Comments on: Can we call Jesus “Rabbi”?

By: Rob Bruner

Rob Bruner — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 15:03:05 +0000

A very informative and well written article. Thank you very much!

By: David Ashton

David Ashton — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 03:30:00 +0000

Interesting and informative.

However I am confused; you have an image of Christ when we are told not to make or display them, and the image has him as good-looking white man with brown hair.

By: ivan alfaro

ivan alfaro — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 20:56:35 +0000

Oh great one rav-i Yeshua, we love love. Shalom

By: Aliza

Aliza — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 06:44:50 +0000

Thank you so much for the comprehensive yet succinct explanation! This was incredibly helpful and insightful. God bless!

By: Patrick Jeaurond

Patrick Jeaurond — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 17:15:00 +0000

In reply to Bryan Fink.

Amen brother!!
100% agree.

Thanks Lois for this!!

God bless!

By: Douglas Russell Jr

Douglas Russell Jr — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 02:36:45 +0000

I want to be christian I want to know about Jesus christ and saver because I want to know about my self and learn more about everything

By: Gary Smart

Gary Smart — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 16:17:15 +0000

I needed to know the answer to a question. So, I asked Siri on my iPhone and your website was the first of many she found for me. I found it very interesting and learned a great deal from my reading. The question I asked Siri; “Why did Jesus’ disciples call him Rabbi?”. Your site was so interesting and I saved it on my front page of my iPhone!

Thank you and your web developers for all the information available to me and others.

Blessings,
Gary Smart
Nacogdoches, Texas

By: Megan

Megan — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 13:50:51 +0000

I also do not see a problem with referring to Jesus as ‘Rabbi’. A rabbi’s role is to show their disciples how to demonstrate, interpret, and explain the Shema and how to bring shalom to chaos. By referring to Jesus as ‘Rabbi’ it is a reminder of the path and example I am to follow to bring shalom.
I find it very interesting the time period Jesus practiced his teachings. “Jesus lived in the critical period of Judaism that formed the nucleus of later rabbinic thought”, and I don’t think it was a coincidence for the time period. I think it was essential that Jesus practiced when he did because he was able to reflect and give his opinion on the arguments between Hillel and Shammai.

By: Lee Hart

Lee Hart — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 12:49:28 +0000

Lois, thank you for your balanced answer. That’s really helpful to me and I’m very grateful! 🙂

Something relevant I hadn’t mentioned: the Lord has called me to a certain ministry in the future which will be primarily aimed towards Jews (though as yet I do not speak Hebrew or have much experience of Jewish culture, and I am eagerly learning).

As such, it may make no difference that Timothy and Titus were themselves Greek; the Spirit may simply wish for me to refer to such men as ‘rabbis’ when ministering to Jews (as opposed to referring to them as ‘leaders’ or ‘pastors’, the latter of which is heavily associated with westernized Christianity).

By: Lois Tverberg

Lois Tverberg — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 05:03:35 +0000

Lee, what we have in the New Testament is the fact that Paul trained and treated Timothy as a disciple in the same way other early teachers did. He frequently spoke of him as his “son” and urged others to imitate him as he imitated Paul’s conduct, (1 Cor 4:15-17) two classic ideas emphasized in rabbi/disciple relationships.

But Timothy was a Greek-speaking Jew and “rav” and “rabbi” are Hebrew expressions. I don’t think that Paul’s mostly Greek-speaking audience in the diaspora would have used the same terms as Jesus’ mostly-Hebrew/Aramaic speaking audience in Israel. The title “rabbi” was not formalized by the time Timothy was teaching, and they were speaking Greek anyhow. So I don’t think his audience would have used it to address him.

By: Lee Hart

Lee Hart — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 23:44:39 +0000

Dear Lois, thank you for this very interesting article. I have an academic question for you and perhaps you can help?

I was recently looking at the pastoral Epistles (Timothy, Titus and Philemon) when I suddenly felt that the Holy Spirit might be telling me that these three shepherds were all known as ‘Rabbi’ (or, more particularly, ‘Ravi’ was the word I received). Well I’m not sure if this really was the Spirit or not, so I began searching the web for answers, eventually coming here.

There does not seem to be anything online about first century Christian leaders being called ‘Ravi’ or ‘Rabbi’. Nor is that word in the Epistles. No one seems to call Saul a rabbi, either in the Bible or today. So perhaps it was not the Spirit who told me this?

However, I wondered if you had any thoughts on this? Do you think it could be at all possible that Timothy and Titus were called Rabbi by anyone? I am not asking your theological opinion concerning Christian titles (I have my own clear views on that); I am only asking if you think it is possible that the early church leaders could possibly have done used ‘ravi’ of Timothy and Titus?

By: Lois Tverberg

Lois Tverberg — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 22:54:59 +0000

In reply to David. Dear David, I'm happy to oblige you on sources. See the following: New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus by David Bivin - Ch. 2 Traditions of the Rabbis of the Era of the New Testament by David Instone-Brewer - pages 1-4 The texts where Jesus is called "rabbi" are: Mt 26:25, 49; Mk 9:5, 11:21, 14:45: John 1:38, 49, 3:2, 4:31, 6:25, 9:2, 11:8.