ELTBefore Lamed ל
The *ל* (Lamed) is a significant letter in Hebrew, often associated with learning, teaching, and a shared heart between a teacher and a student. It represents the idea of a deep, intimate relationship where knowledge and wisdom are passed from one to another. There are several verses in the Bible that express this mutual understanding and connection, particularly in the context of Jesus' relationship with His disciples and God’s teaching of His people. Here are key passages that align with this concept:
Jesus as the Teacher Sharing His Heart with His Disciples
1. ▸ ± John 15:15
*"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."* - Jesus expresses that He shares with His disciples everything He has learned from the Father, signifying a deep, heart-to-heart connection between the teacher and His students.
2. ▸ ± Matthew 11:28-30
*"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."* - Jesus invites His followers into a shared relationship, teaching them not just through words but through His very heart of humility and gentleness.
3. ▸ ± John 13:34-35
*"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."* - Jesus teaches the disciples to love each other as He has loved them, showing that the heart of a teacher is passed into the hearts of the students through shared love and mutual care.
God’s Teaching and Heart Revealed to His People
4. ▸ ± Jeremiah 31:33
*"This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."* - In the New Covenant, God shares His heart with His people by writing His law on their hearts, indicating a deep, intimate teaching relationship.
5. ▸ ± Psalm 119:34
*"Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart."* - The psalmist expresses a desire for understanding that comes from God, showing a heartfelt relationship between the Teacher (God) and the student (the psalmist).
6. ▸ ± Isaiah 54:13
*"All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace."* - God Himself teaches His people, showing that the relationship between God and His people is one of shared wisdom and peace.
7. ▸ ± Proverbs 2:6
*"For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."* - Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding come from God’s heart to His people, indicating a teaching relationship where the heart of the teacher is shared with the student.
The Role of the Holy Spirit in Teaching and Sharing the Heart of God
8. ▸ ± John 14:26
*"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."* - The Holy Spirit continues the teaching work of Jesus, sharing the heart and mind of God with His people.
*"These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us."* - The Spirit enables believers to understand the heart and thoughts of God, forming a deep, intimate connection between God (the Teacher) and His people (students).
The Heart of the Teacher in the Old Testament
10. ▸ ± Deuteronomy 6:6-7
*"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."* - God commands His people to teach His ways to their children with their hearts, showing that teaching is not just about instruction but about sharing one's heart and life.
11. ▸ ± Proverbs 4:23
*"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."* - The heart is central to both teaching and learning. A teacher’s heart influences everything, and this deep relationship is mirrored in the way a student receives and internalizes the lesson.
Conclusion
These verses illustrate the mutual relationship of a teacher and student where knowledge, wisdom, and understanding are not just imparted as information but as an intimate sharing of hearts. In this way, the *ל* (*Lamed*) represents more than just instruction—it signifies a transformational connection where both the teacher and student are united in a shared heart, heart-to-heart.
