Call no man Rabbi | Let's Talk Biblical

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If you love talking about the Bible as
much as I do, then I think you'll really
enjoy this show. Welcome to Let's Talk
Biblical, the podcast where we dig deep
into the heart of scripture, explore
timeless truths, and have real
conversations about what the Bible says
and how it applies to us. My name is Lex
and I want to thank you for joining me
on today's episode. So, grab your Bible,
get comfortable, and let's talk
biblical.
Hey guys. So, the topic of discussion
tonight is uh dealing with what Yeshua
said where he said, "Call no man rabbi
or don't don't be called rabbi." He was
speaking to his disciples and he told
them, "Don't let anyone call you a
rabbi."
and it's in Matthew chapter 23 and we're
going to look at the context of this and
see what he's talking about. Um I I
think that there is within this movement
there's a lot of mixed opinions on this
topic and we have some uh leaders,
teachers, uh pastors, whatever you want
to call them, who identify as rabbis and
then you have others who are uh very
very strongly opposed to the title
rabbi. And um is is this about titles or
is this about something else? So we I
want to dive into what Yeshua is talking
about and see if we get a better
understanding of what he is telling us
in this uh text. All right. So let me go
and pull up Matthew 23. And so Matthew
23:1
it says, "Then Jesus spoke to the
multitudes and to his disciples." So
he's talking to everyone present, the
you know, not just his disciples, but
everyone around. He said, "The scribes
and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
Therefore, whatever they tell you to do
or whatever they tell you to observe
that observe and do, but do not go do
according to their works, for they say
and do not do. Okay, so first off, um
this is said in the context, right? He
says, "They sit in Moses' seat, so do
what they tell you." Uh what does that
what does that mean? They have a a
position of authority within the
community. um they have a position of
authority in the synagogue and when they
speak from that authority you're
supposed to obey them because you're
supposed to obey the authorities. Um and
the specific phrase sit on Moses seat is
actually a reference to um reading of
the Torah. So when they sit in Moses
seat they would be reading from the
Torah. So they would be basically they'd
be reading uh scripture to the people.
So, whatever whatever they say when
they're reading scripture, uh, you do
that. But then he says, uh, don't do
what they do. And he's going to go on,
he's going to describe what that means
to do what they do. So, let's let's keep
reading. Uh, for they bind heavy burdens
hard to bear and lay them on men's
shoulders, but they themselves will not
move will not move them with one fing
with one of their fingers.
Um, but all their works they do to be
seen by men. They make their felactories
broad and enlarge the borders of their
garments.
They love the best places at feasts and
the best seats in the synagogues.
Uh, greetings in the marketplace and to
be called by men rabbi, rabbi.
Okay. So, um he says here that they uh
let me go ahead and go back here and
they bind heavy burdens hard to bear. Um
but they themselves do not move them
with one of their own fingers. So, uh
what does it mean to say they bind up
heavy burdens and put on men's
shoulders? Um most people uh most most
scholars mo most uh Bible teachers would
agree that he's talking about placing
extra burdens on people that is not uh
found in scripture. And so they um they
add to the requirements of what God what
God has required in scripture. They've
added to that extra burdens that are
hard to bear. Um and then but they
themselves don't try to do those things.
And so they're they're being made
hypocritical. They tell you you need to
do this, but they don't do it, for
example. Um so an example of this might
be um they would say that you need to um
give an extra
uh extra tithe, but then they don't give
the extra tithe. Or they say you need to
um
what's a good example?
um you know you are breaking the Sabbath
if you do this such and such but then
when it comes to them and they have the
similar situation they go ahead and do
it and excuse it that it's okay and so
this idea of being hypocritical they
they put burdens on people that they
themselves don't try to carry. Um then
he says they love the best places at the
feasts and the best seats in the
synagogues.
And so um this is about them wanting to
be seen as somebody important. They want
to be seen as exalted. They want to see
be seen as um somebody who is esteemed
by others. Um they want that they want
that esteem. They want that reputation.
um they want to be exalted by men. They
want accolades. They want people to uh
in a sense they want worship is is in a
sense what they're what they're looking
for. Um greetings in the marketplaces
and to be called by men rabbi, rabbi.
Okay. So now let's stop with this word
rabbi. And I want to um show you in here
what this word rabbi means.
And so, let me get this pulled up here
real quick.
And let's pull this up on the screen for
you. Okay. So, here we are. We have uh
the uh the word pulled up here, Rabbi.
And it's it's actually uh in in this
text, it's a Greek word, but it comes
from a Hebrew word. And um but it means
my master.
Um and it it's as a title of honor.
Okay. So when they say my they say
rabbi, they're saying my master. And um
the origin is the word rav. Um and it
means my master or rabbi. Um and so it's
you know master rabbi. Um
and it's a a teacher recognized by the
Jewish public for accumulating great
number of Bible facts. uh respected for
his accumulation of knowledge. Okay. And
so um rabbi is often uh it's a term that
means great one and it it means great in
number. Um but it's probably referring
to the number of facts or Bible
knowledge that the rabbi has acquired.
And so when they say lab uh rabbi,
they're literally saying my great one or
my master. Um, and it's it's honor it's
an honorable title. Um,
but uh and it's used by Jews to to
address their teachers and is a form of
the Hebrew word meaning great. Okay. And
if you go to the Hebrew word rav um you
see here that it it means to abound. Uh
it can mean captain, elder, um
exceedingly full, great, increase,
uh many, master, mighty one, multiply,
officer, often, uh plenteous, populace,
prince,
um suffice, and so there's a lot of
different ways that this word is used.
Uh but the point is that it has to do
with um greatness. And um and so when
they call someone Rav like Rav Shaul
uh or rabbi
uh you know rabbi whoever um they are
esteeming that person as a master
meaning you know you're you're the you
are greater than me um you're my teacher
you are someone I come to humbly to
learn from and because of your vast
knowledge of the scriptures and um it's
it's a term of exaltation.
Okay, so that is what the word rabbi
refers to. So it means master, my master
or great one is is really the the two
best ways to describe this this word
rabbi. Okay, so he says they love to be
called rabbi. Okay, so these these men
they want they love the best seats in
the feasts in the synagogues. They love
to be greeted by men and called rabbi,
rabbi. Okay. And and they uh they want
their works to be seen by men. Okay.
They want to be seen as someone who is
um
uh holy and righteous. They want to the
the
people to look at them and and see them
as holy and righteous people. They want
to be known as holy men.
And so they uh make their fletoreies
broad and enlarge the borders of their
garments.
