Greek word for rabbi is interestingly
enough, "Rhabbi". This was a title used by
Jews to address their teacher, as well as to
International Standard Bible
A term used by the Jews of their religious
teachers as a title of respect.
Holeman Bible Dictionary, 3rd
meaning, “my master,” applied to teachers
and others of an exalted and revered
Easton's Bible Dictionary:
"My Master", a title
of dignity given by the Jews to their
doctors of the law and their distinguished
New Unger's Bible Dictionary:
A respectful term
applied by the Jews to their teachers and
Theological Dictionary of the New
Testament – Abridged (Little Kittles):
A. In Judaism.
1. The term rab denotes one who holds
a respected position, e.g., an official. It
is used by an inferior to a superior.
Students use it in addressing their
teachers, but it may also be used for the
Messiah or for God as Lord of the world.
2. The use for teachers goes back to
the second century B.C. Students follow
their teachers with respectful obedience.
When qualified to teach, they themselves are
given the title, which the people as a whole
also uses. It occurs on many inscriptions
from Palestine, Syria, Cyprus, and Italy.
B. The New Testament.
1. In the New Testament rhabbi
occurs only in the Gospels.
Matthew 23:5-7 censures the scribes for
desiring the title. The Baptist is called
3. As the Palestinian tradition becomes less
prominent, rhabbi does not occur in
other Christian writings.
The educational process that a
young Jewish boy goes through is
not found in the Bible, but is found in the
Mishnah. The Mishna are the oral
interpretations of the Hebrew Scriptures.
When we look at the Scriptures , we see that
Jesus' life closely followed these customs
of the time and place in Palestine.
First, let's look at what is gleaned from
the Mishna about the educational process:
At five years
old [one is fit] for the Scripture, at ten
years the Mishnah (oral Torah,
interpretations) at thirteen for the
fulfilling of the commandments, at fifteen
the Talmud (making Rabbinic
interpretations), at eighteen the
bride-chamber, at twenty pursuing a
vocation, at thirty for authority (able to
Beth Sefer : MOST
young men stopped here, went
home to their families, learned
a trade and lived out their
Beth Midrash: Only the
best moved on to level of school
Beth Talmid: ONLY the best of
the best attended this level of
teaching under a rabbi. And only
the best of the best of the best
ever attained the title of
"teacher", or rabbi.
In all that I have studied, it
was very unlike today where
titles are thrown around and
If we look then at Jesus life as described
in the Scriptures, we see that He paralled
this education (as He was in fact Jewish):
Luke 2:52 tells us that Jesus "grew in
increased in wisdom and in stature and in
favor with God and man." (ESV)
Luke 2:41-47 Jesus reached the
"fulfilling" of the commandments at age
twelve. Note verse 47.....He was an
exceptional student! 41 Now his parents
went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of
the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve
years old, they went up according to custom.
43 And when the feast was ended, as they
were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind
in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,
44 but supposing him to be in the group they
went a day's journey, but then they began to
search for him among their relatives and
acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find
him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching
for him. 46 After three days they found him
in the temple, sitting among the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions.
47 And all who heard him were amazed at his
understanding and his answers.
Matthew 13:55 Jesus learned a trade with
His father. "Is not this the
carpenter's son? Is not his mother called
Mary? And are not his brothers James and
Joseph and Simon and Judas?" (ESV)
John 3:22-26 and
John 4:1-3 makes it clear that Jesus
spent time with John the Baptist, a rabbi.
The simple fact that Jesus and His disciples
were baptizing suggest strongly that Jesus
and John studied together or with the same
teacher. 22 After this
Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean
countryside, and he remained there with them
and was baptizing. 23 John also was
baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water
was plentiful there, and people were coming
and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet
been put in prison).
25 Now a discussion
arose between some of John's disciples and a
Jew over purification. 26 And they came to
John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was
with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore
witness--look, he is baptizing, and all are
going to him."
John 4:1-3 1 Now when Jesus
learned that the Pharisees had heard that
Jesus was making and baptizing more
disciples than John 2 (although Jesus
himself did not baptize, but only his
disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed
again for Galilee. (ESV)
Lastly, keeping clearly with what we have
learned about the process of education in
Galilee through the Mishnah......... Jesus
ministry, when He became "Rabbi" or
"Teacher" was at about age 30.
Luke 3:23 Jesus, when he
began his ministry, was about thirty years
of age, being the son (as was supposed) of
Joseph, the son of Heli, (ESV)
Let's look at who in the
Scriptures recognized Jesus as a Rabbi:
the "Holman Quick Source Bible Dictionary"
that the word Rabbi means "My Master",
applied to teachers and
others of an exalted position.
-- The Disciples
--Judas called Jesus "Rabbi" (Matthew 26:25) 25 Judas, who
would betray him, answered, “Is it I,
Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
-- Peter called Jesus "Rabbi" (Mark 9:5) 5 And Peter said
to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are
here. (Mark 11:21) 21 And Peter
remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look!
The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
-- Two disciples called Jesus "rabbi" (John 1:37-39) 37 The two
disciples heard him say this, and they
followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them
following and said to them, “What are you
seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi”
(which means Teacher), “where are you
staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you
-- John 4:31 31 Meanwhile the
disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi,
-- John 6:25 25 When they found
him on the other side of the sea, they said
to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?
-- John 9:2 2 And his
disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned,
this man or his parents, that he was born
-- John 11:8 8 The disciples
said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now
seeking to stone you, and are you going
there again?" -- Nathanael called Jesus "rabbi" (John
1:49) 49 Nathanael
answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of
God! You are the King of Israel!”
-- Pharisees (Luke
-- Nicodemus, the Pharisee, called Jesus "rabbi" (John
3:1-2) 1 Now there was a
man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a
ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus£
by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know
that you are a teacher come from God, for no
one can do these signs that you do unless
God is with him.”