Laying the Foundation | Rabbis and Disciples Pt 1 | EP116
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Laying the Foundation is part one of our new mini-series Rabbis and Disciples. In this episode, Brad Gray will unpack the significance of Jesus as a Jewish rabbi and how understanding this can transform us into more effective disciples. Because when you appreciate that Jesus was a Jewish rabbi, all kinds of interesting and unexpected details emerge in the Bible.
For example, why in Matthew’s version of the last supper do all the other disciples refer to Jesus as “Lord” but Judas refers to him as “rabbi?” And why would thinking of Jesus as a rabbi instead of Lord be such a big deal? And are there ways in which we think of Jesus as a rabbi instead of Lord? Grasping the meaning of all those little details is massive. Because the Scriptures were at the center of a rabbi’s life. And they’re meant to be at the center of ours.
So, it’s important for us to understand what Jesus meant when he uses words like Torah and Law. Because those words are so much more beautiful and awe-inspiring than we know. It’s also why we need to understand the difference between things like the written law and the oral law or the Mishnah and the Talmud. And in Laying the Foundation, we debunk the idea that this rabbinic literature isn’t a trustworthy source for understanding Jesus’ life and ministry just because the Mishnah is dated to after the time of Jesus. Because when we understand what an amazing scholar Jesus was in his culture, it will make us better followers in ours.
To view the Discussion Questions for this episode, please go here bit.ly/rabbisan...
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Brad I am beyond grateful God led me to your channel as I was seeking to learn about 1st century discipleship. Thank you for all the prep done in secret and for using the gift the Lord has given you to teach us and showcase his beauty all the more. As a fellow teacher and lover of the scriptures, this not only affirmed the preciousness of my calling but is igniting a deeper understanding of Jesus that makes me love him more. THANK U!❤❤
You are an AMAZING teacher. You covered topics (Torah, Mishnah…) that I have attempted to learn about before, and made them crystal clear. I am so excited about this series. I do own the book, “Sitting at the feet…” and love it. God bless you and thank you for your wonderful teaching, for free, videos.
You are a gifted teacher, Brad. You have a remarkable grasp of the Text in its historical context and you communicate in a way that's clear and engaging. And, most importantly, it's obvious that you love the Lord Jesus with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. Thank you.
Hey Brian, thank you for your kind and encouraging comments. I bless God for them! And it's so great to hear from you. I hope you are doing well!
I remember taking your adult class many years ago on this subject and taking many, many pages of notes that I still refer to today. I am happy to see your series on this as it really opens up much more understanding of scripture and in video format, I am better able to share esp with those who are long distance. Thank you!!
So great to hear! Thanks for sharing that.
🤯🤯That bit about Judas calling Jesus rabbi rather than Lord really blew my mind! It just shows that though we can think we’re fooling somebody, Jesus can sniff through our pretense & can see whether our hearts are devoted to obey him or not. And even if we do call him Lord, if we don’t do what he says, he’s really not Lord at all
What a great teacher!
I’m soo thankful for this!!❤️
We are so glad this has blessed you. Thank you for listening!
Angel, thank you for offering up your comments. Obviously, you're in disagreement with some things that were shared in this episode, and that's ok. The fact you mentioned your view of Mt. Sinai being in Arabia lets me know what groups you follow and what your train of thought is - which very few scholars hold to. But again, that's fine to have your opinion. One of the things I learned while living in Jerusalem and studying under an ordained rabbi (after receiving a masters of divinity) is that there was so much going on in Jesus's world that we miss because most of us don't understand the Jewish world of Jesus's day. The purpose of this episode was to introduce our audience to what people adhered to and believed in Jesus's day. Furthermore, it was also to introduce what role rabbinic literature plays in helping us to understand the time period before and after Jesus. This also helps us to understand why Jesus engaged the Pharisees the way he did, and why they asked certain questions to him the way they did. So many amazing things to learn especially when you understand that the Pharisees were more critical of each other than even Jesus was with them. And many believe that Jesus may have identified as a Pharisee (like the Apostle Paul did). If so, it would make sense why he was critical of them because that's how the Pharisees related to each other. Fun stuff to think about.
Very, very good explanation.
Appreciate you sharing that, Grant.
Have you covered why Yeshua's disciples were not all present at the same time for certain events in the gospel text? If they were all supposed to be following and mimicking the rabbi, how come they were not all present during these moments?