And they love to be called rabbi. Okay.
But then Yeshua turns to his disciples
and he says, um, "But you do not be
called rabbi, for one is your teacher,
the Christ,
and you are all brethren." Okay, so you
do not be called rabbi, for you have one
rabbi. You have one teacher. Now, let's
let's look at this word. Um, and so let
me pull this up here and let's see what
this teacher means when we look at this.
and we go to uh
okay the word teacher here
let me pull this up on the screen for
you
okay here is the word teacher uh did
descalos
and uh it means a teacher and um
sometimes the kJV might translate it
doctor master or teacher
Um and the NASB translates it teacher u
but it means a teacher instructor um
having reverence
um
but it's it's a it's a teacher
instructor or master someone who you go
to for education
um
and so this is I want to point this out
because this is a different word than
what he uses here in a minute okay but
it's uh someone uh an a teacher and
instructor knowledge for their mastery
in the field of learning in scripture, a
Bible teacher, a competent competent in
theology. Okay. Um and so
Dascalos
is referring to a teacher, a Bible
teacher, basically. Okay. And then we go
um to the let's let's go ahead and keep
looking.
And so uh you do not be called rabbi for
one is your teacher, the Christ. So you
have one teacher and it's Yeshua. And
you're all brethren. You are all
brothers. So you are all peers is the
idea. You you are equals. Do not call
anyone on earth your father for one is
your father. He who is in heaven. And do
not be called teachers for one is your
teacher the Christ. Okay. So now here is
another reference to teacher but it's a
different teacher. So uh this is 2310.
Let me go and pull that word up for you.
And
Let's see what he's using here. So, he
says, uh, not let anybody call you
teacher. And the word here, let me pull
it up now, is
uh,
cathasees.
Okay, so cathates is very different than
the word we were looking at a minute
ago. Now, it's translated master or
leader. Um,
and we see in in the version that I was
looking at the New King James that it
was translated teacher, but it's not
teacher. Um, it means master or leader.
Uh, leader, guide, one who instructs the
way they should go. Um, an instructor or
a rabbi. One who starts, establishes or
institutes.
Um, kata and heomi.
Um and it means a teacher or a master.
Um and so if we look at these words,
kata is um
about, after, against. Uh so it's
according to um so it's it's kind of a a
it doesn't give us a whole lot of
information, right? Uh but then we go to
heomi and it means uh count chief, count
esteem, governor, judge, uh rule,
um
lead, leader,
uh chief, command, lead. And so this
word has a lot to do with authority
um
and strength and command and office and
rule and judgment and things like that,
right? And so but it has it it refers to
a leader someone who leads the way.
Okay. A governor or an official who
leads. Okay. So now when we look at the
context of this he says and do not be
called leaders for one is your leader.
Okay. So this isn't when you look at the
what this word actually is in Greek it's
referring to someone who is um has a
position of authority someone who has a
leadership role. someone who has um
uh an office such as a governor, such as
a um chief, uh some sort of a rulership.
And so this isn't talking about teacher,
someone who teaches you and instructs
you. This is talking about someone who
is trying to um dictate what you should
do and where you should go. And so this
is a little bit different.
But let me go back. And so he says, "But
you do not be called rabbi for one is
your teacher." Okay, the word teacher
there actually means teacher and he's
referring to himself Yeshua as the
teacher. Um, and so here we have rabbi
contrasted with teacher. Rabbi means
great one or well-learned one. My
master, my great one, my uh my great
exalted teacher. Um, someone who has
amassed a lot of knowledge of the Bible
would be called a rabbi. And he's saying
don't call anyone a rabbi, but you have
a teacher and it's Yeshua. Yeshua is
your teacher. And so that's what he's
saying here is you don't need to have a
man be your rabbi because you have
Yeshua and he is uh he is your great
teacher. He is he is the greatest
teacher. Um and there were times
actually that he was called rabbi in the
New Testament. Um and so I I think it's
interesting that he he could be called
rabbi because he is the great one
because he is our master. Um but he
didn't even refer to himself as rabbi
here.
because he could have said you you do
not be called rabbi but you have a rabbi
and that's me I'm your rabbi like he
could have said that but he didn't he
referred to himself as a teacher so even
here he was humbling himself and not
calling himself a great one uh but do
not call anyone on earth your father for
when is your father he who is in heaven
okay so now this one uh the Greek word
here is per and it means father but what
is he talking about here well in the
context here he's talking religious
leadership. So, rabbi, teacher, leader,
father, these are religious um leaders
that he's talking about. And so when the
when the uh Jews refer to Abraham as
their father, they say, "Wait, well,
father Abraham, Abraham is our father."
Um what they're saying is that he is our
um the the founder of our religion. He
is the the father of our faith. He is
the leader in our um
uh our belief system, things like that.
So um so if we go and look at that word,
let's go ahead and pull this up here.
Okay. So the word here is as I said per
and it means father or parent. Um
literally or figuratively
and um
so it can be a literal parent or a
figurative parent and uh that's
something that we we have to understand
here is is that he's talking about the
figurative parent um not necessarily the
literal parent. Uh so per's father one
who imparts life.
Uh progenitor bringing into being or
past the potential of likeness. Uh per
fathers are used of our heavenly father.
He imparts life from physical birth to
uh the gift of eternal life through the
second birth. Um
father refers to beginner originator or
progenitor.
um intimate connection, relationship.
Um
the New Testament never speaks of
universal fatherhood of God towards all
men. Um which is interesting that
there's some people that say, "Oh, we're
all God's children." Well, not true.
We're only believers are considered
God's children. Um
but uh the idea
that um God is our father is what he's
trying to get point out here. Uh
equivalent to uh generator or male
ancestor
uh the nearest ancestor.
Um
and so when we look at how this word is
used in other places
um
in place of his father Herod so there's
a literal father Herod was his literal
father Abraham
uh our father to Abraham to our father
Abraham for our father um
this would be uh
more of a literal uh I'm sorry, more of
a figurative father. Um Zebedee, their
father. This is a literal father. Um
their father uh they left the boat in
their father and followed him. There's a
literal father. Uh glorify your father
who's in heaven. Now that's speaking of
God our father. Um you be sons of your
father who is in heaven. God our father.
Uh heavenly father. Um,
father in heaven. Uh, let me see.
Trying to find a specific verse.
It's from John. Let me see if I can get
there a little quicker. There's a lot
more references to father than I was
intending on go through. So, let me just
get over here to John.
Okay. And we go.
