The Curriculum
preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2
Patience and Instruction – How long does the leader of the flock continue to reprove, rebuke and exhort? How much time should it take to bring the followers to full maturity? When does the leader say, “Well, that’s enough. I’ve tried and tried and they just aren’t getting it. Time to move on?”
These two words (makrothumia and didache) tell us the answers, especially when they are preceded by the word pase (all). Makrothumia is the combination of “long” (makros) and “anger, wrath” (thumos). It is an idiomatic word that implies restraining anger for a long time. We find the same idea in Hebrew when the idiomatic expression for long-suffering is literally “being of long nose.” The leader must exercise extended, stretched out patience. Growth takes an incredible amount of time. In fact, it takes all of our lives. So, patience is the watchword of leadership. A leader has anger under control.
But patience must be combined with didache – teaching. The word covers the range of instructing, tutoring and teaching. A leader of the flock is not simply the one in front, blazing the path. The leader is also the one who instructs, nourishes, directs and advises. No one can be a Biblical leader without an unshakeable commitment to the spiritual growth of those who follow. This requires mental, spiritual and emotional development. Leaders who do not prod the flock toward deeper understanding and greater application are not meeting the standard.
Now we see why Paul combines makrothumia with didache. How many times did you have to give instruction to your children before they were able to accomplish simple tasks like tying shoes? How long did it take to teach them values like honesty and compassion? Imagine how much patience biblical leaders must have in order to teach such complex transforming thoughts like discipleship? All you have to do is look at Jesus as the consummate teacher to see that even though He was with the disciples day and night for three years, they still did not fully understand His instruction. Paul knew all of this from first-hand experience, having spent three years in the desert alone with the Lord.
What a difficult time we leaders have with this combination! If you have never been frustrated by slow growth, then you haven’t felt the tension between what is and what ought to be. Paul felt it. So did the other disciples. Even Jesus once said to his flock, “How long shall I be with you before you understand?” But as soon as you feel that tension, you will be called up short – for God wishes that you too would grow in grace at a rapid pace. God demonstrates long suffering patience with His chosen leaders because they also are in need of matching proclamation with practice. And any leader who forgets how long it took him to understand is no leader after God’s own heart.
