“Buy the truth, and do not sell it …” (Prov. 23:23, NKJV)
The tenth fruit of pride, namely an unteachable spirit, is currently being discussed. Jesus interestingly enough referred to it as the “leaven of the Pharisees” (Luke 12:1). In the previous teaching we started explaining this matter in greater detail, specifically in relation to John 9 where the apostle John teaches us about the Pharisees’ unteachable spirit.
We’ve already pointed out that the main narrative in John 9 centres around the healing of a man who was born blind. (Perhaps read the conclusion to the previous teaching again.)
This group of know-it-alls leave no possibility for perhaps being wrong about anything – in their own eyes they have learnt everything, know everything. What brings about that one takes up such a position of superiority? Verse 34 presents an answer: “They answered and said to him, ‘You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?’ And they cast him out.” Their pride is clearly the cause of their unteachable spirit.
There are various characteristics and accompanying actions one notices when looking at the Pharisees, and that starkly define their unteachable spirit.
- Instead of directly examining the truth that Jesus is bringing, or at least dealing with it, the teacher is directly and often personally attacked.
- The societal dogma that’s carried over from generation to generation, namely to not work on the Sabbath, which in this case is read to also include healing someone, is here implicitly presented as a reason why his teaching is apparently not acceptable. Added to this is the fact that they had very little understanding about the fact that their interpretation of the law is absolutely against the spirit of the law. In the case of the Pharisees, tradition often ends up informing their law-abidence.
- Once they had interrogated the man about the healing, they do everything in their power to argue away his honest and thought-through answer.
- They focus on secondary arguments in order to avoid engaging with the main argument.
- There is no willingness to even listen to someone who might have a different opinion.
- There is greater antagonism toward Jesus based on the fact that He is not part of the inner circle.
- They are not good listeners (verse 27). Have a look at what Prov. 15:3-32; 17:27-28; 18:13; and 19:20 present as counter to this.
- They make use of verbal intimidation as a scare tactic (verse 18-23).
- A person with an unteachable spirit easily pretends to be an expert in all areas.
- Their communication is laced with cynicism and sarcasm, doublespeak and innuendo.
- They respond quickly, often shooting from the hip to catch the opponent unawares, and thus disarm him (Prov. 14:3). There is often a sly, prepared answer at the ready. In contrast to Prov. 23:23, which reminds us that we should “buy the truth, and do not sell it”, exactly the reverse is the case with them.
- They like to argue (Prov. 20:3), and often jump from one argument to the next if they lose a point.
- Believers with an unteachable spirit are very quick at labelling the other person. Re-read 1 Cor. 3:3-9 to see how the most carnal church of the New Testament church knew everything about labelling. People with an unteachable spirit will quickly make a few associations and then with great arrogance pin you as humanist, or postmodernist, or liberal, or fundamental, or New Age, or syncretic, or adhering to the law, or adhering to philosophy, or post-tribulation, or mid-trib, or post-trib, or dogmatic, or not observant of Scripture, or eclectic, or whatever. You can never win as whatever label is attributed to you is also made suspect in the process – and believe me – you will always be labeled. If no label actually adheres to who you are you are easily cast as unteachable, mysterious, unsure, an enigma, and then people will say that you believe everything, and thus nothing. One cannot actually take up a position in the midst of such an attitude and argumentation tactic, as your point of departure is never acceptable to them. They will often accuse you of comparing apples and oranges, thus in their view discrediting your entire argument.
- Unteachable believers often get very angry if their arguments aren’t simply accepted, and they can become very emotional during arguments. In Prov. 22:24-25 the Bible warns that it is not wise to sit in the presence of haughty (unteachable) people, as it becomes an attitude to life on which your functioning is later predicated: “Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul.”
- By the end of the conversation they often recede to their corner of the ring, and provide broad associational sketches to prove that their viewpoint is irreconcilable with yours. In this specific case they play the Moses vs Jesus card.
- Their set dogmatic position brings about that they hold the church’s creeds in very high regard, often on the same level as the authority of the Bible. The section that Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Tim. 1:3-5 is easily presented out of context about why we are not allowed to accommodate new revelation: “I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.” Or 2 Tim. 3:14: “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them …” BUT they do not consider the possibility that you may have been taught something completely wrong by early church fathers, and are part of the perpetuating of that “truth” without questioning or pondering it.
- They make a big deal about the fact that their opinion or position does not change, and that they have held it for many years, built on the same original foundation. This is a disturbing case, especially since knowledge increases (Dan. 12:4), and revelation is unfolding. The knowledge system of faith must always be an open system, not a closed one. Any claim that thus threatens to overturn the apple cart of belief is immediately rejected, as it represents a change of thought, as well as a re-orientation in terms of the new insights that need to be integrated into the existing frame of reference. In Rom. 12:2 (NLT) the plea for change is made clear, as follows: “let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think”. After all, the Bible is laced with phrases that foreground the new: new covenant, new testament, new heaven, new earth, new name, new Jerusalem, new living way, and many more! In Rev. 21:5 Jesus states, in strong terms: “Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’”
- It is always noticeable that people with an unteachable spirit often cluster together in defined bastions of friendship. They do not necessarily oppose one another, but in relationships that border on unholy alliances they often protect each other in a united front against anyone who would confront individuals within the inner circle, even if the unteachables do not necessarily agree with the arguments of the other. There is undoubtedly a sense of exclusivity that is a root organising principle for their association with one another. The group of which they are part control and strengthens this behaviour, and ensure that no one in the group changes.
- If over time a dissident does speak out about the group’s functioning, and require something different from their once collective partners, he or she is kicked from the inner circle, even threatened. People who oppose them are often publicly humiliated and excommunicated. Here it happens in John 9:22: “His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.”
- The Bible tells us to speak the truth to one another in love (Eph. 4:15). Until this is our approach we will not be able to enter into any meaningful, deep conversations about dogmatic differences: “Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity.” (Prov. 14:29, Msg).
- Pride causes this religious gestapo to want to control everyone through correct dogma.
Absolutely signifying this state of the Pharisees is their complete spiritual blindness, despite the fact that they can physically see. The blind man who was healed is clearly typological of the man who can indeed sing, “I once was blind / But now I see!” Jesus highlights this clear symbolism in John 9:39:41: “And Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.’ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, ‘Are we blind also?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, “We see”. Therefore your sin remains.’” Selah.
If the Word warns in Hos. 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”, it is a very strong claim. We are not so much concerned here with a specific quota of knowledge that we need to be in possession of, but instead with a teachable spirit. In John 16:13 we are after all promised: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” An unteachable spirit opposes this. And then Jer. 7:24 becomes true: “Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.”
- Selah: Perhaps we should raise this question again: Are you a spiritual know-it-all?
- Read: 8-14; 2 Tim. 1-3.
- Memorise: 2 Tim. 1:7.