All right. So, verse uh chapter 4. You
are greater than our father Jacob. So,
here is here's a reference to Jacob
being uh their father. This is the woman
at the well and
um she's referring to Jacob as her
father. Well, Jacob is not her literal
father. This is a figurative father. And
it's it's considered like the father of
the faith, right? And our fathers
worshiped in this mountain. Uh well, you
know, again, our fathers referring to
the ancestors, the ones who who started
this faith. Um and then
then Yeshua talks about father uh he
worshiped the father uh in spirit and
truth.
And so he's he's taking you know there
you're you're talking about father
Jacob. I'm talking about the real
father, the heavenly father in heaven.
Um and then uh that's who the father
seeks. And then we go to um you know
John five, he says, "My father is
working
um and referring to God." And they say
he made God his own father, making
himself equal with God. Um,
and then we see
verse
where's it at? Our fathers ate mana. U,
so there's another figurative father.
Um,
okay. They said to him, "Abraham is our
father." Okay. So, this is uh John 8.
And um let's just go ahead and pull that
up real quick
and read through it.
So we go to
John 8.
That's verse 39. Okay.
Skip down here to
All right.
I know that you are Abraham's
descendants, but you seek to kill me
because my word has no place in you. I
spoke of what I have seen with my father
and you do what you have seen with your
father. And they answered and said to
him, Abraham is our father. Okay. So,
here they're speaking of Abraham as
their father. This is the um the kind of
thing that Yeshua is referring to. Call
no man your father. Um Abraham is not
their literal father. It's not talking
about the the parent, the one who raised
them. It's talking about a religious
founder. And so, we might say that um
Martin Luther is the father of the
Lutheran church.
Okay, that would be uh one way of of
using that in the same kind of way that
Martin Luther is the father of their
faith, the Lutheran faith. Um, you know,
and so John Calvin is the father of the
Calvinist belief system. Um, John Wesley
is the father of the Wesleyan belief
system. And so those are uh modernday
examples of things that are similar to
this. And so Abraham is our father.
Abraham is the father of our uh belief
system. And Jesus said to him, "If
Abraham were your children, if if Abra
if you were Abraham's children, you
would do the works of Abraham, but now
you seek to kill me." Okay? So,
um so he's saying that uh you're not
really Abraham's kids because you're not
acting like Abraham. And we see other
examples in the Bible where it talks
about um we are children of Abraham and
we're sons and daughters of Abraham. And
that's given as a good thing. And so um
it's interesting here how it's being
used. But do not call anyone on earth
your father. For one is your father, he
who is in heaven. Okay? So it's about
exalting someone um to this status,
right?
saying that
um like for example, if you were if you
were my disciple, you know, if we were
in doing disciplehip together and and we
were together and and you you referred
to me as your father, the father of of
your faith, um that would be
inappropriate because uh you know, you
you'd be exalting me to some sort of a a
high level um of
of importance in your life. And so it'
be the same thing as if you call me a
rabbi. If you call me rabbi, it's like
you're saying, "You're my master. You're
my great one. I'm exalting you because
of your vast knowledge." That's that's
inappropriate. And that's what Yeshua is
saying we shouldn't do. But it's all
about exalting uh exalting one another,
exalting others, and and being exalted
over others. And he's saying, "Don't be
like that. Don't be like those who like
to be called rabbi." Okay?
uh those who like to be greeted and
called by men rabbi, rabbi. Um looking
for the best seats in the best places at
the feast and in the synagogues. Um
that's that's what he's opposing is this
idea that you you want to show off. You
want to be better. You want to pretend
that you're somebody more important,
somebody you're more special. Um and and
I see this
um you go to some places and you have um
like the the pastor walks in and he has
like security guards around him, you
know, like the Men in Black or something
and nobody gets to talk to him. You
can't talk to him without uh you know
schedule scheduling permission to speak
with him. and he's uh you know they keep
him locked away in some sort of a green
room before service so that he's got
privacy and nobody's interacting with
him and you know they usher him into the
the sanctuary and nobody gets a chance
to talk to him or touch him and then
when he's done they usher him out back
to a secret private place and only those
who have permission can go in and talk
to the guy. That's that's the kind of
absurdity that Yeshua is talking about
here. you're you're not that special.
You don't you don't need that treatment.
Um
and you know the the the title rabbi
um you could also substitute instead of
rabbi you could say reverend you know
because within Christianity you have a
lot of people want to be called
reverend. I'm I'm reverend so and so.
I'm the the honorable reverend
whoever you know like you know if you
you were do let's just take my name for
example. If I was to say, "Oh, I'm I'm
Reverend Lex Meyer or I'm Reverend
Meyer." Uh, you're it's what is that?
That's a title of authority. That's a
title of exaltation.
Um, it's it's like if I introduce
myself, oh, I'm Reverend Reverend Meyer.
Nice to meet you. Well, that's I'm I'm
wanting to exalt myself when I do that.
If I if I was to if I was to refer to
myself as Reverend Meyer, I would be
exalting myself over you and saying I
have a position of authority over you.
And reverend means revered one. It means
we're supposed to revere that person.
Um, and so, you know, I I'm really
cautious with, you know, I don't I don't
introduce myself and say, "Hey, I'm
Pastor Lex or I'm Pastor Meer." I don't
do that. I don't introduce myself as
reverend or pastor
um because I don't want to exalt myself
over someone else. I think the title
doctor does the same thing too when
people say, "Oh, I'm Dr. So and so." Um
you know, if I had a a PhD or something,
I I I could put the name title doctor in
front of my name and I could be Dr. Lex
Meyer. Um it's a title of exaltation.
It's a it's a title of um
to meant to exalt that person above
everyone else because they're so much
more learned. They have so much more
knowledge and understanding. And that's
that's kind of the way rabbi functions.
You know, it was this idea that they are
a master. You go to get your master's
degree,
you become a master.
um you have mastered that
uh that language or you've mastered that
uh subject,
you become a master in that uh in that
realm of knowledge. And so if you have a
doctorate, you're a doctor of theology,
well that's very different than a doctor
of psychology or a medical doctor. Um
they're all very different. And so a
doctor of theology could never practice
surgery in a hospital because they they
don't have the knowledge to practice
surgery in a hospital. And a a a neuro
uh you know a doctor of psychology or
counseling uh they shouldn't be
practicing theology because they haven't
studied uh theology and so they don't
have the knowledge in that area of
expertise. And likewise, they wouldn't
be doing brain surgery or dental surgery
even. Uh you wouldn't want your uh
psychologist to perform uh root canal on
you because he has the word doctor in
front of his name. So it's very specific
to what their knowledge is related to.
