One of the biggest mistakes followers of Jesus can make is believing they have Jesus figured out. How do we resist the temptation to become too familiar with him? We believe one of the main answers is found in understanding that Jesus came as a Jewish Rabbi (or Sage). In this new mini-series Rabbis and Disciples, we’ll explore why this matters so much, and how understanding it can transform us into more effective disciples. But first, we must start by familiarizing ourselves with key aspects of the first-century world that help shed significant light on Jesus’s life and ministry.

• What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?
• In calling Jesus, “rabbi” instead of “Lord” in Matthew 26, Judas was essentially telling Jesus, “I respect you as a teacher, but you don’t get to tell me how to live my life.” What are some of the ways we can be guilty of this same thing?
• How does translating the word Torah as “God’s teachings and instructions for life” instead of “law” change your understanding and appreciation of the Hebrew Scriptures?
• Having listened to the episode, how would you describe the difference between the Torah, the Mishnah, and the Talmud? Why is it important to know about this Jewish Literature?
• How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

• Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg – Chapters 1 and 2 
• New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus by David Bivin – Chapters 2 and 6
• The Jewish People in the First Century edited by Shmuel Safrai and Menahem Stern – Chapter 19
• Everyman’s Talmud by Abraham Cohen – a great book that lays out the major teachings of the rabbinic sages 
• Meet the Rabbis by Brad Young – an excellent read that sets Jesus’s teachings within the world of the rabbis 

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