Teaching And Learning

Docere autem Dominum eam, et sapientiam, et disciplinam Scriptura testatur. De temperantia in lege: de ceteris in libro Job, in quo scriptum est: Nonne Dominus est qui docet intellectum et disciplinam: Et in Evangelio Dominus ipse ait: Discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde. Et alibi ad  discipulos ait: Ite, docete omnes gentes, baptizantes eas in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti. Unde autem discipuli  dicti? Aut quid aliud a Christo nisi virtutum operari praecepta discebant? Denique David ait: Venite, filii, audite me, timorem Domini docebo vos. Utique timor Dei de numero virtutum est, quia initium sapientiae timor Domini, per quem asciscitur piae forma doctrinae, de qua Paulus ait: Gratias autem Deo quod fuistis servi peccati, sed obedistis ex corde in eam formam doctrinae, in qua traditi estis: liberati autem a peccato, servi facti estis justitiae. Doctrinam igitur facit ut possimus pervenire ad justitiam. Potest igitur acquiri justitia discendo. Itendamus igitur studio in formam Evangelicae doctinae. Minimum studii plerumque pro maximo habetur obedientia, quae in utramlibet partem propenderit, aut culpam adjungit, aut gratiam. Haec nos in primo Adam traxit ad mortem, haec nos in Adam secundo ad vitam vocavit. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Jacob et Vita Beata, Liber I, Caput III Source:  Migne PL 14.602b-d

To the teaching of the Lord, and wisdom and discipline, Scripture bears witness. Concerning temperance in the law, and otherwise in the book of Job in which it is written: 'Is it not the Lord who teaches understanding and discipline?' 1 And in the Gospel the Lord Himself says, 'Learn from me for I am meek and humble in heart.' 2 And elsewhere he says to the disciples: 'Go, teach all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.' 3 From where are  the words of the disciples? Or what did they have from Christ unless they learn to practise the teachings of the virtues. David says: 'Come, sons, hear me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord.' 4 For the fear of the Lord is accounted among the number of the virtues, because the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord, 5 by which is acquired the beauty of pious teaching, concerning which Paul said: 'Thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you received in the obedience of your hearts that fair teaching into which you were brought, being freed from sin, made servants of righteousness.' 6 Therefore teaching makes it possible that one may come to righteousness. Therefore is is possible to acquire righteousness by learning. Let us attend then with diligence to the beauty of the Gospel's teaching. The least and the greatest obedience in this learning is of greatest consequence, for it will incline to one of two things, either to fault, or to grace. This is what dragged off the first Adam to death, this is what calls us to life in the second Adam. Saint Ambrose, from On Jacob and the Good Life, Book 1, Chapter 3 1 Job 33.16 2 Mt 11.29 3 Mt. 28.19 4 Ps 33.12 5. Ps 110.10 6. Rom 6.17-18