Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 23:7
And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
7. to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi ] Literally, great [one], lord. This title, with which the great doctors of the law were saluted, was quite modern, not having been introduced before the time of Hillel. The true teaching on this point is found in the Talmud, “Love the work but hate the title.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Greetings in the markets – Markets were places where multitudes of people were assembled together. They were pleased with special attention in public places, and desired that all should show them particular respect.
Greetings – Salutations. See the notes at Luk 10:4.
To be called Rabbi, Rabbi – This word literally signifies great. It was a title given to eminent teachers of the law among the Jews; a title of honor and dignity, denoting authority and ability to teach. They were gratified with such titles, and wished it given to themselves as denoting superiority. Every time it was given to them it implied their superiority to the persons who used it, and they were fond, therefore, of hearing it often applied to them. There were three titles in use among the Jews – Rab, Rabbi, and Rabban – denoting different degrees of learning and ability, as literary degrees do among us.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. To be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.] , i.e. My teacher! my teacher! The second rabbi is omitted by several excellent MSS., by most of the ancient versions, and by some of the fathers. Griesbach has left it in the text, with the note of doubtfulness.
There are three words used among the Jews as titles of dignity, which they apply to their doctors – Rabh, Rabbi, and Rabban; each of these terms has its particular meaning: rabban implies much more than rabbi, and rabbi much more than rabh.
They may be considered as three degrees of comparison: rabh great, rabbi greater, and rabban greatest. These rabbins were looked up to as infallible oracles in religious matters, and usurped not only the place of the law, but of God himself.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
7. And greetings in the markets, andto be called of men, Rabbi, RabbiIt is the spiritrather than the letter of this that must be pressed; thoughthe violation of the letter, springing from spiritual pride, has doneincalculable evil in the Church of Christ. The reiteration of theword “Rabbi” shows how it tickled the ear and fed thespiritual pride of those ecclesiastics.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And greetings in the markets,…. They used to stroll about the markets, being public places, where there was a great concourse of people, on purpose to be taken notice of before multitudes, with singular marks of respect; as stretching out the hand, uncovering the head, and bowing the knee:
and to be called of men Rabbi, Rabbi; because of their great authority, and largeness of their knowledge: the repetition of the word Rabbi, is not made in the Vulgate Latin, nor in the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions, nor in Munster’s Hebrew Gospel, but is in all the Greek copies, and very justly; since it was usual in the salutations of them, to double the word. It is reported f of R. Eleazar ben Simeon, of Migdal Gedur, that having reproached a deformed man he met in the road; when he came to the city where the man lived,
“the citizens came out to meet him, and said to him, peace be upon thee, , “Rabbi, Rabbi, Master, Master”; he (Eleazar) said to them, who do you call “Rabbi, Rabbi?” They replied to him, he who followed thee: he said unto them, if this be a Rabbi, let there not be many such in Israel.”
The Jews pretend, that king Jehoshaphat used to salute the doctors with these titles; though they forget that they were not in use in his time, as will be hereafter observed: they say g,
“whenever he saw a disciple of the wise men, he rose from his throne, and embraced and kissed him, and called him,
, “Father, Father, Rabbi, Rabbi, Master, Master”.”
Where you have the three different words used by our Lord in this and the following verses, by which these men loved to be called, and he inveighed against; nay, they not only suggest, that kings gave them these honourable titles, and they expected them from them, but even they liked to be called kings themselves. It is said h of R. Hona arid R. Chasda, that as they were sitting together, one passed by them,
“and said to them, “peace be to you kings”,
, “peace be to you kings”: they said to him, from whence does it appear to thee, that the Rabbins are called kings? He replied to them, from what is written, “by me kings reign”, c. They said to him, from whence hast thou it, that we are to double or repeat peace, or salutation to kings? He answered them, that R. Judah said, that Rab said from hence, 1Ch 12:18. “Then the spirit came upon Amasai”, c.”
This title began but to be in use in the time of our Lord, or a very little while before: none of the prophets had it, nor Ezra the Scribe, nor the men of the great synagogue, nor Simeon the Just, the last of them nor Antigonus, a man of Socho, a disciple of his: and it is observed by the Jews themselves i, that
“the five couple are never called by the name of Rabban, nor by the name of Rabbi, only by their own name.”