Well, rabbi would basically be a
doctorate of Torah or a doctorate of Old
Testament. uh because they have such
vast knowledge in the scriptures. Um
that's basically what you're saying is
is they are this exalted master in this
realm of knowledge. Um and Yeshua is
saying don't do that. Don't exalt people
based on their knowledge. Don't exalt pe
people based on um titles. Don't give
people titles of exaltation.
Um and so uh you know he says not to let
anyone call you rabbi.
Okay. And then um
so he says uh do not be called teachers
for one is your teacher the Christ. But
he who is greatest among you shall be
your servant. Now here he shifts gears a
little bit and he tells us he's
comparing great with servants. So you
know uh the title rabbi is about being
great. the title leader or teacher or
pastor or reverend or doctor. All of
those are titles to exalt someone and
make them great. And he says, "Whoever
is to be great among you, he's supposed
to be your servant."
And and so he's exalting service and
saying that if you want to be great in
the kingdom of God, you need to be a
servant. You need to be one who serves
and gives and and not try to exalt
yourself. And so he's he's kind of
flipping
um this this idea of greatness on its
head and he's saying, you know,
according to the world, according to
most most everybody else in the way the
world works, uh you get a title and that
makes you somebody important. And he's
saying that's not what that's not the
way it works in the kingdom. He said, I
don't care about titles. I don't want
you to have titles. I want you to be
servants. I want you to serve. And
that's what's going to make you great in
the kingdom is serving. And so he who is
greatest among you shall be your
servant. Whoever exalts himself will be
humbled. And he who humbles himself will
be exalted. So now here we we have this
idea of exaltation. Again, the rabbis uh
they want to be greeted as rabbi. They
want to be exalted. They want to be the
best seats in the synagogues. Things
like that. He says, "Whoever um whoever
exalts himself will be humbled and he
who humbles himself will be exalted."
Okay? So, uh exalting yourself, you
would exalt yourself by saying, "Oh, I'm
Reverend so and so, or I'm doctor so and
so, I'm pastor so and so, I'm Rabbi so
and so."
You're exalting yourself above other
people. And he says, "If you exalt
yourself, you're going to be humbled."
And so, um, it's wise not to exalt
yourself because when you do, at some
point you're going to be humbled and
it's going to be, um, it's going to be
embarrassing. You're going to get egg on
your face and it's not going to go well.
Um,
and then, but he goes on, he says, "But
what are you scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites, for you shut up the kingdom
of heaven against men, for you neither
go in yourselves, nor do you allow those
who are entering to go in." Okay. So
he's saying that you are keeping people
out of the kingdom uh by your own
hypocrisy. Woe to you scribes and
Pharisees hypocrites for you devour
widows houses and for a pretense make
long prayers. Therefore you will receive
greater condemnation. So um you know
they are devouring widows houses. What
does that uh what does that mean to
devour widows houses? um you know, these
these poor widows don't have a whole lot
and you're taking what little they have.
And so that's that's what it means to
devour widows houses is you're you're
stealing from the widows. You're robbing
from the widows. who are um I think a
modern day example of this would be uh
the prosperity preacher who is on TBN
and he says uh you know if you are
struggling financially
uh you need to give us a large donation
because God will bless you uh he blesses
a cheerful giver. So send us a large
donation and God will bless you and
multiply and you'll you'll receive back
more than what you gave. Um that is
that is a modern example of uh devouring
widow's houses. You're you're praying on
the weak. You're praying on the poor.
You're praying on those who are
uh who don't have much and you're taking
what little they have and um you're
you're manipulating them to and using
them and you're causing them to to end
up being in a worse state than they were
originally. also that you can um exalt
yourself and fatten your own pockets and
things like that. And so that's what
he's saying these scribes and Pharisees
are doing. Um and and as I was saying,
this is what a lot of modern prosperity
preachers are doing too. um as they're
they're taken taken from the widows, the
poor, the orphans, the the the
destitute, the downcast,
those who are struggling financially,
and they're saying, "Hey, um you know,
you just need to give more. If you'd
give more, God would bless you more."
That's that's manipulation, and that's
not uh that's not okay. Um what they
should be doing is saying, "Oh, you're
you're in a you're in a bad place. let
let us help you. The church has money to
help people like you who are struggling
financially. That's what they should be
saying. Uh but instead, they're saying,
"Oh, you're in a bad place financially.
You need to give more so that God will
bless you." No, they they got it all
backwards. Um they should be helping
those in need. And so, um, if you're a
part of a a church and they are not
helping when you are financially
struggling, um, you know, that's I think
that's something you need to consider is
maybe they're maybe they got the
priorities wrong because the church
should be trying to help those in need,
especially those in their community who
are in need. Um now if you're also if
you're someone who comes back monthto
monthth asking for help continually
um then there may be something where
they need to take take some time and sit
down with you and say hey let's let's
look at your budget and see why you
constantly need help every month. um see
if we can help you budget better or see
if we can help you figure out where you
know where your your money is being
wasted and uh put it to better use or um
if you need to sell something that you
know you're drowning in debt and you
need to maybe sell your car or something
and get you a different car um you know
I think it's wise sometimes to say okay
we can't just keep throwing money at you
every month uh let's see how we can help
you get into a better financial state
But again, it's the church trying to
help when when they say that they're
trying to help. They're trying to get
you to a better place financially so
that you don't have to be constantly
asking for help every month. Um, but it
would be absolutely inappropriate in my
opinion for if if someone in the
congregations went to church came to the
pastor and said, "Hey, I'm struggling
financially. I'm not sure if I'm going
to make my rent this month." And the
pastor says, "Oh, you know what? You you
just need to give more. take take what
you would have given to rent and you
know give that to the church and then
God will bless you and you'll have all
the rent money you need. That's stupid.
And if somebody tells you that kind of
nonsense, just go someplace else because
that is absurd. Um that is they're
devouring widows houses. That's the kind
of thing they're doing. um they're
they're taking somebody who's already
destitute and they are uh just bringing
them to a deeper level of debt and
destitution and and misery. Um you're
depleting what little they have. And
that is absolutely wrong. And that's
that's why he calls them hypocrites. Um
and for pretense, they make long
prayers. And so, you know, they they're
stealing from the widows and then they
make long prayers so they seem righteous
and holy. Uh, woe to you scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites.
Um, for you travel land and sea to win
one proite, and when he is one, you make
him twice the son of hell as yourselves.
And so they are um not teaching them.
They're making disciples, but they're
not teaching him well.
They're making their disciples just like
them.
