PREACHING VS. TEACHING

These words are used interchangeably but I would like to point out some distinctives. The word preaching is the Greek word Kērusso. This word means to preach, herald, proclaim or publish (Matthew 3:1; Mark 1:45).

The more popular Greek term is Euaggelizō where we get the English word evangelize. This term almost always makes reference to preaching, or proclaiming the good news of the gospel. This is the responsibility of every believer.

The word teaching in the Greek is Didáskō. It means to know or teach. It also means to instruct by word of mouth.

Preaching the gospel is declaring the good news of Jesus Christ; One is proclaiming or heralding the message of man’s sin, his need for repentance of sin, and to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ by faith for salvation so that he may escape the wrath of God and inherit eternal life. When I think of preaching, I see the minister proclaiming the message to the congregation as a town crier would as opposed to teaching the listeners which is doctrine, instruction, acquiring knowledge.

Teaching Mode: Jesus was both preacher and teacher. In Matthew 5:2 it says Jesus taught the multitudes during the sermon on the mount. This occurred in Matthew chapters 5-7. The word taught is the same Greek word Didasko. Jesus also taught the multitudes regarding the kingdom in Matthew 13 with parables. The teaching method Jesus used was to use natural events that all could understand and then translate that into the supernatural in relation to the kingdom of God. Jesus had to meet the people where they were first in order for him to elevate their thinking to spiritual things.

Preaching Mode: In Luke 4:18-19 it says that, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord”. Jesus was actually quoting the Old Testament, Isaiah 61:1-2. By preaching the message, the Lord was in essence introducing who he was and what his mission was for being in their midst; he was the fulfillment of Isaiah 61 for he said in Luke 4:21, “this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears”. This marked the beginning of his earthly ministry.

Obviously preaching and teaching are married terms. However, the difference I see in preaching is sort of like the man on the street corner bellowing the good news verses the man providing instruction and insight regarding topics such as the fruit of the spirit, prayer, worship, forgiveness, giving etc.

Preaching is meaningless without biblical truth and teaching is useless if the word of truth is mishandled; not providing sound hermeneutics or exegesis – that is rightly dividing the word of truth; explaining the text of scripture.

Inherent in biblical preaching will produce deliverance, hope, and salvation to the lost, the captives, the oppressed and poor (i.e. power).

Inherent in biblical teaching will instruct with sound doctrine the believer so that he can learn and grow and be equipped in spiritual battle, fit for service to the Lord.

One other important thing Jesus and the apostles did when they preached and taught, it always provided revelation to all who heard their message.