Rabbi
“My master, my teacher”
Summary
Rabbi was a title of honor given by Jews to their religious teachers and spiritual leaders, meaning "my master" or "my teacher," and frequently applied to Jesus in the Gospels.
☩Meaning and Forms
The term Rabbi comes from the Hebrew word rab, meaning "great" or "distinguished," with the pronominal suffix meaning "my." It was used as a title of respect for religious teachers and spiritual leaders. The title had gradations of honor: the simple Rab (teacher) was the lowest degree; Rabbi (my teacher) was higher; and Rabban or Rabboni (our teacher) was the highest, reserved for the presidents of the Sanhedrin. The Septuagint and New Testament translate it as didaskalos, meaning "teacher."
☩Usage in the Gospels
Both John the Baptist and Jesus were addressed by this title. Jesus was called Rabbi by His disciples and others on numerous occasions. Nicodemus addressed Jesus as "Rabbi" when he came to Him by night, acknowledging Him as "a teacher come from God." The heightened form Rabboni appears in Mark 10:51 and John 20:16, where Mary Magdalene used it when she recognized the risen Christ. Jesus, however, forbade His disciples from using this title for themselves, teaching that they were all brothers and had only one Master.
☩Historical Development
According to Jewish authorities, the title Rabbi came into formal use around the time of the patriarchs, with Gamaliel I (AD 30-50) being the first to receive the title Rabban. The Palestinian sages who received ordination from the Sanhedrin were called Rabbi, while the Babylonian sages received the title Rab. The more ancient teachers, such as Hillel and the prophets, were simply called by their names without titles, indicating that these honorific distinctions developed in later periods.
Related Verses14 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Rabbi," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VIII (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Rabbi," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Rabbi," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 4.James Hastings (ed.), "Rabbi," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).
- 5.George Morrish, "Rabbi," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).