Jesus the Teacher

In Chapter 22 of We Make the Road by Walking, I explore seven ways Jesus taught:
1. Signs and wonders
2. Public lectures
3. Impromptu moments
4. Private retreats and field trips
5. Public demonstrations
6. Parables
7. The Cross
When I was in England a few months ago, wise scholar and teacher Paula Gooder gently asked me why I didn’t include an eighth: Asking questions.
Of course! She’s right. In future editions, that’s a change I want to make. (By the way, did you notice how she taught me – by using a question?)
So, here’s how I plan to revise that list for a future edition:
1. Signs and wonders
2. Public lectures
3. Impromptu moments
4. Private retreats and field trips
5. Public demonstrations
6. Parables
7. Questions
8. The Cross
Here’s a rough draft of a short paragraph I’d like to add on p. 102 (in the US edition):

[Regarding parables]… They could ask questions, stay curious, and seek something deeper than agreement or disagreement – namely, understanding.
Speaking of questions, one of Jesus’ master-teaching strategies involved asking lots of them. People who count these sorts of things say Jesus asks over 300 questions in the four gospels, and of the 183 questions he is asked, he directly answers only 3. He routinely refuses to answer questions that are badly framed, often responding to a misguided question with a probing question.

If you’ve never read through the gospels noting Jesus’ brilliant use of questions, it’s worth doing. Conrad Gempf wrote a whole book on the subject some years ago, which I highly recommend.
One of my mentors used to say, “We must teach what Jesus taught in the manner Jesus taught it.” If that rings true, you’ll enjoy Chapter 22 … but be sure to add #7 (above) to the list of (now) 8.