The next point that Jesus makes in this short, word-sketch sermon is that students can’t advance beyond what their teachers know and teach them.
Here, Jesus is probably thinking of the Pharisees and says, “There is no point studying with the Pharisees because one will just land up being another Pharisee.” Elsewhere, Jesus refers to
them as ‘blind guides’. Beware who you take as a teacher; think twice about who you want to be like. Jesus is challenging his hearers to break out of the moulds they are being offered and to follow his way. A way that leads from death to life. He seems to be encouragingly saying, “I am the way, I am the true teacher, I want you to really follow me.”
The bottom line is that Jesus desires us to learn to be like him!
Jesus came to show us the way to God the Father. He demonstrates the will and desire of God the Father, and we would do well to imitate his life – the life of the perfect son. Jesus came to restore God’s image in us so that we can learn and mirror the nature of God created in us.
While we may learn from others, we should never desire to be like them. Instead, our aim should be to
be like Jesus, with our eyes firmly fixed on him.
Do I have Jesus in my mind’s eye as my teacher, or is there someone else?
Do I truly try to match my behaviour with Jesus, to imitate his life?
Reflections by Reggie Venter