What do you blind guides who say,
"Whoever swears by the temple, it is
nothing. But whoever swears by the gold
of the temple,
he's obligated to perform it." Okay, so
now they're putting all this exaltation
in the gold, the money, the treasures.
Um, you know that the temple isn't the
important thing, but it's the treasure
in the temple that's important. And so
that's hypocrisy. Uh, fools and blind,
which is greater, the gold or the temple
that sanctifies the gold? Obviously
Yeshua is saying it's the temple that is
greater than the gold. And whoever
swears by the altar, it is nothing. But
whoever swears by the gift that is on
it, he is obliged to perform it. Fulls
and blind, which is greater, the gift or
the altar that sanctifies the gift?
Okay. Now, when you think about um
the uh let me actually let me finish
this thought. Therefore, he who swears
by the altar swears by it and all things
on it. And uh he who swears by the
temple swears by it and all who dwell
and uh and by him who dwells in it. And
he who swears by heaven swears by the
throne of God and by him who sits on it.
What are you scribes and Pharisees
hypocrites? For you pay Okay, let's go
ahead and uh pause here for a second.
Let's go back up here to um
the
gold in the temple.
Okay. So he says
wrong one. So he says fools and blind
which is greater the gold or the temple
that sanctifies the gold. Um
when you think about this concept the
the discussion we're having about uh
rabbis and great ones and things like
that, right? Uh which which is greater,
the gift or the altar that sanctifies
the gift?
um they're wanting to exalt the person.
And so they they're saying they're
exalting a person and calling him rabbi.
They're exalting him and calling him a
great one. And he says that's not the
one you should be glorifying. The one
you should be glorifying is the one who
sanctifies him. That's God. God is the
one who deserves the glory, not not the
um not the one who he has been uh
sanctifying. And so fools and blind,
which is greater, the gift or the altar
that sanctifies the gift? The gift is
referring to uh in in the case of rabbi,
rabbi, teacher, pastor, uh leader,
shepherd, whatever that person is,
they're a gift. And they're actually
referred to as a gift uh in Ephesians
where he says, you know, that he he gave
gifts to men. Some he gave some to be
apostles, some prophets, some
evangelists, some pastors, some
teachers.
And but he's referring to these leaders,
these people in the church as gifts.
Well, you don't exalt the gift. And so,
you don't exalt the gift, you exalt the
the one who sanctifies the gift. Yeshua
is the one who sanctifies the gift. Um,
and you know, God is the one who
sanctifies. And so, you exalt God and
not men. And hopefully that helps uh
bring some connection here between this
uh what he's talking about here and how
it all ties together. There's therefore
he who swears by the altar swears by it
and all things on it. So um
it's the idea of going to the father
instead of the teacher,
exalting the father instead of the
teacher. Okay. Okay. So then we go down.
Um,
okay. Here's where we are. What are you
scribes of Pharisees, hypocrites, for
you paid tithe of mint and anise and
cumin and have neglected the weightier
matters of the law, justice and mercy
and faith. These you ought to have done
without leaving the others undone.
Okay? So he's telling them, you've
tithed, but uh you've left out the
weightier matters of law. So what what
they're doing here is they are tithing
um and they're tithing from their
garden. So like they're tithing from
their mint and they're their cumin and
their anise. They're tithing from their
garden. And so they're they're bringing
their tithes in as if they have done
some kind of wonderful thing. Um
but they're he says you're neglecting
the weightier matters of the law, the
more important things you're not doing.
And so they make a big show of the
things they do. But the things they do
aren't as important as the things
they're not doing. And the things
they're not doing, they kind of hide.
They're they're hiding uh the weightier
matters of law that they're not
fulfilling them. They're not doing
justice and mercy and faith. They're
hiding that. And they're they're not
showing that off, but they're showing
off the parts of the law they do keep.
Well, look at me. I'm I'm I'm I'm early
to to synagogue every Sabbath and I have
my tassels on and they're very long and
beautiful and I wear these beautiful
garments so that everyone can see me and
know that I'm a righteous person. I have
my Bible with me and I get a nice big
nice big Bible that I can show off and
it's a study Bible that that shows how
how smart I am and how much I know and I
exalt myself in any way I possibly can.
That's basically what he's talking about
is people who act like that. They want
to be seen by men and revered by men and
he's saying don't do that. And so they
pay, you know, they pay their tithe.
They want to make sure everybody sees
them tithe. you know, they they write
their check and they carry it around and
stick it in the box where everybody can
see them, whatever, you know, um they
they want to make sure everybody sees
that they're doing the righteous acts
that they want people to see them doing.
But then there's things that they hide,
things that they do that is unrighteous,
but they don't want anybody to know
about them. So, they hide those things,
uh parts of the law that they ignore or
they don't keep. Okay?
And he says, "Blind guides who strain
out a gnat and swallow a camel." Now,
here's an interesting one. We have they
strain out a knat and swallow a camel.
Both of those things are unclean, right?
And so you have um you know, you have uh
let's say you have tea like I do and if
I didn't have a lid on it, maybe a gnat
flew into my tea and I go to take a
drink and I see a net in there. Oh man.
You know, so I'd pick and strain out the
nat to get it out of my drink. before I
take a drink, right? Because I don't
want to drink a gnat because that's
nasty and gross. It's a bug in my drink.
You strain out a gnat, but then you
swallow camel. Well, camels are another
unclean thing, but they're massive.
They're huge. And so, you're you're
straining out this tiny thing that's not
really that significant, but then you
swallow this giant thing that's really
significant. And that's that's the kind
of thing he's referring to here.
It's it's a good uh allegory uh illusion
to help you picture what he's saying,
you know. So they uh you know they they
they tithe and they make a big deal
about tithing from the garden, but then
they neglect the weight of your matter,
the bigger things, the more important
things. They neglect. It's same as you
know, someone who strains out a nap, but
then, you know, doesn't worry about the
camel. They just eat the whole camel. um
you know there
you're you're you're you're picking at
the small things that don't matter and
you're ignoring the big things that
really do matter. Um what do you scribes
and Pharisees hypocrites?
Uh for you cleanse the outside of the
cup and dish, but inside they're full of
extortion and self-indulgence. Okay. Uh
here it is. He's talking about how they
present themselves on the outside. They
make the outside beautiful, but inside
it's corrupt. uh blind Pharisee cleanse
first cleanse the inside of the cup and
dish that the outside of the cup may be
clean also.
So cleanse the inside first. Okay. So
let's just imagine my cup. I have this
cup and on the outside it looks good.
It's clean.