By whom are meant, Joseph ben Joezer, and Joseph ben Jochanan Joshua ben Perachia, said to be the master of Jesus of Nazareth, and Nittai the Arbelite; Judah ben Tabai, and Simeon ben Shetach; Shemaiah and Abtalion; Hillell and Shammai. The sons, or disciples of the two last, first took these titles. Rabban Simeon, the son of Hillell, thought by some to be the same Simeon that had Christ in his arms, is k said to be the first that was called by this name; and it is also observed by them l, that Rabban was a name of greater honour than Rabbi, or Rab, and that Rabbi was more honourable than Rab; and to be called by a man’s own name, was more honourable than any of them. The Karaite Jews make much the same complaint, and give much the same account of the pride and vanity of the Rabbinical doctors, as Christ here does; for so one of them says m;
“The Karaites do not use to act according to the custom of the wise men among the Rabbans, to make to themselves gods of silver, and guides of gold, with this view, , “to be called Rab”; and also to gather wealth and food to fulness, &c.”
f T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 20. 2. g T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 24. 1. & Cetubot, fol. 103. 2. h T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 62. 1. i Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 21. 1. k Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 25. 1. l lb. m Eliahu Adderet, c. 6. apud Trigland. de. Sect. Kar. c. 10. p. 164.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Salutations (). The ordinary courtiers were coveted because in public. They had an itch for notice. There are occasionally today ministers who resent it if they are not called upon to take part in the services at church. They feel that their ministerial dignity has not been recognized.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Rabbi. My master. In addressing Jesus, didaskalov (teacher) answers to Rabbi. Compare Joh 1:39; Luk 2:46.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
(7) Greetings in the markets.The greetings referred to were more than the familiar Peace with thee, and involved the language of formal reverence (comp. Note on Luk. 10:4) paid to those whom men delighted to honour.
Rabbi, Rabbi.The title, which properly meant a great or chief one, as in Rab-Mag (the chief priest, Jer. 39:3), Rabsaris (the chief eunuch, 2Ki. 18:17), had come to be applied, in the days of Hillel and Shammai, to the teachers or masters of the Law, and, as such, was given to the scribes who devoted themselves to that work. In Rabban (said to have been first given to Simeon, the son of Hillel) and Rabboni (Joh. 20:16) we have forms which were supposed to imply a yet greater degree of reverence.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Greetings in the market places Perversions of the ordinary tokens of social respect to the purpose of establishing an abject submission on the part of the people and a spirit of man-worship. Thereby the Rabbi attained an exaltation to the rank of a popular demigod, without any quality entitling him to veneration. Rabbi This was the honorary title of the Jewish doctor. It had three degrees, of which the first was Rab, the great or master. The second was Rabbi, my master. The third was Rabboni, my great master. The results of all this systematic titling were, 1. To place the Rabbi in a position of arbitrary authority, by which truth and falsehood were at his mercy. 2. To destroy all mental independence on the part of the people, which again reacted to produce a more despotic mastery in the hierarchy.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
Ver. 7. And to be called of men Rabbi ] They were tickled with high titles, and thought it a goodly thing to be held and styled magnificos, to be fly-blown (putrified) with flatteries. There is not a more vain glorious people under heaven than the Jews. Hence that rabble of titles among them in this order (brought in a little before the nativity of our Saviour), Rabbi Rabban, Rab, Rabbi, Gaon, Moreh, Morenu and Moreh tsedek. So the friars proceed in their vain glorious titles, from Padre benedicto to Padre Angelo, then Archangelo, Cherubino, and lastly Cerephino, which is the top of perfection. Are not these those the apostle inveighs against, those great “swelling titles of vanity?”2Pe 2:182Pe 2:18 ; Jude
16.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 23:7 . , the (usual) salutations, in themselves innocent courtesies, but coveted because offered in public places, and as demonstrations of respect. , literally, my great one, like the French monsieur ; in Christ’s time a new title of honour for the Jewish doctors ( vide Lightfoot, Ewald. Gesch. Christi , p. 305; Schrer, ii., p. 315, who says the title came into use after the time of Christ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
greetings = the formal salutations.
of = by. Greek. hupo.
