Jesus was often referred to as ‘Rabbi.’ Rabbi was a title given to someone who was a teacher. There were many rabbis teaching throughout Israel in Jesus’ day.
Education was quite different in the first century. Students did not go to a school to learn. Students went to a teacher. They would commit themselves as students of that teacher. They would travel wherever he went. They would live like he lived. Over time it became obvious to outsiders what teacher a person was following based on beliefs, vocabulary and lifestyle.
Rabbis did not go looking for students. To look for or recruit a student would have been seen as demeaning or beneath the rabbi. Instead, students sought out the rabbi and if they were found to be a worthwhile student, they were allowed to study with the rabbi.
Jesus handled being a rabbi differently. He is the first rabbi on record to recruit his students. He actually recruited students who most likely had no intention of becoming students of a rabbi. They were fishermen, tax collectors and political activists. They had not sought out a rabbi to study under and follow. They appeared to be quite content to live ordinary lives.
Jesus saw something in them. Jesus ‘called’ them to follow him. Jesus ‘called’ them to commit themselves to a completely different way of living.
It is no different today. When someone begins to follow Jesus, it is not because they started looking to follow Him. People begin to search and follow after Jesus because HE comes to THEM, tugging at their heart and recruiting them to a different way of life.
Now people go to a school. Then people went to a teacher – rabbi.
Go to the Rabbi and learn from Him!
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