Have We Been Following Jesus the Wrong Way?

jac37420
Oct 15
2 min read

When Jesus called His disciples, He didn’t hand them a book or a class schedule. He simply said, “Come, follow Me.”

That invitation shows us something powerful about how Jesus taught, and how transformation really happens. Jesus lived and taught in a Hebrew context, not a Greek one. And that makes all the difference.

Two Ways of Learning

This diagram contrasts the Greek and Hebrew ways of learning — thinking your way into new behavior vs. acting your way into new thinking.

The Greek way of learning, which shaped much of Western culture, says that right thinking leads to right action. In other words, if you study enough, reason enough, and understand enough, you’ll eventually live it out.

But the Hebrew way of learning, the way Jesus modeled, flips that around. It says that right action leads to right thinking. When you step out in obedience, your understanding deepens through experience.

It’s the difference between thinking your way into a new way of acting and acting your way into a new way of thinking.

The Drift

As the early church spread west, Greek and Roman culture began shaping how people learned. Over time, the church became more focused on knowledge transfer than life transformation. Sermons replaced shared stories. Classrooms replaced campfires.

Faith started to look more like a lecture hall than a family on mission. We began to study Jesus instead of following Him.

But Jesus’ disciples didn’t learn by attending conferences or reading commentaries. They learned by walking with Him, watching Him, and practicing what He did. Their classroom was the road, their textbook was obedience, and their exam was faith in action.