One who has been educated in a particular field of knowledge and who teaches others publicly. The expression “public instructor” is translated from the Greek word gram·ma·teusʹ. The New English Bible renders this “teacher”; Knox uses the expressions “scholar” and ‘man of learning.’ A footnote in the New World Translation reads: “learned person.” (Mt 13:52, ftn; Mt 23:34) The same Greek word is usually rendered “scribe”; but to make clear that it is not the Jewish religious group known as the scribes to which reference is being made, the expression “public instructor” is used in the New World Translation when the passage refers to Jesus’ own disciples.

When Jesus was on earth, the scribes (gram·ma·teisʹ) were men versed in the Law and teachers of the people, but they had become corrupted by traditions of men and pagan doctrines. The term “scribes” was used toward them more as a title, designating them as a class, rather than having to do with their original copyist duties.

 Jesus came to bear witness to the truth. To get the good news of the Kingdom preached, he prepared his disciples to be teachers, public instructors, respecting the Kingdom of God. He magnified their office and the importance of listening to their teaching when he spoke of them as public instructors; he likened each of them to a learned man having a veritable treasure store from which to draw. (Mt 13:52) These he sent forth to Israel, but Israel’s own scribes did not discern the treasures that God, through these men, was holding out to them. On the contrary, they opposed the public instruction and took part in scourging, persecuting, and killing Jesus and his associate public instructors, thereby proving themselves to be false instructors. Nevertheless, many persons of Israel and of the nations were taught by Jesus’ instructed ones, and in turn, they themselves became public instructors in God’s Word.​—Mt 23:34; 28:19, 20.

Under the Law, the Levites were charged with seeing that the people received public instruction. (Le 10:11; De 17:10, 11; 2Ch 17:7-9) Moses the Levite, as mediator of the Law covenant, and later, Joshua of the tribe of Ephraim, as leader of the nation, were public instructors of God’s people. (De 4:1; 34:9; Jos 8:35) Likewise, the judges and the faithful kings gave instructions in the Law when they heard and judged cases and when they presided on occasions having to do with worship.​—1Ki 8:1-61; 2Ki 23:2.

An outstanding example of a public instructor is the priest Ezra, who, with Nehemiah’s support, conducted a program of public instruction for the Israelites repatriated from Babylon. He read the Law and organized the Levites for the performance of their duties of “explaining the law to the people,” “putting of meaning into it,” and “giving understanding in the reading,” thereby “instructing the people.”​—Ne 8:1-9.