Rabbi = my Master. Compare Mat 23:8. Note the Figure of speech Epizeuxis for Emph. (App-6).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rabbi: Joh 1:38, Joh 1:49, Joh 3:2, Joh 3:26, Joh 6:25, Joh 20:16
Reciprocal: Luk 9:46 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
23:7
Markets were places of general interest where men gathered either to buy or to sell their wares, or to converse on various topics. It was usual to see large crowds in such places and they were so public that no one was of any special importance; but these scribes and Pharisees wished to receive special notice by the crowd. The Mosaic system had no officials with the title of Rabbi; the term was created by the Jews to mean one of dignity and respect. It carried with it the idea of some great one deserving special attention. Thayer defines the original, “My great one, my honorable air.” The Pharisees wanted it repeated to give it more emphasis.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
[And to be called Rabbi, Rabbi.] I. Concerning the original of this title, see Aruch; “The elder times, which were more worthy, had not need of the title either of Rabban; or Rabbi; or Rabh; to adorn either the wise men of Babylon or the wise men of the land of Israel: for, behold, Hillel comes up out of Babylon, and the title of Rabbi is not added to his name: and thus it was with those who were noble among the prophets; for he saith, Haggai the prophet [not Rabbi Haggai]. Ezra did not come up out of Babylon, etc. [not Rabbi Ezra]; whom they did not honour with the titles of Rabbi when they spoke their names. And we have heard that this had its beginning only in the presidents [of the council] from Rabban Gamaliel the old man, and Rabban Simeon his son, who perished in the destruction of the second Temple: and from Rabban Jochanan Ben Zaccai, who were all presidents. And the title also of Rabbi began from those that were promoted [to be elders] from that time, Rabbi Zadok, and R. Eliezer Ben Jacob: and the thing went forth from the disciples of Rabban Jochanan Ben Zaccai, and onwards. Now the order, as all men use it, is this: Rabbi is greater than Rabh; and Rabban is greater than Rabbi; and he is greater who is called by his own (single) name, than he who is called Rabban.”
That this haughty title of Rabbi was not in use before the times of Hillel sufficiently appears from thence, that the doctors before that were called by their plain names, and knew nothing of this title. Antigonus Socheus, Shemaiah and Abtalion, Gebihah Ben Pesisa, Calba Savua, Admon and Hanan, Hillel and Shammai, and many others, whose names we meet with in the Jewish story. Yet you shall find these, that were more ancient, sometimes officiously honoured by the writers of their nation with this title, which they themselves were strangers to. They feign that king Jehoshaphat thus called the learned men: “When he saw (say they) a disciple of the wise men, he rose up out of his throne and embraced him, and kissed him, and called him O Father, Father, Rabbi, Rabbi, Lord, Lord.” And Joshua Ben Perachia is called Rabbi Joshua…
II. It was customary, and they loved it, to be saluted with this honourable title, notwithstanding the dissembled axiom among them, Love the work, but hate the title.
1. Disciples were thus taught to salute their masters: “R. Eliezer saith, he that prayeth behind the back of his master, and he that salutes his master, — or returns a salute to his master; — and he that makes himself a separatist from the school of his master, — and he that teaches any thing, which he hath not heard from his master, — he provokes the Divine Majesty to depart from Israel.” The Glossers on these words, ‘He that salutes, or returns a salute to his master,’ thus comment; “he that salutes his master in the same form of words that he salutes other men, and doth not say to him, God save you, Rabbi.” It is reported also, that the council excommunicated certain persons four and twenty times, for the honour of master; that is, for not having given due honour to the Rabbins.
2. The masters saluted one another so. “R. Akibah said to R. Eleazar, Rabbi, Rabbi.” — “R. Eleazar Ben Simeon, of Magdal Gedor, came from the house of his master, sitting upon an ass: he went forward along the bank of the river rejoicing greatly, and being very much pleased with himself, because he had learned so much of the law. There meets him a very deformed man, and said Save you, Rabbi; he did not salute him again, but on the contrary said thus, ‘Raca, how deformed is that man! perhaps all your townsmen are as deformed as you.’ He answered, ‘I know nothing of that, but go you to the workman that made me, and tell him, how deformed is this vessel which thou hast made!’ ” etc. And a little after, “when that deformed man was come to his own town, his fellow citizens came out to meet him and said, Save you, O Rabbi, Rabbi, master, master. He [R. Eleazar] saith to them, ‘To whom do you say Rabbi, Rabbi?’ They answer, ‘To him that followeth thee.’ He replied, ‘If this be a Rabbi; let there not be many such in Israel.’ ”
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Mat 23:7. The salutations in the market places. The places of public resort, where their importance would be recognized. Salutations of courtesy and kindness in public places are certainly not forbidden. In these days Pharisaical pride may desire some other form of public recognition.
Rabbi, literally, my master. The three degrees in the titles given to teachers were: Rab, master, doctor; Rabbi, my master; Rabboni, my great master.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
23:7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, {f} Rabbi.
(f) This word “Rabbi” signifies one that is above his fellows, and is as good as any of them: and we may see by the repeating of it how proud a title it was. Now they were called Rabbi who, by the laying on of hands, were uttered and declared to the world to be wise men.