Jesus, Rabbi. In the Gospels, Jesus is referred to as “rabbi.” This title has caused some spirited academic debate. John Dominic Crossan makes a case for the title being applied to Jesus posthumously, as had been done with other famous miracle-working Jewish men in his time. Diana Butler Bass posits a related idea:
The word typically translated as “teacher” was the title “rabbi” or “rabbouni,” a fairly new—and even revolutionary—term in the first century. The word “rabbi” did not mean a Jewish clergyperson, as it does today, nor did the title appear in the Hebrew Bible. Indeed, it was just coming into use during Jesus’s time for one whose teachings bore spiritual authority—a sage, a storyteller, an insightful interpreter of the Law, or a particularly wise elder. [According to scholars Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Z. Brettler] Jesus was the “earliest attested person in literature to bear the title ‘Rabbi’.” (30)
In Rob Bells’ short film, Nooma: Dust, he talks about what the rabbinical tradition looked like once it had developed: who was called to become disciples of a rabbi, and what it implied. Knowing that the term rabbi was just coming into play during Jesus’ lifetime changes our understanding of the whole scene. I’m not sure that kids literally memorized text line by line – perhaps they learned the major stories? And since Jesus was one of the first identified in ancient literature, it seems unlikely that some of those traditions were in play during his lifetime. Yet one aspect stuck with me: the rabbi’s invitation meant that the rabbi believed that his disciples could follow in his footsteps, that they could do what he did in time. The writer of the Gospel of John has Jesus saying as much when he told his disciples, “I assure you that whoever believes in me will do the works that I do. They will do even greater works than these because I am going to the Father” (Jn 14:12 CEB). I don’t think this has changed since the first disciples were called to follow. I believe all who follow have the same capacity to be conduits of the love of God, anointed by the Spirit of God as did Jesus. Our roles may different. Our ministries may be different. Our gifts and skills may be different. Certainly, our context is different! Yet what an extraordinary possibility that is proclaimed!
What does that mean for us today, that we are endowed with the same Spirit that anointed Jesus, in order to follow in his footsteps? How will we know what to do? Jesus was more concerned about who we are and who we are becoming than giving us a task list (although he did give some very practical guidance as well). As a sage, he wanted his disciples to think in order that we might more fully love:
John A. T. Robinson, the Bishop of Woolwich in the Church of England, published a book called Honest to God, one of the bestselling and most widely read religion books of the twentieth century. Among many things the bishop criticized about Christianity was the church’s view that Jesus was a great spiritual teacher, a view, he said, that would result in powerless faith and always devolve into moralism (following a list of dos and don’ts). Instead, Robinson claimed that Jesus did not merely teach love; he embodied it. “Christ was utterly and completely ‘the man for others,’” he wrote, “because he was love.” Jesus did not issue rules to be ticked off on a list; Jesus embodied the rule of love, a way of life to be followed, and to be fully, completely human. (35)
Jesus taught using parables. Some people find them really annoying. Too bad – they remain! Consider the following selection of parables. What meaning do you glean from them? How many ways do the parables apply to your life?
The Parable of Cloth and Wineskins. “No one sews a piece of new, unshrunk cloth on old clothes because the patch tears away the cloth and makes a worse tear. No one pours new wine into old wineskins. If they did, the wineskins would burst, the wine would spill, and the wineskins would be ruined. Instead, people pour new wine into new wineskins so that both are kept safe.” – Mt. 9:14-17 (CEB)
The Parable of the Soils. He said many things to them in parables: “A farmer went out to scatter seed. As he was scattering seed, some fell on the path, and birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on rocky ground where the soil was shallow. They sprouted immediately because the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, it scorched the plants, and they dried up because they had no roots. Other seed fell among thorny plants. The thorny plants grew and choked them. Other seed fell on good soil and bore fruit, in one case a yield of one hundred to one, in another case a yield of sixty to one, and in another case a yield of thirty to one. Everyone who has ears should pay attention.” – Mt. 13:3-9 (CEB)
The Parable of the Weeds. “The kingdom of heaven is like someone who planted good seed in his field. While people were sleeping, an enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and went away. When the stalks sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.
“The servants of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Master, didn’t you plant good seed in your field? Then how is it that it has weeds?’
“‘An enemy has done this,’ he answered.
“The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them?’
“But the landowner said, ‘No, because if you gather the weeds, you’ll pull up the wheat along with them. Let both grow side by side until the harvest. And at harvesttime I’ll say to the harvesters, “First gather the weeds and tie them together in bundles to be burned. But bring the wheat into my barn.”’” – Mt. 13:24-33 (CEB)
The Parable of the Mustard Seed. He told another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in his field. It’s the smallest of all seeds. But when it’s grown, it’s the largest of all vegetable plants. It becomes a tree so that the birds in the sky come and nest in its branches.”
The Parable of the Yeast. He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through all the dough.” – Mt. 13:31-33 (CEB)
Parable of the Treasure. “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that somebody hid in a field, which someone else found and covered up. Full of joy, the finder sold everything and bought that field.
Parable of the Merchant. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one very precious pearl, he went and sold all that he owned and bought it. – Mt. 13:44-46 (CEB)
The Parable of the Good Samaritan. A legal expert stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to gain eternal life?”
Jesus replied, “What is written in the Law? How do you interpret it?”
He responded, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.”
Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.”
But the legal expert wanted to prove that he was right, so he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied, “A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He encountered thieves, who stripped him naked, beat him up, and left him near death. Now it just so happened that a priest was also going down the same road. When he saw the injured man, he crossed over to the other side of the road and went on his way. Likewise, a Levite came by that spot, saw the injured man, and crossed over to the other side of the road and went on his way. A Samaritan, who was on a journey, came to where the man was. But when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. The Samaritan went to him and bandaged his wounds, tending them with oil and wine. Then he placed the wounded man on his own donkey, took him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day, he took two full days’ worth of wages and gave them to the innkeeper. He said, ‘Take care of him, and when I return, I will pay you back for any additional costs.’ What do you think? Which one of these three was a neighbor to the man who encountered thieves?”
Then the legal expert said, “The one who demonstrated mercy toward him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” – Luke 10:25-37 (CEB)
On any and all of these, don’t limit yourself to the first answer that comes to mind. The first thought might be especially relevant now but give yourself time to go deeper. For the rest of your life! Jesus meant for us to mull these over again and again, knowing that we change over time and therefore the parables’ meaningful application will surely change as well. We are always in process.
Unless otherwise noted, all quotes are from Diana Butler Bass’ book, Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence. HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.