The
role of Yeshua as a messianic figure gets lots more attention than his role as a
rabbi. The Synoptic Gospels, however, provide a wealth of information that
highlights his activities as a rabbi. In order to see It is important to
remember that Yeshua wasn’t the only messianic figure or rabbi the people would
have known. There were hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of rabbis circulating
in the land of Israel at that time. According to Professor S. Safrai, the
itinerating rabbi was the norm, rather than the exception.[i] Being
a disciple of Yeshua, especially for the apostles, required much more than just
attending lectures.
Learning by itself did not make a pupil,
and he did not grasp the full significance of his teacher’s learning in all its
nuances except through prolonged intimacy with his teacher, through close
association with his rich and profound mind. The disciples accompanied their
sage as he went to teach, when he sat in the law court, when he engaged in the
performance of meritorious deeds such as helping the poor, redeeming slaves,
collecting dowries for poor brides, burying the deed, etc. The pupil took his
turn in preparing the common meal and catering for the general needs of the
group. He performed personal services for his teacher, observed his conduct and
was his respectful, loving, humble companion. Some laws could not be studied
theoretically or merely discussed, but could only be learned by serving the
teacher.[ii]
According
to custom, a rabbi could not charge for teaching the Scriptures, so the
itinerant rabbi was dependent upon the hospitality and generosity of the
community. Many rabbis carried their food with them – a pouch of meal and a few
olives. From such they subsisted, not wanting to be a burden to their host. The
rabbi’s stay in the community might last from only a few days to weeks, or even
months. However, for the long term student (“disciple”), learning from a rabbi
meant traveling, since the rabbi was always moving from place to place. If one
wanted to learn from a rabbi, one had to “follow after him.”[iii]
The
rabbis taught in public places and in private homes. The Mishnah (Oral Law) in Avot
(The Sayings of the Fathers) states:
Let your home be
a meeting place for the wise; sit amidst the dust of their feet, and drink
thirstily of their words.[iv]
If
the people had not been hospitable, opening their homes for teaching and
providing food and lodging for the rabbis and their disciples, it would have
been impossible for the rabbis to teach and for the students to learn. [v]
The
rabbis used two primary methods to teach their disciples -- halachah and haggadah. Halachah comes from the Hebrew root word halach, which means “to walk” or “to go.” In other words, halachah
is that path or way in which one is to walk. Halachah is the term that is also used to refer to the whole legal
system in Judaism, which today includes the 613 written commandments of the Torah
along with all of the legal rulings and decisions of the rabbis found in the Mishnah.
Haggadah comes from the
Hebrew root word nagad, which means “to draw out; to narrate or tell.” According
to the Jerusalem Talmud (Horavot 3:8. 48c),
the purpose of the haggadah, unlike
the purpose of the halachah, is not
to state what is “forbidden” or “permitted” nor is it to declare what is
“pure” or “impure.”Haggadah includes
history, narrative, story, legends, fables, poetry, dirges, prayers, parables,
proverbs, allegories, metaphors, hyperboles, analogies, and more. The haggadah is not written as a legal
textbook, nor a digest of legal precedents. Haggadah
consist of moral and ethical instruction about personal faith and the ways of
God. It strives to teach man how to live in harmony with God and in harmony
with his fellow man. Its fundamental purpose is to reach out and touch the
heart of man so that he might “know the
Creator of the world and adhere to His ways.”[vi]
In
Yeshua’s period, the stress was more on haggadah.
The common man loved haggadah and was
strengthened and encouraged by it. Rabbinic sermons for the common people were
mainly haggadah, while the more
technical discussions of halachah were
reserved for advanced disciples. After the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE,
the focus switched more to halachah.
Interestingly,
and as surprising as it may seem, we have a record of more of the sayings and
the deeds of Yeshua than any other 1st century rabbi.[vii]
There
were a number of haggadic methods of
interpretation used by the rabbis. The most frequently used method by
Yeshua is remez or hinting. It was a rabbinic way of making
a statement or declaration about something or someone by alluding to verse or
passage from the Hebrew Scriptures. Yeshua would hint at a biblical verse or
passage by just mentioning one key word or phrase in the passage. His
listeners, having heard those verses read in the synagogue on a weekly
schedule, knew the whole passage. Often, the point that he wanted to make is
found in the biblical passage immediately before or just after the “hint” from
that passage. The moment the audience recognized the “hint,” the whole passage immediately
burst into their minds and they would recognize the point he wanted to make.
Keep
this in mind whenever you read the words of Yeshua, especially in the Synoptic
Gospels. Watch for his use of remez
and find the passages he hinted at. This will add a new dimension to your
understanding of his words. His audience recognized him as a skilled teacher of
the Torah and viewed his messages in light of the words of the Torah. Most
modern readers do not understand this and therefore fail to grasp the points
that he wanted to make and the purpose of his movement. Reestablish the link of
the Yeshua’s words to the words of his Bible – the Hebrew Scriptures – and you will take a giant step towards
rediscovering the Real Yeshua.
I
hope you enjoyed this and learned something too!
Jim
Myers
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[i] The Jewish People in the First Century Volume Two:
Historical Geography, Political History, Social Culture and Religious Life and
Institutions;
Edited by S. Safrai and M. Stern in co-operation with D. Flusser and E. C. van
Unnik; © 1976 By Stichting Compendia Rerum Iudaicarum Testamentum; Fprtress
Press, Philadelphia, PA; p. 965.
[iv] Mishnah,
Avot 1:4
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