Concepts

Answered Nicodemus and said to Him, “How are these things able to come to pass? Answered Jesus and said to him, As for you, are you the teacher of Israel, and do not you have an experiential knowledge of these things?”
John 3:9-10 (Wuest - The New Testament: An Expanded Translation)
 
Jesus answered Nicodemus while teaching him a valuable lesson by pointing out a fundamental foundational block to effective teaching--experiential knowledge. If one is teaching about God's plan for marriage, they should be experiencing God's plan for marriage. If one is talking about servanthood, one should experience being a slave.
 
Often younger teachers teach concepts yet lack experiential understanding, while older teachers often have experiences that younger people do not care to hear about.
 
Older teachers are not more intelligent; they are more experienced. Concepts are essential, and truth cannot be changed by experience, yet it will always be confirmed.

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