Recently I advised a young preacher friend to practice teaching his congregation more often by what is called "the Socratic method." I want to elaborate on this in this posting. First, just what is the "Socratic method"?
Though it is not so easy to define, there being various ways to teach in the Socratic way, yet according to criticalthinking.org, we have this simple definition (emphasis mine):
"In Socratic teaching we focus on giving students questions, not answers. We model an inquiring, probing mind by continually probing into the subject with questions." (see here)
If one stops to think about the teaching ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ he will have to admit that he sure did ask a lot of questions, both of his disciples and of his antagonists. What was the reason for this? Yes, sometimes it was to interrogate, like a prosecutor, or inquisitor, yet at other times it seems clear that it was done as a teaching method.
Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio, in discussing this topic, said this (emphasis mine):
"Have you ever had a teacher who drones on and on? Fact upon fact, argument upon argument. The teacher’s mistake is that he or she is providing a long and complicated answer to a question that hadn’t even occurred to you, a question you’re not really curious about. So the next day, you’ve forgotten the facts, the argument, and even the point.
On the other hand, have you ever had a teacher who intrigues you with a fascinating question that really makes you think? You strain your brain and–voila! You figure it out for yourself. You put the pieces together and see a clear picture. And you never forget it.
This is often called the Socratic Method, but it was not unique to Socrates. It is often the way Middle Eastern teachers, including the authors of the Bible, do their thing." (see here)
The Socratic Method is one of the best ways to teach a person because it requires that the pupil make attempts to solve problems, mathematical or analytical, before being comprehensively shown how to do so.
Said one writer:
"Socrates believed that the highest benefit of his art was to help people do their own thinking in a way that lead to the birth of their own new ideas. In Socratic dialogues, the primary focus is on the original thinking of the respondent as they try to answer Socrates' questions."
When people figure out the answers for themselves, rather than just being told the answers, the answers become more impressed upon the mind and memory.
The same writer also said:
"In these conversations, Socrates became the student and made those he questioned the teacher. Socrates rejected any attempts to pass off another person's ideas or the beliefs of the majority as truth. Socrates was not interested in the talk of others. He only wanted to focus on the respondents own thinking. Through the respondent's process of answering Socrates' questions, they experienced their own original thinking in the context of examining their own ideas and themselves. The brilliance of the Socratic method is in the character developing power it has through the exercise of a person's love of asking and answering questions in the pursuit of knowledge." ("Introduction to the Socratic Method and its Effect on Critical Thinking" by Max Maxwell - see here)
That is well stated. The Socratic method is one I have often used in my efforts to teach others. Of course, it is most beneficial in teaching in smaller groups, or in one on one, rather than in larger groups, as in preaching to a large congregation. The reason for this is because there is opportunity for the students to actually answer the questions and for there to be more of a dialogue or conversation. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and other ancient teachers, often taught their disciples (students or learners) in a dialogue. Thus we read of "the dialogues of Socrates," or "the dialogues of Plato," etc.
The Socratic method involves what well may be called "creative questioning." This is one reason why I think that catechetical instruction has been so often used by church teachers throughout the centuries in teaching doctrine to disciples. The use of catechisms is a good tool for teaching or for conveying important information because it uses a question and answer format.
At lifeway.com there is an article by Aaron Earls titled "6 Preaching Methods Jesus Used That You Should Too" (see here) in which he gives the Socratic method as one of those methods. He wrote this under "Jesus Asked Questions" (emphasis mine):
"Rather than tell everyone the answer right away, Jesus used the Socratic Method. He led His audience to conclusions by asking a lot of questions. For examples check out Matthew 16:26, or 22:20-21, or look at this resource. Questions are a powerful teaching method, especially when teaching a hostile crowd (like unbelievers). Questions stimulate critical thinking. Asking good questions makes the audience hungry to find the answers. If you want to preach like Jesus, ask a lot of questions. Do not reveal the answer immediately. Help your audience use their own brains."
Parents ought to learn how to teach their children in this manner! Ask your children questions about ideas and things! Get them to use their brains! To think rationally! To help them to "figure things out" for themselves rather than just "telling them."
The Dialogues of Jesus
I can picture Jesus, in the manner of Socrates or Plato, walking about with his disciples, and in an informal way teaching them through conversation and dialogue. I can visualize the disciples at the feet of their Master and hearing him, and asking him questions. I can see him as he asks them questions and how he challenges them in regard to their thinking. I see him using the Socratic method. Let me give some examples of it.
This method can be seen in those times when Jesus would ask "How think ye?" (Matt. 18:12); or, when he asked "But what think ye?" (Matt. 21:28); And, in one powerful example of this method we hear Christ ask "What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?"; And, their answer led him to ask further questions. Notice the rest of the dialogue:
"They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions." (Matt. 22: 42-46)
Now, Jesus could have simply said - "Christ is both the son and Lord of David." But, he rather led the disciples to that conclusion by his method of asking the right questions.
Another example of Christ teaching in this manner is found in these examples:
"Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?" (Luke 13:4)
In other words, what do you think?
"The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?" (Matt. 21: 25)
Notice how the questions of the master teacher caused the people to "reason with themselves," and this is what we also ought to be provoking in those who hear us by our use of the art of asking questions.
"But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him." (Matt. 21: 28-32)
"What do you think?" Which do you think "did the will of his father?" He wanted people to see things for themselves, to draw the answers out of them, rather than just dictate to them. God help us to emulate him in this so that we might ourselves become better teachers!
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