footsteps in growing and maturing in the Lord. I do hope some things I have written can be of use. This post is most likely more scattered-brained than other posts because I’m learning, and in learning, there is a change in understanding, and this document will also change as more is revealed. With that said, let’s move along.
Background 1 John 2:
The First Epistle of John was likely widely distributed as it was intended for the whole family of God and not addressed to any specific individual or local assembly. It may have been sent as a circular letter to various churches in the Roman province of Asia, where Ephesus was located.
1 John 2:20-27 (ESV) “20 But you have been anointed (King James uses unction) by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us: eternal life. 26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie: just as it has taught you, abide in him.”
Anointing of the Holy Spirit:
The law requiring the cleansing of lepers and the consecration of a priest required an application of blood and oil to the right ear, thumb, and the big toe of the cleansed or consecrated (Leviticus 8:30). Logically, the twofold anointing stressed the need for salvation (blood) and the anointing of the Holy Spirit (oil), that the believer might hear the word of God (ear), do the work of God (thumb), and walk in the way of God (toe). Illustration: the Ables, who were saved by the blood, or instructed the Tarry in Jerusalem until they were given power from on high (Luke 24: 49). Only then were they able to do the work of God as recorded in the act. Application: just as David was anointed with oil, the believer needs a fresh anointing for each task he undertakes for God. Christians should act on the anointing they have received from the Lord (1 John 2:27). (First reference, Leviticus 8:30; Primary reference, 1 John 2:27; Joel 2:28).
Study Bibles
King James Study Bible 1 John 2:
John refers to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (John 14-16). Yet Scripture does not suggest that God’s Spirit works in hearts apart from God’s Word (James 1:18, 21). This unction, then, predisposes John’s readers to recognize and respond to God’s truth but not to arrive at it independently of the biblical and apostolic Word. Had readers been capable of knowing all things apart from written and spoken instruction, 1 John would not need to have been written.
Ephesians 4:11-16 indicates that the Spirit often uses human instruments to fulfill His role of enabling believers to distinguish between truth and error. In any case, it is the Word of God that furnishes the believer with knowledge, and which the Spirit then makes relevant and applicable in the believer’s life. (Romans 10:17).
ESV Study Bible 1 John 2:
That this anointing abides implies that Christians have the resources to discern doctrinal error; there is no need for anyone to teach you. Yet by writing this letter, John is teaching them. He means that they have no need for instruction that diverges from the gospel message.
NIV Cultural Background Study Bible 1 John 2
Anointing from the Holy One. People were consecrated and anointed with oil for specific tasks, especially for the priesthood (e.g., Exodus 29:29; 40:15) or kingship (e.g., 1 Samuel 10:1; 2 Kings 9:6). At least sometimes, this physical anointing was associated with the Spirit (1 Samuel 10:1, 6; 16:1`3; Isaiah 61:1), probably the point here (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).
Ancient writers on moral topics often offered lists of largely unconnected moral exhortations; scholars call such compilations parenesis. Paul offers various exhortations on treating one another well (an important issue in the Roman church). Most of Paul’s exhortations would be widely acceptable in the culture. Ancients sometimes framed a section with parallel ideas. For teaching, see note on Ephesians.
NIV Cultural Background Study Bible Ephesians 4:11
Ancient lists were sometimes representative rather than comprehensive; some elements could overlap. (The Greek grammar links “pastors” and “teachers,” probably as dual responsibilities of the same people.)
Orthodox Study Bible 1 John 2
To abide in Christ involves not only mental assent to the doctrine of the incarnation. It is a sacramental union with Him, effected in baptism and nourished in the Eucharist (John 6:53-59; 15:1-8). For John, apostolic teaching and writing are identical to being taught by God. Without both the work of the Spirit and apostolic doctrine, we would remain in darkness.
Lutheran Study Bible 1 John 2
The Holy Spirit remains in believers. Those baptized into Christ have received the Holy Spirit through God’s Word. They do not need false teachers who deny God the Father by denying His Son. The Spirit who accompanied Jesus is the same Spirit who remains in us. He always reminds us of our Lord’s words to us. Abide in Him.
Lutheran Study Bible Ephesians 4:11
Teachers. Either another word for Shepard (1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 2:24) of a distinct calling as a theological teacher (Acts 13:1; 2 Timothy 1:11; James 3:1). Augustine: “John added teachers [to the list] so that pastors might understand that teaching, belongs to their office” It goes on to say in verse 12 that the purpose of the pastoral office is to equip the saints like outfitting a soldier for battle.
Lutheran Study Bible Romans 12:6-8
Commentaries
Jewish New Testament Commentary, 1 John 2
1 John 2:27 – You do not need anyone to teach you. Both “you’s” are plural and refer to the believing community as a whole; there is no ground here for a hyper-individualistic understanding of the Gospel wherein the views of other believers and the gathering of believers are considered unimportant.
Matthew Poole’s Commentary, 1 John 2:27
Ye need not that any man teach you; not as if they did not need at all of human teaching, for the apostle supposes not himself to be now doing a vain or needless thing; but that they had less need, having the internal principles of light and life in them, they were in a great measure capable of steering their course. They had a living, in-grafted word in themselves, enabling them to teach and commune with themselves, as Deuteronomy 30:11,12 Ro 10:7-9. Hereupon their reins could instruct them, Psalm 16:7. Or, they could instruct themselves, cautious, as that may be read, Colossians 3:16, the word of Christ dwelling richly in them. Therefore, they did not need to be taught as those who did not know the first principles of the oracles of God.
