Post by disciple on Jun 24, 2010 8:10:36 GMT -5
The Rabbi and His Talmidim
Are you really of disciple of Jesus Christ? Does your daily walk show evidence of being a disciple of Jesus? It takes a constant, consistent, passionate and faithful process of learning, following, and obeying to be a true disciple of Christ.
Are you really of disciple of Jesus Christ? Does your daily walk show evidence of being a disciple of Jesus? It takes a constant, consistent, passionate and faithful process of learning, following, and obeying to be a true disciple of Christ.
1. History of Jewish Educational System
The Jewish educational system is built around 4 core things with the TORAH being the center of their educational system.
Four Cores to Education: Community, Discipleship, Text and Passion
2 groups of Jews in 1st century Israel:
Group One – Judeans, return from Babylon around 500 B.C., settled and lived predominately around Jerusalem. These Jews were very traditional and were happy with the status quo. The Saducees were formed from out of this group.
Group Two – Galileans, return from captivity around 150-50 B.C, lived around Galilee and founded the towns Nazareth, Canaan, Corizine, Bethsaeda, and Capernaum. These people were radical, progressive and passionate. They danced in the synagogues when the Torah was brought out. The rabbis here performed healings and other miracles.
Capernaum was their major city where the best of the best came from. And this became the headquarters for Jesus’ teaching ministry. Of all the places on Earth and all the times through history Jesus chose to be a teacher (rabbi) here.
Out of Jesus’ 12 disciples, 11 of them came from Galilee and only Judas came from Jerusalem. 75% of Jesus’ recorded teachings and the majority of His miracles were done in the area around Galilee (a triangle 3.5 miles x 3.5 miles x 3.5 miles)
Galilee was a rural area and not respected among the Jews – John 1:46 (nothing good)
What was it about this place and these people that caused God to choose them?
2. Discipleship – Galilean School
In the Jewish education system the Rabbi worked for the entire community. There are 3 levels of education in the Jewish system, although most students do not reach them.
Beth Sefer – Elementary (reading and writing) This level consisted of both boys & girls with the age ranging from 5-12. (girls only in Galilee)
The boys studied Torah for all their subjects. Math, Science, History, Faith
In order to advance to the next level of education, the boys had to commit to memory and be able to recite the entire Torah. A boy could take part in Passover if he had memorized the Torah by age 12. (Take part means to make sacrifice for his family, hands on the head of the lamb) If not he must wait till he was 20. (Luke 2:41-52—Jesus’ Passover)
Girls studied the Psalms, Proverbs, Deuteronomy and Leviticus. They learned how to be a homemaker. And in the first century women were the worship leaders in the home and the synagogues; light the candles, say the Sabbath prayer, etc. The two times Jesus speaks specifically to “the women,” He quotes from the book of Psalms. Near the age of 12 or first menstrual cycle their education stopped and within a year they were engaged and then a year later they were married. This lets us know that most likely Mary was near 14-15 at the time of Jesus’ birth.
Beth Midrash – Middle School/Jr. High (oral interpretation) Only boys went to this level, only the ones who had memorized the Torah and shown promise. Question-and-answer sessions between student and teacher were added to their memorization drills.
They also began to memorize the Haftorah (rest of the Hebrew Testament scriptures) and study in the synagogues. Only around 10% of the boys made it to this level, while the others would begin to work and learn the family trade or business. The gifted students who continued usually studied half the day and learned a trade the other half.
Beth Talmud – (interpretation and application) This is the final level of education in the Jewish system. Only 1 out of 100 from Beth Midrash went to this level. These children had memorized the entire Hebrew Bible.
Around age 15 the truly gifted would travel and study with a famous rabbi (one seen as having authority) as a Talmid (Disciple). These special Rabbis were not the typical community rabbi or “Torah teachers”, but had achieved special recognition and wisdom. These Rabbis taught their own interpretations (s’mikeh – had authority to introduce new teachings) and were able to support themselves by teaching. (Matthew 7:28-29)
The goal of the talmid is to “become like their rabbi,” and at age 30 gifted students often became rabbis themselves.
3. Talmidim
Being a talmid was not a simple matter, but was someone with an intense commitment to become just like his rabbi. Gifted students would listen to various rabbis and look for the rabbi they wanted to be like. They would stand beside a Rabbi for 3 to 6 months to listen to his teaching. Once they decided they wanted to follow him, they would approach the rabbi and ask, “May I follow you?” Essentially what they meant was, “do you think I have what it takes to be like you?’
After being accepted the talmid would then “live” with their rabbi. (Mark 3:13-14) They followed him everywhere, every day and every hour of the day without asking where the rabbi was going. The talmid rarely left his rabbi’s side for fear that he would miss a teachable moment. He watched his every move, noting how he acted and thought in various situations, with the desire that he would start to think and act like his rabbi.
4. Jesus’ Talmdim
The modern thinking is that the disciples are middle-aged, but in fact they were probably 15 years old or younger.
Some hints to this fact in the scriptures: temple tax was paid by men 20 years or older. Peter was the only one who had to pay the tax (Matthew 17: 24-27). Peter was probably the oldest, because he spoke first for the group and because boys would usually marry at 18. Also Jesus uses a term that meant children or young men for the disciples more than once.
Jesus’ disciples were the wash outs of the Jewish educational system. They had possibly gone through Beth Sefer but now had started learning the family trade (fishermen, tax collector) when Jesus chooses them.
The gospels record between 4 and 8 times (depending on same accounts) people ask to follow Jesus. Jesus never tells any of them “yes”. He breaks the model and chooses them instead of them choosing Him. When Jesus says to His talmid, Come, follow me…He is really saying…I believe in you, I think you could be like me. If you doubt His call then you deny His confidence in you. You are a disciple because He believes in you and chose you for Himself.
5. Graduation of Disciples
Sometimes a talmid would lose heart with their rabbi. Peter reached this point on the night of Jesus’ arrest. He denied in public even knowing his rabbi. For any other rabbi this would end the relationship between rabbi and talmid. Peter knows this and returns to fishing.
But Jesus is a different kind of rabbi and goes after Peter to restore him. And three times he says to Peter…feed my sheep (Be Like Me!!)
When a disciple reaches the age of 30, he is released to become a rabbi himself. There is no special celebration or graduation. The Rabbi simply turns to his Talmidim and says… “go and make disciples.”
The fact that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ and hearing His teaching and His words is a testament that the disciples were successful at making disciples.
How do we become more and more like our Rabbi? By being His disciple and consequently turning others into reproducing disciples.