PUBLIC INSTRUCTOR

One who has been educated in a particular field of knowledge and who teaches others publicly. The expression “public instructor” is translated from the Greek word gram·ma·teusʹ. The New English Bible renders this “teacher”; Knox uses the expressions “scholar” and ‘man of learning.’ A footnote in the New World Translation reads: “learned person.” (Mt 13:52, ftn; Mt 23:34) The same Greek word is usually rendered “scribe”; but to make clear that it is not the Jewish religious group known as the scribes to which reference is being made, the expression “public instructor” is used in the New World Translation when the passage refers to Jesus’ own disciples.

Jesus came to bear witness to the truth. To get the good news of the Kingdom preached, he prepared his disciples to be teachers, public instructors, respecting the Kingdom of God. He magnified their office and the importance of listening to their teaching when he spoke of them as public instructors; he likened each of them to a learned man having a veritable treasure store from which to draw. (Mt 13:52) These he sent forth to Israel, but Israel’s own scribes did not discern the treasures that God, through these men, was holding out to them. On the contrary, they opposed the public instruction and took part in scourging, persecuting, and killing Jesus and his associate public instructors, thereby proving themselves to be false instructors. Nevertheless, many persons of Israel and of the nations were taught by Jesus’ instructed ones, and in turn, they themselves became public instructors in God’s Word.​—Mt 23:34; 28:19, 20.