The Teachings Of The Rabbi
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When Jesus said “follow Me” He leads them into His teachings.
Theres a quote that i first heard from John Mark Comer but apparently its an ancient one.
“WE should be covered in the dust of our Rabbi.”
In the first-century Jewish world:
Disciples literally followed their rabbi everywhere. The rabbi went to the synagogue they followed him there, he went by the water they followed him there, he went to the temple they would follow him there. They followed there rabbi everywhere.
The phrase “we should be covered un the dust of our rabbi” was a picture of the Roads which were dusty, so if you walked closely behind your teacher, the dust from his feet would cover you.
The phrase became a blessed meaning:
Follow your teacher so closely that his life, character, and teaching shape you completely.
We should be covered in the dust of your rabbi. Covered in the dust of His teachings.
Having a rabbi and following Him was common practice Jesus didn’t originate this kind of frame work it was very common.
Even Paul had a Rabbi named Gamaliel who was a Pharisee.
“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.
Paul sit at the feet of Gamaliel which means he was receptive and submitted to the instruction of his rabbi.
Mary in Luke 10:39
And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
This was not just a physical posture but a spiritual posture toward learning and authority .
This wasn’t passive discipleship this was active discipleship. This wasn’t passive listening but engaged listening.
And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
Martha was easily distracted by less important things and those things ultimately choke out the word. Luke 8:14- the cares of this world choke out the word of God.
When the less important thing becomes the main thing then choas ensues. Judgement take over.
I remember I was in one country where all the women in the church where in the kitchen preparing the meals and the men where in the church service. The men kept the women away from the word to serve.
Our jobs can take away from our being at the feet of Jesus.
But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Martha was trying to force Mary into serving and stop listening to the word of Jesus.
But Mary has chosen the good part or the better part.
Mary choose to be covered in the dust of her rabbi.
A sitting silently at the feet of Jesus is of more worth than all the clatter of Martha’s dishes.
Charles Spurgeon
Let’s turn to the Beatitudes. These are declarations of blessedness.
Its a series of declarations about who experiences blessedness.
The Beatitudes establish a counterintuitive value system (so it is contrary to the worlds sense of values or what the world sees as being strengths)
What Jesus is about to say has conventional disadvantages. According to conventional standards they are seen as being weak and deeply flawed. But paradoxically this is the pathway to divine favor.
And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The word blessed “makarioi” in the greek means to be fully satisfied. In the NT the term is used as joy that comes from salvation .
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
The term blessed has nothing to do with favorable circumstances in life. It comes with being indwelt with Christ.
Blessedness is not static, but progressive. This progress depends upon the fulfillment of the conditions set down in these Beatitudes
Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Better to low in spirit with the down trodden.
Pride is the number one thing God hates.
J Vernon Mcgee calls it the “hate parade” the thing God hates and pride is on the top of the list. Proverbs 6:16-19.
But where there is free choice, there is also the possibility of pride and rebellion against God.
Pride is execersing my free will to go in opposition to God.
Being poor in the spirit is me utilizing my free will to submit to God.
Its me acknowledging my spiritual powerlessness and bankruptcy apart from Christ.
Theres seems to be a connection with spiritual poverty and piety. This is what it means to live a life after God.
There seems to be a connection between more and social concerns.
Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
Mourning includes grief caused by both personal sin and loss and social evil and oppression.
Our grieving is not as the world grieves maybe to get some kind of political gain.
But we grieve about the state of the world.
ABout the unslot of temptation in our lives.
About the constant attack on holiness.
About us yielding to the world systems.
About evil running ramped in all humanity.
But we shouldn’t be in a perpetual state of mourning. But there has to be celebration and joy in our lives.
Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
Meekness is not between man and man but between God and man.
Its my meekness towards God.
Meekness is one who is humble, gentle, and not aggressive
Wycliff has it “Blessed be mild men.”
The ancients used the word for outward conduct and towards men. They did not rank it as a virtue.
But Jesus lifted the word to a more noblier position.
Just like how He does humanity He does the same with moral ethics.
In fact, the Beatitudes assume a new heart, for the natural man does not find in happiness the qualities mentioned here by Christ
But Meekness is the wallflower. Its not the center piece of the house. Its not the most attractive part about humanity.
The English word “meek” has largely lost the fine blend of spiritual poise and strength meant by the Master. He calls himself “meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29) and Moses is also called meek. It is the gentleness of strength
Gentleness of strenght not a weakness.
You ever notice how easy it is for a kid to be aggressive and how difficult it is for them to be gentle.
Inheriting the earth has nothing to do with possessions.
But it has everything to do with rule. We will role with Christ. Its a future compensation. That we will rule with Him in the new heavens and new earth. Rev. 20-22.
“Christian hope does not look forward to inhabiting a particular country but to ruling with Christ over all the globe and ultimately to enjoying an entirely re-created earth and heavens.”
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
Hungering and thirst after righteousness is a desire to have all of God standards met here on earth.
This is the blessedness of our faith journey with God. This is how we mature and grow!
This is how we enjoy our Christian journey.
Next weak we will dive into the other beatitudes.