You don't have any any dirt or grime or
grunge or mold or anything on it, right?
It's just it looks good. But then let's
say you open it up and uh you know you
go to to go to use it and you look
inside and it is full of uh you know
it's dirty and filthy. Looks like it
hasn't been washed in years. It's got
mold growing on it because you know
whatever was in here previously didn't
get washed out and it started molding
and and growing stuff and it just looks
nasty and disgusting inside. Well,
that's that's what he's describing. He's
saying on the outside it looks good. On
the outside you have all these righteous
acts. you you make yourself appear good
to men, but inside you're rotten. You're
full of mold and and nastiness. And he
says, "First, you need to cleanse the
inside of the cup." U because you know
which is more important, the inside or
the outside? If if if it was the other
way around, if I had the outside of the
cup, if I dropped it in the mud and you
know, you had some mud on it and some
dirt and uh maybe even fell in in a pile
of poop, you know, you had some poop on
here somewhere, but the inside's nice
and clean. Well, you know, what could
you do? Well, you could use a straw, I
guess, and and drink through the straw.
You wouldn't have to touch the outside.
The inside's still okay. It hadn't got
anything inside of it. You know, it's
got this lid on. It protected everything
inside. Um, you know, maybe just wipe
off the place where you would take a
drink and
you take your drink. Um, and so which is
more important? That the inside of the
cup is clean or that the outside of the
cup is clean? Well, the inside is more
important because that's where the the
food or beverage would be. And so that's
where the important stuff is.
Um
so first cleanse the outside
uh first cleanse the inside of the cup
and that the outside of may be clean
also. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites, for you are like whitewashed
tombs which indeed appear beautiful
outwardly, but inside are full of dead
men's bones and and all uncleanness.
Okay, so again he's saying you emphasize
the outside. You emphasize what it looks
like to other people, the appearance to
others. Um, but inside you're rotten.
Even so, you also outwardly appear
righteous to men, but inside you are
full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
What are you scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites, because you bind uh because
you build the tombs of the prophets and
adorn the monuments of the righteous
and say, "If we had lived in the days of
our fathers, we would not have been
partakers with them in the blood of the
prophets. Therefore, you are witnesses
against yourselves that you are the sons
of those who murdered the prophets.
Okay, Philillip, then the measure of
your father's guilt, serpents, brood of
vipers. How can you escape the
condemnation of hell? Therefore indeed I
send you prophets, wise men, and
scribes. Some of them you will kill and
crucify and some of them you will
scourge in your synagogues and persecute
from city to city that you may uh that
on you may come the righteous all the
righteous blood shed on the earth from
the blood of righteous Abel to the blood
of Zachcharias son of Barakiah whom you
murdered between the temple and the
altar. Assurely I say to you all these
things will come upon this generation.
Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who
kills the prophets and stones those who
sent who are sent to her. Often I wanted
to gather your children together, but as
a hen gathers her chicks under her
wings, but you are not willing. See,
your house is left you desolate.
For I say to you, who shall see uh for I
say to you, you you shall see me no more
till you say, blessed is he who comes in
the name of the Lord. All right. So
this is a um a really interesting
chapter and he is going after the
religious leaders uh the scribes, the
Pharisees, those who like to be called
rabbi. Um and he's he's really going
after him and he's saying that you are
exalting yourself. Um and you shouldn't
be.
He's calling them hypocrites
and he's telling his disciples don't be
like them. Okay. Don't be like them.
Don't be like those who exalt themsel.
Don't be like them who uh seek to be
exalted by others. Don't be like them
who are whitewashed tombs who make the
outside look good but inside uh they're
full of hypocrisy. Don't be like them.
Okay, that is that is the point he is
making here. Um, and so now, uh, if you
guys have any questions, I want to give
some time for questions. And, um,
I'm going to start skimming through the
the questions now. So, if you have a
question, type question in all caps and
we will get to your questions here
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And thank you so much for being a part
of Let's Talk Biblical. Now that we've
explored the depths of today's topic,
it's time to hear from you. Welcome to
the Q&A portion of the show where you
can ask questions about today's topic.
So, post your questions in the chat and
let's talk biblical.
All right. Uh first question here says,
"Does this mean that this is wrong when
pastors, preachers, and elders have
special seats during church gatherings
as I often see in today's churches?" Um,
you know, that's that's actually a
really good question and I I am of the
opinion that it is wrong. Um, and so
oftentimes you'll see in churches where
they have up on the pedestal, up on the
podium, they have special chairs set up
apart for like the the pastoral staff
and they'll set up there on the podium
um as they're some sort of exalted
person. Um I I don't see the purpose in
that. Why why are they doing that? um
you know the only the only purpose I
would see is for example if they are
there for a for a reason. So like if you
have one one person who is reading
um you know going through some sort of
announcements and liturgy things like
that have them seated on the stage so
it's quick access to the the pulpit and
then when they're done they can go sit
down with their family and someone who
is um you know if they're they're
teaching or reading scripture have them
seated up there so they have quick
access to the pulpit but then go back
down and sit with their family when
they're done. Um you know things like
that. That might be a reason why some do
it. Um, but just to have them seated up
there all the time, like even if they're
not speaking, not teaching, why are they
sitting on the stage just to exalt them
as if there's something special? U, that
would be where I'd see a problem with
it. if if they're doing it for just that
it's easier uh to have them already on
the stage so that um we're not waiting
for them to to walk up from the back of
the room and climb the stairs and and
and uh you know so they can get to their
uh get to the pulpit quicker so they can
make their announcement quicker so they
can you know whatever they need to do
just for the the element of of speed and
brevity. That would be the only reason I
would see maybe having uh special seats
on the chairs for people who are
scheduled to be doing something on stage
that day. Um otherwise it just seems
like it's there for show and I don't
understand that. Um so I guess it
depends on the purpose, you know, and if
it's if it's to to to exalt them
somehow, I'd say no, that's
inappropriate.
Um
okay, I had another question. uh is it
biblical to tithe even though there's no
Levitical priesthood? And he clarified.
