v. Teacher
Mat 23:7 and let men call them: R, R
Joh 1:38 what do you seek? .. R .. where do you dwell?
Rabí (Gr. rhabbí; from Heb. and Aram. rabbî, “my great one”, “my teacher”). Title of respect used by the disciples when addressing their teachers. The possessive “my” soon lost its force, and in the NT it was only used as a form of courtesy, generally equivalent to our “sir.” It was applied to Christ (Mat 26:25; Mar 14:45; Joh 1:38, 49; 3:2, 26; 4:31; 6:25; 9:2; 11:8; etc.) and to John the Baptist (John 3:26). Christ counseled his disciples against coveting or using this title (Mat 23:7, 8). In this passage rhabbi seems to have been used in a more restricted way, as an honorific title for scholars and doctors of the law, with the possible implication that being specialists in the law of Moses, their interpretation of the religious duties there prescribed it was infallible and therefore mandatory. The author of the 4th Gospel interprets the word rhabbí as didáskalos, “teacher”, “instructor” (Joh 1:38). See Rabboni.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
see trades
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
(My teacher). Honorific title with which the Jews called people who were experts in the teaching of the Torah (the law). It comes from a Hebrew root meaning “great.” This word, which arose in the intertestamental period from the famous Hillel, is not used in the OT. The disciples of John the Baptist called him R. (John 3:26). Also the Lord Jesus received that treatment (Joh 1:38; Joh 3:2; Joh 4:31; Joh 6:25; Joh 9:2; Joh 11:8; Joh 20:16). However, he warned against the scribes and Pharisees, who love “that men should call them: R., R.,† for human pride (Mat 23:7-8).
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
type, FUNC
vet, Doctor, teacher (the one who teaches): title of respect that the Jews give to their spiritual leaders (Mt. 23:7; Jn. 1:38). At the time of Jesus, the Jews distinguished between three honorific titles; from the lower title they were: “rab”, teacher; “rabbi”, my teacher; “rabboni”, my lord. By the time of the apostle John, the first person genitive suffix (-i) had lost its particular sense of possessive pronoun, because John translates the terms rabbi and raboni as meaning only “teacher” (Jn. 1:38; 20: 16).
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Designation that in practice had the meaning of “master” (Jn 1:38), but shortly before the birth of Jesus, the Jews began to use it as a form of greeting and as a title of respect and honor that meant † œmy big; my exalted† , a title demanded by some scholars, scribes, and teachers of the Law. They were delighted to be given the honorary title of “Rabbi.” Jesus Christ condemned this fondness for titles and forbade his followers to call themselves “Rabbi”, since he was his teacher. (Mt 23:6-8.)
The term “Rabbi” is only found in the Bible in the Christian Greek Scriptures. It is applied to Jesus in the usual sense of the term (“Master”) twelve times: Peter does it twice (Mark 9:5; 11:21); one, two disciples of John (Jn 1:38); one, Nathanael (Jn 1:49); one, Nicodemus (Jn 3:2); three times, disciples of Jesus whose names are not specified (Jn 4:31; 9:2; 11:8); once, the crowds (Jn 6:25), and twice (one of the occasions is repeated), Judas. (Mt 26:25, 49; Mr 14:45) Mary Magdalene addressed Jesus calling him † œRabboni † (My Master), as she also made a blind man whom she healed. The personal pronoun †œmy† in that term is indicated by a suffix, although it seems to have lost its meaning due to usage, as is the case with the French word Monsieur, which originally meant †œmy lord† . (Joh 20:16; Mr 10:51) The expression Rabbi was once used to address John the Baptist. (Joh 3:26.)
Source: Dictionary of the Bible
rabbei or rabbi (rJabbeiv, 4461), from a word rab, denoting primarily “owner” in contrast to a slave; together with the pronominal suffix added to it, it meant “my owner” and was a title of respect used to address teachers. The suffix soon lost its specific meaning, and in the NT this term is used as a courtesy title. It is applied to Christ in Mat 26:25,49; Mk 9.5; 11.21; 14.45; Joh 1:38 (where interpreted as didaskalos: “Teacher”; see also “Rabboni” at Joh 20:16); v. 49; 3.2; 4.31; 6.25; 9.2; 11.8; to John the Baptist in Joh 3:26: In Mat 23:7,8, Christ forbids his disciples to covet or use him. In this last verse it is again interpreted as didaskalos (in the most commonly accepted mss; in TR it is kathegetes, guide, also translated “teacher”). See MASTER.¶
Source: Vine New Testament Dictionary