This lesson introduces Jesus as a Rabbi. In the Gospel of John, two disciples call him “Rabbi” in an ordinary conversation: "When the two disciples heard him [John] say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, 'What do you want?' They said, 'Rabbi . . . where are you staying?'" (John 1:37-38) At first, this might seem like a very personal question, but it is important evidence on how these disciples view Jesus. Learn more about Jesus as Rabbi.

Who is a Rabbi?

In John 1:37-38, the word "rabbi" is defined: it means "teacher." Interestingly, the word "rabbi" or "rabbin" does not appear in the Torah, Prophets, or Writings (the Hebrew Scriptures). The word "rav," used in this context, comes from Aramaic, and from it derives the Hebrew term "rabbi." It means "great" or "important," not in terms of size, but in authority.

So why does this explanation appear here in the Gospel of John?

John the Evangelist wrote his Gospel in Greek because he was located in Asia Minor, on the southwestern coast of the Aegean Sea (modern-day Türkiye). There, he ministered among Jewish-Christian communities. These communities had a large Jewish population, due to the diaspora: the scattering of the Jewish people through emigration to other areas. They spoke Greek, and their congregations included Greeks unfamiliar with Judaism. Therefore, John clarifies for his readers that "Rabbi" means "didaskalos" or teacher (John 1:38).

Yet, this explanation doesn't fully capture the depth of the term "rabbi," so we must delve into the history of how Scripture was taught in ancient Israel and Judea in the first century. We also need to understand how the educational system functioned in Judea during the first century AD.

Teachers of the Torah in the Old Testament

In the book of Deuteronomy, a newly crowned king learns the law from those responsible for teaching the Torah: "When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests" (Deuteronomy 17:18). 

What law is being referred to here? This is not talking about the Ten Commandments but about the Torah scroll, which includes the five books of Moses. In the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), the Ten Commandments are never called "the law." Terms like "book of the law" or "scroll of the law" refer to the Torah written by Moses.

The Torah refers to the set of laws and statutes on various subjects, found in the five books of Moses. The word "Torah" is also used as a term for the Pentateuch (the five books of Moses), as distinct from the entire Bible.

Since the “book of the law” was under the care of the priests and Levites who were responsible for teaching it to kings when they ascend the throne.

In addition to teaching the “book of the law” to the king and others, Levites also carry a written copy: "After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end, he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord: 'Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you'" (Deuteronomy 31:24-26). Placed beside the Ark of the Covenant, the “book of the law” is the standard that everyone, including the Levites, were judged by.

Levites were not only responsible for the Tabernacle but also held the crucial role of teaching the law in ancient Israel. People outside of Israel were also aware of the Levites’ role as teachers. The King of Assyria sent a priest to the cities of Israel to teach the law to the people. "The king of Assyria gave this order: 'Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.' So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the Lord" (2 Kings 17:27-28).

This was the role of the tribe of Levi. There was, however, a downside to this system: belonging to this tribe by birth automatically made someone a teacher of the Law, regardless of whether they were truly suited for it. This was a recurring problem in the history of Israel, as we see especially in the book of Judges, where priests failed to fulfill their responsibilities, and "everyone did as they saw fit."

Rabbis during the Intertestamental Period

The intertestamental period is roughly 420 BCE to 70 CE. A significant crisis occurred around 170 BCE when Judea fell under the rule of the Seleucid dynasty. King Antiochus IV Epiphanes tried to impose Hellenistic culture and idolatry on the Jews by force. This led to a division, with some priests compromising with Antiochus, while others, like the Maccabees, resisted and ultimately triumphed. However, the trust of the people in the priestly class was deeply shaken. 

Ezra: The First Rabbi

But God had already begun laying the groundwork for change during the time of Ezra in the fifth century BCE. Ezra was a priest and scribe, known as a "sofer." The books of Ezra and Nehemiah help explain many New Testament concepts. In the New Testament, we frequently encounter the term "scribe." Ezra was the first scribe. The Hebrew term "sofer" means "scribe" or "copyist." Scribes meticulously copied the Scriptures, and scholars believe Ezra was instrumental in compiling the canon of Hebrew Scriptures known as the Old Testament.

Nehemiah 8 shows the scribes at work. They "read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read" (Nehemiah 8:8). The phrase "making it clear" means they were translating from Hebrew into Aramaic, as those returning from Babylonian exile in the fifth century BCE no longer spoke Hebrew fluently; their common language was Aramaic.

Pharisees

Ezra enlisted both Levites and members of other tribes of Israel to teach the law (Nehemiah 8:7), which marked the beginning of a new era in Judaism. Previously, only Levites had taught the law, scholars from other tribes began to emerge. These Torah experts became the "people's teachers," known as Pharisees.

The Pharisees' role was to correctly interpret the Hebrew text since, at that time, the Torah was written as continuous text without punctuation or divisions. They would carefully divide the text into sentences, words, and paragraphs, ensuring it was read and understood correctly. This was the meaning behind the term "clearly" in Nehemiah 8:8.

Education in Judea in the First Century AD

In the first century CE, Judea was under Roman rule, and there were two main educational systems: the Greco-Roman philosophical schools and the rabbinical schools. Education at the rabbinical schools was free (funded by the community), and being a disciple of a rabbi was an honor. Learning the Torah provided a comprehensive education, starting with literacy. Galilean peasants typically sent their children to the rabbis, while the Jerusalem elite often preferred Greco-Roman schools.

Jesus as Rabbi

When the disciples called Jesus "Rabbi," they were acknowledging Him within the rabbinic educational framework (John 1:37-38).  According to Dr. Bolotnikov, rabbis “attracted followers or disciples . . . [whom] they taught face-to-face.” In rabbinical documents, disciples are described by who they learned face-to-face with: “He sat before Rabbi so-and-so” (Parable of the Ten Virgins, Part 1). These disciples recognized that John the Baptist, their previous teacher, was passing them on to someone greater. The first chapter of John can be seen as a graduation ceremony for John's disciples, with Jesus as their new teacher. When they asked, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" they were expressing their desire to continue their education under Him. His disciples would need to know where he was staying, so they could visit him and study face-to-face.

Parables as a Teaching Method

Jesus taught through parables, one of the primary teaching tools rabbis used to convey the wisdom of the Torah. At the time, and there were other rabbinic schools, such as the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel. Jesus' method was distinct yet familiar. Understanding Jesus as a rabbi helps us better grasp the meaning of His parables, which will be the focus of our upcoming lessons.