Thank Aristotle for the quote, but remember that it’s a Biblical principle.

“Although he (Jesus) was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.” – Hebrews 5:8-10

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:9

“But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.” – James 1:25

Aristotle’s maxim may not be at the heart of what these verses say, but the thought is there.

Remember Matthew 10? Mark 6:7-13? Luke 9:1-6? And Luke 10:1-17?

Did Jesus think His followers needed to learn to go on missionary journeys without Him – even while He was still around? Is that why he sent them out by twos, first twelve and then 70 or 72?

Did He think they needed to learn dependence on God through others by sending them off without a change of clothing or a wallet?

Did He believe they needed to experience what it was like to be despised and rejected by instructing them to shake the dust off their feet when they left such a town?

Did He feel they needed to experience the joy of God working through them when He sent them with power to heal and cast out demons?

Did Jesus expect them to simply repeat the phrase “Repent! for the kingdom of heaven is near,” or did He want them to learn to tell of its truth that they had seen and heard and participated in?

Did He want them to learn to give their own answers when people asked the tough questions of life, rather than sending scrolls of lesson plans and sermon outlines with them? to learn to let His Spirit speak through them?

Is it possible that the answers to many of the tough questions we have – even philosophical or spiritual ones – could be learned by doing?