Rabbi
Rabbi
The word translated Rabbi[1] in the New Testament appears some 17 times and is always translated Master or Rabbi. It is from the Hebrew word Rabi[2] which appears over 450 times in the Old Testament and is not translated rabbi or master.
A minister of the Old Testament was suppose to be a servant of the people who as a Levite "belonged to God".
The term Rabbi might be equated with the term master because of the changes wrought by Herod and the Pharisees, especially because of their institution of Corban.
Rabbi is said to be from the word rab ReishBeit which was contracted from rabab[3] ReishBeitBeit meaning "to become many".
The term rabbi developed in its basic form a little more than a 150 years before Christ. It meant a learned teacher who had been trained up in the written and oral laws. The title "rabbi" was first used in the first century CE meaning a master teacher and source of knowledge about the complex interpretations of their view of the law of Moses.
There were vastly different interpretation of the Torah at that time. Religious Factions at the altars of Judea were almost like political parties. The modern interpretation of the early biblical Old Testament especially the Pentateuch has aligned in our present age with the view of the Pharisees.
According to Christ the Pharisees not only did not know Moses[4] nor understand that law nor attend to it[5] but got it so wrong they were making the word of God to none effect with their system of Corban which they set up with the help of Herod.
The Greek/Hebrew term Rabbi is almost always used in scripture to address Jesus because he was a Master Teacher of His Doctrine. Since he was a boy he was very competent in the law and astonished doctors and teachers.[6]
He knew the Pharisees had it wrong that he was going to have to take the kingdom from them and given it to another who will bear fruit.[7]
When Jesus went out to teach the people he was contradicting the Pharisees just as John the Baptist was doing with His Baptism. There was evidence that others were understanding and beginning to follow the way that was so contrary to the master teachers of the Pharisees called Rabbi.
It is not that those Rabbi of the Pharisees were revered but that they revered themselves and were so much in error. Like the error of Balaam and the Nicolaitan they were a stumblingblock.
The Pharisees created a lot of doctrines by reading the Old Testament and mixing it with the oral traditions. Vanity and pride blinded them from the truth. Their teachings were nothing more than the blind leading the blind.[8]
Matthew 23:7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi <4461>, Rabbi <4461> 8 But be not ye called Rabbi <4461>: for one is your Master, [even] Christ; and all ye are brethren.
While we know that Moses and Elijah were in agreement with Christ we know the Pharisees and their Master teachers were not. They were not only false teachers their teachings were doing real harm. Besides making the word of God to none effect with their Corban their covetous practices were making the people human resources of the tyrants like Herod the Great and returning them to the bondage of Egypt. They had so misinterpreted the law of Moses and even the Ten Commandments Jesus called them hypocrites and worse. Jesus did not want the brethren being like these Rabbi which was exclusively a term of the Pharisees.
Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
It may be very important for Modern Christians to understand what was wrong with the Corban of the Pharisees and how it conflicted with the Corban of Christ and the Old Testament corban. The original Corban was called for by God to draw us near Him and He near us. The Pharisees changed a basic element of it which degenerated the people like the dainties of rulers.
Through the tradition blessed by a new kind of Sanhedrin they together had instituted a system of entitlements through registration with the temples built by Herod and the Rabbinical Baptism of the Pharisees.
This system of legal charity was making the people subjects because they were the dainties of rulers warned about in Proverbs, that were a snare warned about by David. These systems had already begun in Rome through their system of temples by way of the benefactors like Caesar.
John the Baptist would offer a new way and alternative through his Baptism and the practice of charity. In the Old Testament the rabi was also dependent upon freewill offerings. The Way of Jesus was in accord with John the Baptist and even the real Moses who said we were to love our neighbor as ourselves and not covet our neighbors goods through men who call themselves benefactors but exercise authority one over the other.
The teaching of Jesus on calling no man father on earth was another issue that involved the dainties of rulers, the reward of unrighteousness, the welfare that is a snare, and of course the covetous practices that makes men merchandise and curse children.
Other Occurrences
Matthew 26:25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master <4461>, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
Matthew 26:49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master <4461>; and kissed him.
Mark 9:5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master <4461>, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
Mark 11:21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master <4461>, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
Mark 14:45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master <4461>, master <4461>; and kissed him.
John 1:38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi <4461>, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
John 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi <4461>, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
John 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi <4461>, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
John 3:26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi <4461>, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all [men] come to him.
John 4:31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master <4461>, eat.
John 6:25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi <4461>, when camest thou hither?
John 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master <4461>, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
John 11:8 [His] disciples say unto him, Master <4461>, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
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Footnotes
- ↑ 4461 ῥαββί rhabbi [hrab-bee’] of Hebrew origin 07227 רַבִּי meaning many or great with pronominal suffix; n m; TDNT- 6:961,982; [{See TDNT 685 }] AV-Master (Christ) 9, Rabbi (Christ) 5, rabbi 3; 17
- 1) my great one, my honourable sir
- 2) Rabbi, a title used by the Jews to address their teachers (and also honour them when not addressing them)
- ↑ 07227 רַב rab [rab] ReishBeit contracted from 07231 rabab to become many, Greek 4461 ραββι; adj/adv/n m; [BDB-912b, BDB-913b] [{See TWOT on 2099 @@ "2099a" }] [{See TWOT on 2099 @@ "2099b" }] AV-many 190, great 118, much 36, captain 24, more 12, long 10, enough 9, multitude 7, mighty 5, greater 4, greatly 3, misc 40; 458
adj
- 1) much, many, great
- 1a) much
- 1b) many
- 1c) abounding in
- 1d) more numerous than
- 1e) abundant, enough
- 1f) great
- 1g) strong
- 1h) greater than
- adv
- 1i) much, exceedingly
- n m
- 2) captain, chief
- 1) much, many, great
- ↑ 07231 רָבַב rabab [raw-bab’] a primitive root; v; [BDB-912b, BDB-1127a] [{See TWOT on 2099 }] AV-are many 6, are multiplied 3, increased 3, are more 2, manifold 1, ten thousands 1, multiply 1; 17
- 1) to be or become many, be or become much, be or become great
- 1a) (Qal)
- 1a1) to be or become many
- 1a2) to be or become great
- 1a3) to be long (of journey)
- 2) (Pual) ten thousands
- 1) to be or become many, be or become much, be or become great
- ↑ Luke 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
- : John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
- ↑ Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
- ↑ Luke 2:46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
- ↑ Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
- ↑ Matthew 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.