[Imal]

"But, was Jesus not a practicing Jew and a Rabbi?"

He may very well have been a "practicing Jew", up to a point, it seems. But as far as I know, there is no record of Jesus having ever been ordained as a rabbi.

There are some interesting albeit unsubstantiated theories, however, that he may have been an Essene scholar, and possibly given that title by the Essenes. But I have seen nothing other than provocative speculation on the topic.

[wingnuts'nbolts]

He was however, I am sure you'll agree, a practicing Jew. He just also happens to have been the Massiah. He also seems to have been a religious teacher of Jews = Rabbi. Of course, to get here one needs to have taken the leap of faith that Jesus is and was, is one and the same, the Son of God, God and the holy Spirit. It does require faith. Without that the discussion is moot.