SEV Biblia, Chapter 23:7
y las salutaciones en las plazas, y ser llamados por los hombres Rabí, Rabí.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:7
Verse 7. To be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.] ybr ybr , 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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 7. And greetings in the markets , etc.] 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 Munsters 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 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, yrwm yrwm ybr ybr , 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 f1240 , whenever he saw a disciple of the wise men, he rose from his throne, and embraced and kissed him, and called him, yrm yrm ybr ybr yba yba , 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 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, yklm wkyl[ aml , 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, etc. 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, ( 1 Chronicles 12:18). Then the spirit came upon Amasai, etc.
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 f1242 , 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 said to be the first that was called by this name; and it is also observed by them f1244 , 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 mans 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 f1245 ; 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, br arqhl , to be called Rab; and also to gather wealth and food to fulness, etc.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-12 - The scribes and Pharisees explained the law of Moses, and enforce obedience to it. They are charged with hypocrisy in religion. We can only judge according to outward appearance; but God searches the heart They made phylacteries. These were scrolls of paper or parchment wherein were written four paragraphs of the law, to be worn on their foreheads and left arms, Ex 13:2-10; 13:11-16; De 6:4-9; 11:13-21. The made these phylacteries broad, that they might be thought more zealou for the law than others. God appointed the Jews to make fringes upo their garments, Nu 15:38, to remind them of their being a peculia people; but the Pharisees made them larger than common, as if they wer thereby more religious than others. Pride was the darling, reigning sin of the Pharisees, the sin that most easily beset them, and which ou Lord Jesus takes all occasions to speak against. For him that is taugh in the word to give respect to him that teaches, is commendable; but for him that teaches, to demand it, to be puffed up with it, is sinful How much is all this against the spirit of Christianity! The consisten disciple of Christ is pained by being put into chief places. But wh that looks around on the visible church, would think this was the spirit required? It is plain that some measure of this antichristia spirit prevails in every religious society, and in every one of ou hearts.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ τους 3588 T-APM ασπασμους 783 N-APM εν 1722 PREP ταις 3588 T-DPF αγοραις 58 N-DPF και 2532 CONJ καλεισθαι 2564 5745 V-PPN υπο 5259 PREP των 3588 T-GPM ανθρωπων 444 N-GPM ραββι 4461 HEB ραββι 4461 HEB
Vincent's NT Word Studies
7. Rabbi. My master. In addressing Jesus, didaskalov (teacher) answers to Rabbi. Compare John i. 39; Luke ii. 46.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
23:7 {Salutations} (aspasmous). 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.