We've not covered that yet, but it's a great insight and question. In some cases, the answer is simple, as in the case of the transfiguration or Jesus's prayer in Gethsemane. Jesus took His inner three with him and the others stayed behind. In other cases, we're not sure. For example, in Luke 5:1-11, it seems Peter has already been called to follow Jesus but has been fishing while Jesus is teaching. Dr. Randy Smith addresses this beginning at minute 22 here: ua-cam.com/video/qu-OZdGMvV0/v-deo.html
In a nutshell: The disciples have to be called multiple times.
Question? Is the Oral Torah like the New Testament? Since it’s the interpretation of the law though it was all legalism but I thought that the New Testament is the more accurate interpretation of the law of Moses and the entire Old Testament?
Not exactly. The Oral Torah are the laws, interpretations, etc. believed to have been given at the same time as the Torah but not written down in Moses's five books. The Oral Torah was passed down through the generations until it was written down in the Mishnah and Gemara which together form the Talmud. You can read up on the details here: www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-formation-of-the-oral-torah/
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Don't think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." So, in a sense, yes, Jesus reveals what the Law and the Prophets were always trying to accomplish, and in that way functions as an interpretation of the Law of Moses and the Hebrew Scriptures. But if you read the Mishnah and Gemara side by side with the New Testament, you'll see pretty quickly that they're different kinds of documents.
Shalom Brad,
Maybe I did not yet come to the explanation why Galilee was called Galilee of the Gentiles and why it was viewed as like „what good can come out of Galilee?!“
How can it be so highly esteemed and disliked at the same time?
Great question Klaus. There are a number of great commentaries/books that are helpful on this point (I'll link to each of them below). Long story short, Galilee sat on a major trade route running from Damascus in Syria down to Caesarea Maritime on the coast. When the Assyrians invaded, they came along this route. So, Galilee was used to Gentile infiltration and was surrounded on three sides by non-Jewish populations. Moreover, Judeans felt Galileans were "loose to the law and less biblically pure than those in or near Jerusalem" (Frederick Dale Bruner). Here are three fantastic commentaries that are helpful on this point:
www.amazon.com/Commentary-New-Testament-Use-Old/dp/0801026938/ref=sr_1_1?crid=IACN635ID2I3&keywords=new+testament+use+of+the+old+testament&qid=1663251669&sprefix=new+testament+use+of+t%2Caps%2C322&sr=8-1
www.amazon.com/Zondervan-Illustrated-Bible-Backgrounds-Commentary/dp/0310598753/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3IUZ7JR7QUTEQ&keywords=Zondervan+Illustrated+Bible+Backgrounds+New+testament&qid=1663251745&sprefix=zondervan+illustrated+bible+backgrounds+new+testament%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-4
www.amazon.com/Matthew-Commentary-Christbook-1-12/dp/0802845061/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ZQ0V443W8ZY4&keywords=frederick+dale+bruner+matthew&qid=1663251782&sprefix=frederick+dale+bruner%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-1
@@WalkingTheText Thank you Brad! Right now I am going through Lois Tverberg and Ray Vander Laan. The commentaries are most likely great, but beyond me in terms of budget🫣.
Still, RVL notes that the talmidim culture was strong in Galilee and the region was like a Rabbi-Hub. I need to chew on this one longer.
@@klausbecker7955 Understood! There's no question the Galilee was deeply religious, especially along the shore near Capernaum.
This is where geography can help us understand the subtle nuances at work in the text. Galilee is on a major E-W trade route, and that means Gentiles and foreign influences coming through the land. Across the sea from Capernaum is the Decapolis (basically pagan, hellenistic cities full of Gentiles). To the Northwest was Gaulanitis, a hotbed of zealotry. Then to the Southwest you've got the region of Samaria.
When you've got geographical locations where Israel is regularly encountering and interacting with "outsiders," you're going to have people who are more open, change happens faster, etc.
Jerusalem is up in the hills, and while there is a local trade route passing nearby, it's not a major international trade route like the one in Galilee. Jerusalem is more isolated up in the hills. When people live in the hills, they're cut off. They tend to be less trusting. They're not as open to outsiders, and, as a result, change happens very slowly. So, you get this kind of superiority complex between the religious Jews in Judea (who see themselves as non-compromising) and those in the Galilee area (who have more interactions with outsiders).