Called To Study

The word translated “teach them diligently” comes from the Hebrew shānan, meaning to sharpen, repeat, or impress deeply. A teacher sharpens understanding through clear explanation and repeated, faithful use of the text. In 2 Timothy 2:15, “study” translates the Greek spoudazō, meaning to be earnest, make every effort, or work diligently. Bible college and serious Scripture study serve this calling by giving ministry workers disciplined practice in reading, interpreting, and communicating the Word.

Learning Objectives

• Explain how Deuteronomy 6:6-7 connects personal possession of God’s Word with faithful teaching. - Define shānan and spoudazō and apply their meanings to ministry study. - Prepare a Scripture lesson that moves from careful observation to accurate instruction.

The practical takeaway is simple: before asking, “How will I teach this passage?” ask, “Has this passage been carefully received in my own heart?”

From Scripture in the Heart to Scripture Taught Faithfully

Diligent study - sustained, careful effort to understand and obey Scripture. Biblical study is not a quick reading followed by an immediate opinion. It includes observing what the text says, asking what it means in its setting, comparing Scripture with Scripture, and considering how its truth should be taught.

Deuteronomy 6:6 begins with the words being “in your heart.” In the Bible, the heart is not merely the place of feelings. It includes the inner person: thought, desire, will, and commitment. Moses does not tell Israel to teach words they have never received. The order matters. God’s commands are to be present within the teacher before they are pressed upon others.

That order explains why Bible college can be valuable for ministry preparation. A sound program does not replace dependence on the Holy Spirit or obedience to God. It provides structured time and guidance for learning how to examine the text. Hebrew and Greek study, historical background, biblical theology, and practice in teaching can help a student slow down where a hurried reader would make assumptions. The purpose is not to make Scripture unnecessarily difficult. It is to help the teacher say what God has said.

Shānan - to sharpen or impress through repeated, deliberate instruction. The picture of sharpening helps clarify the teacher’s work. A blunt tool may be present, but it does not cut well. In the same way, a vague explanation may contain biblical vocabulary without giving learners a clear understanding. Repetition alone is not enough; the truth must be made precise.

For example, a teacher preparing on forgiveness might begin with a general statement: “Christians should forgive.” Diligent study asks more. What passage is being taught? What does the surrounding paragraph say? Is the command connected to God’s forgiveness, reconciliation, judgment, or personal bitterness? If the selected text is Ephesians 4:32, the teacher must read the full verse: “And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ has forgiven you.” The explanation should preserve the verse’s basis: Christian forgiveness is shaped by God’s forgiveness in Christ. Shānan means helping learners see that connection clearly and remember it accurately.

Deuteronomy 6:7 also gives the setting of instruction: sitting in the house, walking by the way, lying down, and rising up. The verse describes a pattern of steady teaching rather than a single religious event. For educators, this means a lesson should not be treated as an isolated performance. A Bible college instructor, small-group leader, pastor, or ministry trainer teaches through repeated contact with Scripture, consistent language, and faithful application.

Spoudazō - earnest effort directed toward an approved result. Paul’s command in 2 Timothy 2:15 does not describe careless enthusiasm. The student is to work so that he or she may stand approved before God, like a worker whose work can be examined without shame. The standard is not applause from learners. It is faithfulness before the Lord.

The final phrase, “rightly dividing the word of truth,” points to handling Scripture correctly. The Greek expression carries the sense of cutting straight or making a straight path. A teacher must not bend a verse to support a preferred message. Consider a lesson on Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” If the verse is taught as a promise of success in every personal goal, its context is lost. Paul is speaking about learning contentment in both need and abundance. Careful study protects the class from a confident but inaccurate use of Scripture.

A useful teaching pattern follows directly from these two passages:

1. Receive the text. Read the passage repeatedly and let its words challenge your assumptions. 2. Examine the text. Identify its speaker, audience, setting, repeated words, commands, reasons, and connections. 3. Explain the text. State the main point in clear language without adding claims the passage does not make. 4. Apply the text. Show how its truth calls believers to faith, obedience, correction, comfort, or service. 5. Repeat the truth faithfully. Use clear summaries and examples so learners can carry the teaching into daily life.

Ask yourself: If a learner remembered only one sentence from this lesson, would that sentence accurately represent the passage? That question tests both shānan and spoudazō. The teacher is sharpening understanding through clear repetition and working earnestly toward approval before God.

