In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate (2 Thessalonians 3:6-9).

In Acts 18:1-3, we are given a front-row seat to the third and final reason why Paul appears to have chosen to work as a tentmaker: so that he could effectively disciple other Christians. In these verses, we are told that, upon arriving in Corinth, Paul met Priscilla and Aquila, “and because [Paul] was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them” (Acts 18:3).

Many theologians believe that Priscilla and Aquila had already converted to Christianity by the time they met Paul. But by working shoulder-to-shoulder as tentmakers, Paul was able to disciple the couple and bring them further along in their faith.

Jesus the parable teller 

Most of us like to listen to stories. Whether it is for entertainment, or to make a point. Stories are memorable and stick with us. I found this excerpt in a book by storyteller Jackson Day a very succinct explanation of the power of story and why it was Jesus’ preferred teaching technique. Parable Seeds: Second Sowing explains why Jesus taught in parables.

“Jesus knew that people receive truth best when it was clothed in story. That is why when Jesus spoke to the crowd, He didn’t say anything to them without using parables (Mark 4:34). Jesus mastered the art of clothing truth with stories. Jesus’ parables didn’t illustrate His message; His stories were His message. Jesus told stories in order to put His listeners on the road to truth. Most of the time, Jesus didn’t even explain His parables. At the end of many parables Jesus said, ‘He who has ears, let him hear.’ 

“Story was Jesus’ form of speech. Jesus did not come to earth as a theologian; He came as a storyteller. Jesus did not lecture using point-driven abstract language. Jesus told stories every time when He spoke to crowds. Common people gladly heard Jesus tell His parables. Christians who are faithful to Jesus’ message need to be faithful to imitate Jesus’ storytelling approach.