Posted on 12/22/2024 12:14:55 PM PST by DallasBiff
I have generally assumed that Jesus was a Jewish rabbi. After all, He was born in Israel, He was Jewish, and people called Him, “Rabbi.” But that would make Him a professionally trained religious leader. Was He?
Bible teachers generally assume that when the Jewish leaders saw how brilliant the boy Jesus was, they immediately took steps to get Him enrolled in one of their schools to be formally trained as a rabbi. This accounts for why Jesus is not seen or heard from during his formative years. At the completion of His training He emerges and begins His ministry as a full-fledged rabbi – one of the best, most brilliant, and most controversial rabbis of them all.
(Excerpt) Read more at theschoolofchrist.org ...
Silly me. I always thought Jesus was a carpenter.
Well, going back to Genesis 14, there’s Melchizedek, called the “priest of the most high God” in verse 18; and in Hebrews 14 it’s indicated that Jesus and Melchizedek are one and the same.
I certainly will not argue against that. Perhaps I might have understood him to indicate Jesus was the only priest and the others didn’t count. But I can agree about Melchizedek being one of the first if not THE first priest.
Of course he was a Rabbi. It frankly doesn’t take all that much to become a rabbi. You go to yeshiva, learn Torah and Gemarah (Talmud) and are tested on it. When you pass you get “smicha” (certification). It’s very much like reading law and passing the bar exam.
My plumber is an ordained Orthodox rabbi. He has 6 brothers. All in construction or trades as well, and all ordained rabbis.
There were no yeshivas then. The Gemara had not been written yet. I’m sure there were no certifications for rabbis.
The oral Torah was taught from teacher to student for centuries prior to that time, and semicha (literally 'laying on hands') began from Moses to Joshua and continued into Jesus' time.
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1933944/jewish/What-Is-a-Rabbi.htm
Very interesting points.
I disagree that Melchizedek was Jesus. Hebrews 6:20 says “where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” It does not say He was Melchizedek. We don’t know where Melchizedek came from nor where his authority came from - not from man. And Jesus authority did not come from man.
” this man came to Him by night, and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
This man was calling Rabbi because of what Jesus was able to do, as evidence that God gave Jesus the ability not because He was given authority from man by their teaching.
“Born, and raised Catholic, been told that Jesus was the first Priest.”
Many Christians - not just Catholics - believe Jesus is the first priest in the order of Melchizedek. See Psalm 110:4 and Hebrews 7:13-17.
He was still unmarried in his 30’s so yes - he was probably thought of as a rabbi
Rabbi means teacher, master. Yes, He was one.
Next question.
You can disagree, but the attributes of Jesus as/and Melchizedek are clear in Hebrews 7, particularly verses 2 and 3.
That's debatable.
My apologies in advance: A priest, a minister, and a rabbit walk into a bar. The rabbit takes a look around, and then says “I think I’m a typo!”
Jesus said. “Before Abraham came to be, I AM”. If he predated Abraham, he certainly predated Aaron.
Was Jesus a rabbi?
https://www.gotquestions.org/was-Jesus-a-rabbi.html
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