The practical takeaway is that diligent study is not separate from teaching ministry. It is the preparation that keeps teaching attached to the meaning of Scripture.

A Worked Example: Preparing Deuteronomy 6:6-7 for Teaching

The following example shows how an educator might move from the passage to a teachable outline. The goal is not to create a devotional reflection but to demonstrate a repeatable study process.

1. Set the passage and purpose. The selected text is Deuteronomy 6:6-7. The teaching purpose is: “To show that faithful instruction begins with receiving God’s Word personally and continues through consistent, everyday teaching.” This purpose stays close to the passage rather than beginning with a broad topic such as “Christian education.”

2. Read the immediate context. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 declares, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” Verses 6-7 follow this call to wholehearted love. The teacher therefore decides that instruction is not merely information transfer. It flows from loyalty to the one true God.

3. Observe the commands and sequence. Verse 6 says the words must be “in your heart.” Verse 7 then commands, “You shall teach them diligently.” The teacher records the sequence as two movements: inward possession first, outward instruction second. The word shānan adds the idea of repeated, penetrating instruction.

4. Identify the teaching setting. The passage names four daily moments: sitting, walking, lying down, and rising up. The teacher decides to explain that biblical teaching is both planned and ongoing. A formal class may be carefully prepared, while conversations, questions, and daily decisions provide further opportunities to reinforce the Word.

5. Connect the passage with 2 Timothy 2:15. Paul writes, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The Greek spoudazō supports the decision to include disciplined preparation. The teacher must not rely only on familiarity with a verse; the work should be examined for accuracy.

6. Build the lesson around two headings. The first heading is “The Word must live in the teacher.” The second is “The Word must be taught with steady care.” Under the first, the teacher explains the heart and the connection with loving God. Under the second, the teacher explains shānan, the four daily settings, and the responsibility to handle Scripture accurately.

7. Test the proposed application. The teacher asks whether the application follows from the passage. “Read Scripture before teaching Scripture” is a sound application. “Every teacher must enroll in a particular school” is not stated by these verses. Bible college may provide valuable training, but the passage establishes the need for faithful possession, diligent instruction, and careful handling - not one mandatory educational institution.

8. Write a concise teaching summary. The summary reads: “Because God’s Word must first be held in the heart, teachers must study it earnestly and teach it repeatedly and accurately in the ordinary places of life.” This sentence joins Deuteronomy 6:6-7 with 2 Timothy 2:15 without confusing their settings.

Final result: Faithful teaching begins with Scripture in the teacher’s heart, is sharpened through repeated instruction, and is guarded by earnest study that rightly handles the Word of truth.

This example also shows why a teaching outline must distinguish what the text says from what the teacher wishes to say. A strong outline does not force every ministry concern into one passage. It lets the passage set the boundaries, then uses careful explanation to serve the learners.

The practical takeaway is to measure every lesson by two questions: Did the preparation follow the text, and will the teaching help learners understand and obey the text?

Guided Practice and Answer Key

1. What is the relationship between Deuteronomy 6:6 and Deuteronomy 6:7? Hint: Notice what must happen before the command to teach is given.

2. How does shānan improve a teacher’s understanding of “teach them diligently”? Hint: Think about sharpening, repetition, and making truth clear rather than merely speaking often.

3. What does spoudazō add to the command in 2 Timothy 2:15? Hint: Consider the level of effort and the person before whom the work is evaluated.

4. A lesson claims that Philippians 4:13 guarantees success in every goal. What study question should be asked first? Hint: Read the surrounding verses and identify what Paul says about need, abundance, and contentment.

5. Write one accurate teaching sentence from Deuteronomy 6:6-7. Hint: Include both the Word being in the heart and the steady responsibility to teach it.

Answer Key: Deuteronomy 6:6 supplies the foundation: God’s words must be in the heart before they are taught. Shānan emphasizes sharpening and impressing truth through careful, repeated instruction. Spoudazō calls for earnest effort before God, not casual preparation for human approval. Philippians 4:13 must be read in its context of contentment in both need and abundance. An accurate summary is: “Teachers are to receive God’s Word deeply and teach it faithfully through the ordinary patterns of life.”

Diligent study is therefore an act of ministry, not a delay before ministry begins. The teacher who studies with earnest care gives learners more than religious language; that teacher helps them hear the meaning of God’s Word clearly and live under its authority.

End of chapter one. 7 more chapters in the full book.