BEING TAUGHT BY CHRIST AND BEING TAUGHT ABOUT CHRIST (SANTAMARIA)

But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:  Ephesians 4.4-5 KJV

But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, Ephesians 4.16 NIV

If one carefully looks at these two translations, one will notice a dramatic difference and approach to the Christian life.  They represent two diametrically opposed points of view.

On the one hand; one approach teaches that the desired behavior of  Christians is based on facts learned.  Academics are emphasized, and human professors are essential. Degrees are essential.  Seminaries are demanded, for the "equipping of the saints". The essence of this position is that the more a man knows in his head will eventually go to his heart and produce a holy life.

But the second approach is radically different.  Christ himself is doing the teaching.  And learning Christ is not learning ABOUT Christ, but refers to an intimate SPIRITUAL connection.  In other words, this kind of knowledge one cannot have by reading books, or even the New Testament, about Christ.  It can only be had by knowing Christ DIRECTLY.  This second approach has to do with revelation, not education.

Paul's own experience seems to have agreed with this second view.  Paul who calls himself a pattern for those who will follow writes these words in Galatians 1.12:

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Paul again emphasizes this point in Romans 16.25:

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

But just to make sure no one thinks that this kind of teaching was for Paul only in the supposed "pre-cessation" days, we read this in Ephesians 1.17-18:

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints

Thus this wisdom and revelation in a SPIRITUAL knowledge of him, cannot be obtained by anything that men DO.  It must be given by the Spirit.  This spiritual gift of God enlightens your understanding.  The result is a further knowledge of what is the hope of our calling.  Yes, there is growth in the Christian.  But it is not some sort of progressive sanctification, which we were given at the New Birth, but as Peter writes in II Peter 3.17-18:

Ye, therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

We read in Ephesians 3.17-19 the following:

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

This knowledge and comprehension do not come about with any academic course, analysis of the Greek or Hebrew text, reading the Bible, prayer, giving money in the church, or celebrating the Lord's Supper.  There are NO MEANS OF GRACE! It is given SOVEREIGNLY by the Spirit of God which goes wherever he wishes. But this knowledge of the love of Christ surpasses any kind of head knowledge.  This knowledge of the love of Christ brings about our being filled with the fullness of God!  This spiritual knowledge is possessed by ALL THE SAINTS.

Ephesians 4.20

The King James Version, which is not a perfect version, does a good job of translating Ephesians 4.20.  For those who know a little Greek, we list the Greek text of I Corinthians 14.6.  First the KJV:

Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation (ἐν ἀποκαλύψει), or by knowledge (ἐν γνώσει), or by prophesying (ἐν προφητείᾳ), or by doctrine ([ἐν] διδαχῇ)?

The translation follows the Greek construction precisely.  Now see how the English Standard and the NIV translate the passage:

Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?  

In each instance, they left the proposition out in their translation (by).  But yet that exact prepositional phrase is translated in Ephesians 4.20 is translated as "about Christ".  On what grammatical basis?  This Greek preposition never means "about". The simplest translation is "by".  Thus this construction of the Greek preposition and the dative noun is most naturally translated as "by Christ".  This means that it is Christ himself who teaches believers in their inner man.

It is Christ who teaches us no man can take his place through an inner voice (that is never in disagreement with the Bible). IS the true teacher.  This is why I John 2.27 states:

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

This illustrates the inner teaching that occurs when Jesus teaches you.   Yes, there are passages in the NT where human teachers are spoken of, where Paul taught in the Synagues, but there is a saying in the teaching profession: "No one teaches until someone learns."  Paul may have tried to teach but only those who had his words confirmed by the Spirit of God learned anything.