Pulpit Commentary Ephesians 4:11
Verse 11. – And he gave some (to be) apostles. Coming back to the diversity of gifts (ver. 7), He enumerates some of these, as Christ (αὐτὸς, he, emphatic) bestowed them. The organization of the Church is not a mere human arrangement; its officers are of Divine appointment.
And some pastors and teachers. The more ordinary settled ministers of congregations, called pastors, because they watched over the flock, trying to lead all in the right ways, and teachers because they communicated Divine knowledge. Some have thought that each expression denotes a separate office, but, coupled as they are together, it is better to regard them as indicating two functions of one office (see 1 Timothy 5:17; Acts 13:1).
Word Study
Strong’s Concordance 1321 didaskó
Should Teach: 1321 didaskó: to teach
Original Word: διδάσκω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: didaskó
Phonetic Spelling: (did-as’-ko)
Definition: to teach
Usage: I teach, direct, admonish.
HELPS Word-studies
1321 didáskō (from daō, “learn”) – to teach (literally, “cause to learn”); instruct, impart knowledge (disseminate information).
In the NT, 1321 /didáskō (“teach”) nearly always refers to teaching the Scriptures (the written Word of God). The key role of teaching Scripture is shown by its great frequency in the NT, and the variety of word-forms (cognates).
[This includes three noun-forms, two adjectival forms, and one verb, totaling about 220 occurrences in the NT).]
Strong’s Concordance Romans 12:7 second word teaching “if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;”
1319. didaskalia: instruction (the function or the information)
Original Word: διδασκαλία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: didaskalia
Phonetic Spelling: (did-as-kal-ee’-ah)
Definition: instruction (the function or the information)
Usage: instruction, teaching.
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 1319 didaskalía (a feminine noun derived from 1321 /didáskō, “teach”) – properly applied-teaching; Christian doctrine (teaching) as it especially extends to its necessary lifestyle (applications).
Ephesians 4:11 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers…”
Strong’s Concordance 1320 didaskalos.
Original Word: διδάσκαλος, ου, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: didaskalos
Phonetic Spelling: (did-as’-kal-os)
Definition: an instructor
Usage: a teacher, master.
Cognate: 1320 didáskalos (a masculine noun derived from 1321 /didáskō, “to teach”) – a teacher, an instructor acknowledged for their mastery in their field of learning; in Scripture, a Bible teacher, competent in theology. See 1319 (didaskalia).
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon has the following:
STRONG’S NT 1320: διδάσκαλος
διδάσκαλος, διδασκαλου, ὁ (διδάσκω), a teacher; in the N. T. one who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man:
1. of one who is fitted to teach, or thinks himself so: Hebrews 5:12; Romans 2:20.
2. of the teachers of the Jewish religion: Luke 2:46; John 3:10; hence, the Hebrew רַב is rendered in Greek διδάσκαλος: John 1:38 (); ; cf. below, under ῤαββί, and Pressel in Herzog xii., p. 471f; (Campbell, Dissert. on the Gospels, diss. vii. part 2).
3. of those who by their great power as teachers drew crowds about them;
a. of John the Baptist: Luke 3:12.
b. of Jesus: John 1:38 (); ; often in the first three Gospels.
4. by preeminence used of Jesus by himself, as the one who showed men the way of salvation: Matthew 23:8 L T Tr WH.
5. of the apostles: ὁ διδάσκαλος τῶν ἐθνῶν, of Paul, 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11.
6. of those who in the religious assemblies of Christians undertake the work of teaching, with the special assistance of the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 13:1, cf. James 3:1.
7. of false teachers among Christians: 2 Timothy 4:3. (Homer (h. Merc. 556), Aeschylus, others)
1 John 2 chrisma: an anointing, unction
Strong’s Concordance 5545 xrísma
Original Word: χρίσμα, ατος, τό
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: chrisma
Phonetic Spelling: (khris’-mah)
Definition: an anointing, unction
Usage: an anointing.
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 5545 xrísma (from 5548 /xríō, “anoint with oil”) – anointing, referring to the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit, guiding the receptive believer into fullness of God’s preferred-will (see 2307 /thélēma). (xrio).
[This anointing functions through faith (4102 /pístis), i.e. God inwardly persuading the believer of His preferences (cf. also Hab 2:1-4; 1 Jn 5:4).]
My 2 cents
In a previous post, I revealed what the word Christian means, and without getting into the Greek or Hebrew, the word (insult) means: “little anointed ones.” So, in my viewpoint, 1 John 2:27 applies to all who believe and follow Yeshua.
Most people attribute the word teachers to a vocation, such as school teachers, professors, etc. However, that is not the scriptural context of the word “teachers” in Ephesians. Below is the definition of the word teachers. See the Pulpit Commentary above. Interestingly, even some pastors believe if their school teachers provide bible education, they qualify for the gift. Undoubtedly, someone teaching will have the gift, but not all of them. The spiritual gift of a teacher belongs to the elder (pastor) and deacons, not vocational educators. Of course, this is my opinion. God will choose whom He desires to teach about Him.
Mike Kovach
Email Me
Views: 0