The Life of Jesus in Harmony | Index

Rabboni

(Heb. rabbi, Gk. hrabbi, "my teacher").

A respectful term applied by the Jews to their teachers and spiritual instructors (Mt. 23:7-8; Jn 1:38; 3:26; 6:25). The terms rabbi and rabboni both mean simply "master" (Jn 1:38; 20:16).

The use of the title rabbi cannot be proved to have been used before the time of Christ. Later Jewish schools had three grades of honor: rab, "master," the lowest; rabbi, "my master," the second; and rabboni, "my lord, my master," the most elevated.

The word rabbi comes from a Semitic root word meaning "great" or "head." It is only used in the gospels, usually of Jesus. The disciples of John the Baptist also addressed him as rabbi (Jn 3:26).