He said, "What I mean is, should we
still tithe even though there was no
Levitical priesthood?" Um I actually
have a couple of videos where I talk
about this. And um
the I I've actually changed my view on
it over the years. And so, you know,
years ago I did a video saying u that we
we shouldn't be tithing anymore because
there's no Le Levites. Um but that my
view has changed on that um over the
years. And I I do think that we're still
supposed to tithe. Um but it doesn't go
to Levites. And so we have um
I I think the tithe would go to towards
ministry. And so it would go towards um
the the ministry of the church, the
function of the church, keeping the
church um supported and uh you know so
you have a place to meet and keeping the
the pastoral staff um
you know keep a food on the table for
them basically um so that they can
survive because a worker is worthy of
his wages. Um I think that that is that
is something that we can see in the New
Testament is that uh financially
supporting churches and ministries and
and uh things like that is uh
appropriate and encouraged throughout
the New Testament. Now um if you want to
be strict with 10% tithe, I don't know
if you can necessarily
um say it has to be a strict 10% tithe
when you're looking at financially
supporting ministry. Um, but I think
it's a good principle and it's a good
starting place. Um, and when you look at
the tithe in the Old Testament, actually
there's three different tithes. Um,
there's the the tithe that goes to the
the Levites and the function of the
temple. Then there's a tithe that is um
for you and your family for the feast
days. And then there is a tithe that is
every third year for the poor. And uh so
you you really you have three tithes. uh
mentioned throughout scripture, but most
people just talk about one tithe. Um
and so I guess because you know a lot of
people don't keep the feast, so they
don't see the the feast day tithe as
important. Um so don't mention that. And
uh maybe they don't think about um
helping the poor either. So maybe they
ignore the the third 30-year tithe for
the poor. Um but really there's three
tithes. And it's the tithes are for God
and for his work and his ministry and
his service and for those who are doing
his work. And so even though there's no
Levites, we still have the work of
ministry. And I would argue that the
work of um spreading the gospel is a
greater ministry than the service in the
temple. And uh if you look in the book
of Hebrews um you'll see you I think
you'll quickly understand why I think
that is because the ministry of Yeshua
is greater than the ministry of the
temple. And um and so you know and if
you look in Hebrews it talks about how
um that Levi paid tithes to Melkisedc
through Abraham. And so really what you
know he was saying is that ab uh that
that Levi is not as significant as Mal
as as Melkazedc and the argument he's
putting forth is that Yeshua is a priest
like Melkisedc and he's greater than
Levi and his priesthood is greater than
Levi and so we should be paying tithes
to MelzDC not Levi because Melzdc is
greater than Levi. And so that's that's
kind of the argument that's being made
there. Um, and that Levi actually paid
tithes to Melzdc through Abraham.
Um,
and so, uh, I would I would say, yeah,
we are supposed to be, um, tithing and
giving to, uh, support ministry,
Christian ministry. And especially if
you are part of a church, I would
encourage you to be tithing to that
church
to support the the ministry of that
church. Oh, excuse me.
Um, but I have I have some videos uh on
my channel if you want to go and look
them up. Uh, that might be helpful. You
can watch them that they'll be able to
cover I I cover the topic a lot more
extensively in those videos than I can
do just right now in a brief Q&A. Um,
okay. Uh, Peaches
uh says, "Question. Is it wrong for me
to address my rabbi as rabbi?" Um,
I would not I would not call anyone
rabbi. Um
so I I think it's better to
um just call them by their name, you
know, and so like I know um Tovia Singer
likes to be known as Rabbi Tovia Singer.
Just call him Tovia Singer. You don't
have to call him Rabbi. Um, and it's,
you know, it's
it's like if I was to say, "Okay,
everybody needs to call me Reverend uh
Dr. Reverend
Pastor
uh Rabbi Lex Meyer." Like,
why why do you need to call me anything
other than Lex?
You know, just call me Lex. Call me Lex
Meer. Why do you need to add something
to that? you know, I don't need to be
called Pastor Lex or Reverend Lex or
Rabbi Lex or whatever. I I don't need
those titles. Um, just call me Lex. And
that's that's what I would do for you,
too, you know. Um, I think
I I think the titles get in the way and
I think the titles exalt people higher
than they should be exalted. Um, I think
people need to remember that we are we
are all equal in the sight of God. That
uh you know when when God's looking at
us, I'm not more important than you and
your rabbi is not more important than
you and
um you know your your professor is not
more important than you and somebody
with with multiple degrees is not more
important than you. Um in the eyes of
God, we're all equal. We're all peers.
we're all um siblings
and so this idea of of us needing to
exalt someone above someone else uh
that's I think that's unnecessary and I
think that's not uh I think it's not
good for us to do that. Um, you know,
it's one thing to
uh to have some to have
someone who teaches and who uh leads and
who gives guidance and who gives
correction and who um you know hears
from the Lord, prophesies
um you know, things like that. Those are
those are functions and that's that's
something I'm going to talk about next
week is function uh versus title.
And so, um, this I I thought we were
going to get into it today, but we
really just didn't have time. U, but
function is going to be,
uh, you know, where where I think it's
important. And so, when you look at um,
even the way that the the apostles uh,
refer to themselves, Paul didn't start
his letters and say, uh, this is Apostle
Paul writing to you. He say, "This is
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. This
is Paul, an apostle of Yeshua. This is
Peter, a bondervant of Yeshua." Like,
Peter didn't even call himself an
apostle. He called himself a bondervant,
but everybody else called him an
apostle. Um, you know, and so we have uh
these
these men who were chosen by Yeshua to
be apostles who didn't exalt themsel and
say, "Oh, I am apostle." so and so. I'm
Apostle Peter. I'm Apostle Paul. I'm
Apostle John. They didn't do that. They
said, "I'm I'm John. I'm Paul. I'm
Peter. I'm an Apostle and a bondervant.
I'm I'm a slave of Jesus Christ.
Basically, I'm a slave of Yeshua."
And they weren't using apostle as a
title of exaltation.
Um apostle means sent one. They're
basically saying, "I'm I'm one that was
sent by Yeshua.
I'm I'm his sent one. I'm his emissary.
I'm his um
I'm his uh
what's the word? I'm I'm his
there's a word I'm trying to think of
and is on the tip of my tongue and I
cannot think of it but it's uh the one
who goes on in in in place of the king.
The one who is sent um in this in the in
the place of the king as his um
to speak on his behalf.
And so that's basically what they're
saying is is you know we're not we're
not the important one. We're just sent
by the important one. We're not we're
not the king. when we're sent by the
king, uh, don't exalt us, don't worship
us, worship God. And we even see times
in like in the book of Acts, for
example, when people tried to worship
the apostles and they refused to
worship. They said, "No, don't worship
me, worship God." Um
and that's one thing I think that this
um internet the the ability to put
teachings online put teaching on the
internet YouTube and Facebook and all
the different social media platforms
um uh television networks
uh you know things like that all of this
you know having uh pastors teachers
online like like I am right Now the
problem with it like there's a lot of
great things that come with it. You know
it's great that we can reach you know
thousands of people all over the world
millions of people even potentially uh
different every country that has
internet access. You can you know have
potential to reach them. This is that's
amazing. The problem though is that it
it it puts us in a position that people
would try to exalt us.
