Difference between teaching and prophesying

[Ruth]

I have to confess, I've made a grave error on one of the other posts.

I am guilty of usurping authority over the males here because I was teaching.

Ironically, I was referring to women in the bible and their behaviour, of which I'm currently not a good example.

I thought that teaching was explaining what scripture meant to someone who doesn't understand scripture, like a bible study or something, and prophesying was delivering God's truth in a situation, but I don't think I've rightly divided God's word on this, and I would really appreciate anyone who could help me understand the biblical difference between the two as I don't want to repeat the same wickedness on future posts here, or with others that I meet.

Is teaching when you refer to scripture? Or is it when you advise people using scripture?

I don't want to be contentious and I am willing to take down any posts where I am teaching as I don't want others to stumble, male or female, by my bad example.
I just want to make sure I understand where the line is in terms of referring to scripture within the church - is it okay to post scripture to back up what I'm saying, but not to give advice (with or without scripture) to the males in the church? Can we use scripture to rebuke?

I just want to make sure that I fully understand when something becomes teaching, so I can sanctify myself from ungodly behaviour.

This post has gotten quite long; again, I can only apologise for my sin and hope you can forgive me for the offence I've caused. Thank you, Jeanne, for correcting me on this.

[anvilhauler]

Hi Ruth

That is an interesting topic you have brought up and is something I have even been thinking and musing over quite a lot over the last week.  Although I have been a Christian for 32 years I have to admit that I still haven't got this one fully sorted out in my mind.  I was thinking on one of Chris' teachings where he has taught that prophesying is teaching and this is in absolutely no opposition to that teaching but I am still puzzled with regards to that because of the following piece of scripture.


Ephesians 4 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Good that I can run this by others too as I tend to see it that those who get alongside others and pastor them also need to be able to teach them but this is in addition to the elders who are involved with the teaching for the whole church.  Hence the person doing the pastoral work and the teaching should have the material they are teaching open and transparent to the elders to be sure that it is correct.

Thanks again Ruth for bringing up this topic and I certainly look forward to insight that others can bring.

[Jeanne]

Actually, Kevin, Chris said that prophesying is simply telling people what God says. Since God no longer speaks directly to people now as He did in the Old Testament, it's simply quoting the Bible.

PROPHESY

1. In Scripture, to preach; to instruct in religious doctrines; to interpret or explain Scripture or religious subjects; to exhort. 1 Corinthians 13:9. Ezekiel 37:4.

http://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/prophesy

[anvilhauler]

Thanks for that Jeanne

Yes, I had forgotten the exact wording, thanks for correcting me.  My thinking had also become sidetracked over the last few days too.  On Thurday night the guy I mentioned about talking to at the pool wasn't the only one.  There was a ridiculous pentecostal guy with whom I was trying to talk some sense with and as you can imagine he was going on and on about prophesy in their "church" etc and was just another one against the KJV and claimed this that and everything else about how the spirit can talk to him through his NIV etc etc.  The guy was such a prat that in the end I had to quite forcibably tell him not to talk to me anymore.  When he continued I told him again, stop talking to me.  When he got out of the spa pool he turned to me in front of everyone else and commented that my heart is full of hate and that I have hate for him etc.  Wow, such a gracious person.

Hence for the next days I was musing over the differences between prophesy and teaching.  That guy has neither.

[creationliberty]

Prophesying can mean to foretell future events, but that's a much more specific and uncommon definition of the word, and as far as I know, most instances of its use in the New Testament uses the definition Jeanne posted above.

[Ruth]

Jeanne, I read your other posts - I'm sorry if I misunderstood you - thank you for straightening me out.

I understand Old Testament prophecy was a direct revelation from God that the prophets would then speak to the people.

I also looked in Noah Webster's, but the 2nd definition of 'teach' begins with "to deliver any doctrine, art, principles or words for instruction", which sounds very similar to "to instruct in religious doctrines". I'm still unclear on when prophesying becomes teaching.

There aren't many New Testament examples in scripture I can think of of women perhaps dealing with scripture, except Priscilla and Aquila, although she was alongside her husband, not alone.

[Jeanne]

Ruth, I think Masha answered your concerns best in the other thread. Women are not to teach IN THE CHURCH, or have authority over men. That's not to say that we can't quote Scripture or point a man in the right direction in answer to a direct question. In that case, it looks like I was actually the one in error by saying it was not my place to offer any advice because I'm a woman. However, the other reason I gave for not getting involved in that question still stands.

[Ruth]

Okay.

I'll take this on board.

[anvilhauler]

Women are not to teach IN THE CHURCH

The teaching that God does expect the older women to fulfil.  You won't see this happening in the church buildings though.

Titus 2 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: 2 that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. 3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

This teaching is obviously meant to occur as the women interact with eachother in day to day life and is not the time of the usual teaching in the church congregation as Biblical teaching is imparted to both men, women and children.

[Masha]

This is a great topic!!
As I said in the other post, women do teach. I teach and quote Scriptures a lot, to other women (younger but also older), to men and women I meet that are lost, or in meetings when there's discussion I also refer to Scripture if appropriate, and I teach my children all day. I have never perceived from Gods word that that ' teaching' is inappropriate for me as a woman. I actually see it as a task the Lord has given me, especially with my children.

Tit 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;     4, That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

Where God draws the line is when women get into the position of authority, and teach in Bible colleges or be a pastor in a church. After the fall, and Eve's error (First and then Adams) made it so. That simply means I have to be silent in the face of a true born again Bible believing Christian man, and learn from him. 1Ti 2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
1Co 14:35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
Right??

And the difference between teaching and prophesying,... prophesying is also teaching, but teaching is not necessarily prophesying....
Right???
;-)

[ThomasHGW]

For what its worth, I have learned tons from many of the women on the forum, and from what I can tell, none of them have taken a position of "teacher" in any way.
So I thank God that they have been here and able to post scripture and are able to point people in the right direction

[Ruth]

Right 

Thank you, Thomas and Masha.