And that's that's the big the big
problem I see with this is is it puts
guys like me who I'm I'm just a guy
making a video putting online teaching
teaching the Bible. Um it it puts me in
a position where someone like you might
try to exalt me and that's that's not
right. That's not appropriate. And I've
even I've encountered that sometimes.
I've had people come uh like come to
visit at Soot or come to visit at church
and
they're just like like they act like
they're seeing uh you know a celebrity
like they're seeing their favorite
football player or their their favorite
actor or something like that like they
you know they they just have like this
big picture in mind like that that that
I'm somebody special that I'm some sort
of celebrity and I'm not. And I don't
want that. I don't want to be exalted
like that. And that's what causes so
many preachers to get arrogant and to
get uh to start thinking more highly of
themselves than they should is people
who watch them online and then when they
meet them, they exalt them and they make
them like, "Oh, you're so wonderful.
You're so amazing. You're so great.
You're you're puffing the person up.
Don't do that. And don't don't do that
with me, please. I don't want that. Um,
you know, if you want to come visit,
great. Come visit. I'd love to meet you
and I'd love to shake your hand and and
uh tell you, you know, it's it's it's
nice to meet you, but just
I would just caution you, be careful
that you're not exalting
um these these television and uh
internet teachers
u because that that's inappropriate. And
and also don't don't elevate your pastor
and and exalt him as if he's something
special. Um he's not. He's not something
special. He's just a guy just like you.
Um just just a man. He's flawed. He's
he's um he's he's trying to do his best.
And he's he may be a few steps further
down the road than you are. Um, but he's
still on the same path and he's still
dealing with similar struggles and he's
still um working through his own
salvation.
Um, none of us have arrived. We're all
on the same journey. Just that, you
know, someone who's a teacher is just
usually a little further down the road
so they can help other people
um down the road too. You know, help
people travel down the same road.
So, we've got to be careful not to
exalt. That's why I said, "Call no man,
Rabbi, but you are all brothers." You
know, I'm I'm no different than you. I'm
I'm just like you. I'm I'm human just
like you. Okay? I'm not I'm not the son
of God. Yeshua is the son of God. Exalt
him, worship him, magnify him, glorify
him. I'm just I'm just a guy, okay? I'm
just here to to help point you to
Yeshua. And that's that's the job of
every pastor, every teacher, every
prophet, every evangelist. They need to
remember that that's their job. Their
job is not to say, "Look at me." Their
job is to say, "Look at him. Look at
Yeshua." And if they if they stop
pointing to Yeshua and start pointing to
theirel, they've gotten it all they've
got it all mixed up. They're they're
doing they're doing it wrong. Um they're
going down the wrong road. And
um so you got to watch out for those
people. If they if they stop pointing to
Yeshua and they start pointing to
themsel, just change the channel and and
stop listening to them because they're
uh they're in it for themsel. Um,
okay.
Let's see. Question.
Isn't that disrespectful to address him
by his first name? Uh, okay. So, this is
in in response to your question about
calling a rabbi rabbi. Well, he would
probably consider it disrespectful.
um
there's a good possibility he does. And
so anyone who who introduces themsself
as a rabbi or a reverend or something
like that, they they want that respect.
They want that exaltation. And so, yeah,
it would be considered disrespectful in
their mind to be called something other
than rabbi or reverend uh because they
want that. They want to be called rabbi.
They want to be called reverend. They're
seeking that. And so, um, maybe it is
disrespectful to him, but I don't think
Yeshua's too concerned about that. I
don't think he didn't say, "Well, don't
call someone rabbi unless they'd feel
disrespected. And if they're going to
feel disrespected, then yeah, go ahead
and call them rabbi. It's okay." He's
saying, "Don't don't do it. Don't exalt
somebody like that. Don't don't make
them into something they're not. They're
not your master. They're not your great
one. Why Why are you calling them that?"
That's what rabbi means, master and
great one. Um, are you exalting them? Do
you want to exalt them? Do you want them
to be exalted in that way? Um, Yeshua is
saying, don't don't exalt them like that
and don't seek to be exalted like that.
And so, I would I would talk to your
rabbi and say, well, you know, right
here Yeshua says you shouldn't be called
rabbi. Um, why why do you want to be
called rabbi? Right here Yeshua says
don't. Are you are you following
Yeshua's instructions? I would have a I
would have a conversation with the guy
if it was me. Um especially if he came
to me and I you know and I didn't call
him rabbi and he said, "Oh, you need to
call me rabbi." I said, "No, I don't."
Turn to Matthew 23. Let's look at what
Yeshua said. I would have that
conversation with the guy. Now, you may
not be comfortable having that
conversation with him. I don't know. But
I would have that conversation with him.
Um
uh let's see.
How do you explain that Jesus said that
Zachchariah son of Barekiah was murdered
between the temple and the altar when it
was Zachariah son of Jedekiah?
Um well that is probably a conversation
that's going to be too indepth for today
and it's not on topic but uh probably a
simple answer would be it could be um
translation issue could be a scribe made
an error. Uh you know there's probably a
lot of different things we can go into
to look at that but um
it's not on the topic today. So
let's keep on going with the topic. a
teacher in Oklahoma called rabbi by
people in the comment section all the
time. It may be some
need to find someone they look up to
tell them what to do. Yeah, I mean
sometimes
uh people just are looking for somebody
to look up to. Uh how refreshing.
Brother Lex, my husband who has led
smaller groups has communicated this
uh thought from the get-go. I'm your
brother. You are my brother. Yeah. Okay.
Um,
let's see. I'm not seeing any other
questions in here.
One more look real quick.
Okay, I'm not seeing anything else. So,
uh, next week, next week we are going to
be talking about, uh, functions in
ministry. And so, functions versus
titles. And so um it'll be the idea of
like what is a title? Title is having to
do with exalting someone. Function is
what they do. Function is is what role
they serve and things like that. We're
going to look at specific functions in
the Bible,
specific roles and functions that we see
in the Bible and how it's not about
having a title, but how it's about
serving a purpose. And so that's what
we're going to look at next week. And so
hopefully uh this has been beneficial
and I look forward to seeing you again
next week. Thanks. Thank you for joining
me on Let's Talk Biblical. If you
enjoyed this episode, then share it with
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chatting with you again next week. Until
next time, keep talking biblical.
Shalom.