Recognition and Title

In Luke 19:39, Jesus is addressed as 'Master'. Christians, these days, see absolutely nothing odd about this. What I wish to point out is who, exactly, called him Master. In the multitude that crowded around Jesus, as he made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and positioned close enough to speak with Jesus, were Pharisees. It was they who called Jesus by the title of Master.

Pharisees were themselves, in their own station, addressed as Master. This instance was a case of Masters calling Jesus by the same title. It was a case of positive recognition of the station and title of a peer.

Jesus was more than a wannabe in their eyes; the Pharisees knew Jesus for who he was. He was much more than some country-bumpkin upstart with twelve disciples. According to verse 37 of this section of scripture, Jesus was attended by “the whole multitude of the disciples.” Everyone who followed Jesus was a disciple – and Jesus had quite a large following. The Pharisees were part of that multitude, part of that following.

One has to ask, why did the Pharisees always follow Jesus? You would think, if they were there only to harass and lay traps, the twelve, being closest, would set a perimeter, do some crowd control. That was the case for many among the press, but not so for the Pharisees. They were always close to Jesus.

Since I approach this as evidence of authoritative recognition of the station and title of Jesus in a social setting, I wish to address how many times, in the New Testament, the title of Master was applied. Master is the interpretation of both 'Rabbi' and 'Rabboni'.

In Matthew 8:19, a scribe addressed Jesus as Master. In Matthew 9:11, Pharisees addressed Jesus as Master. In Matthew 10:24-25, Jesus referred to himself as master. In Matthew 12:38, both scribes and Pharisees addressed Jesus as Master. In Matthew 17: 24, tribute collectors referred to him, in speaking to Peter, as “your master.” In Matthew 19:16, a young man with great possessions called Jesus “Good Master.” In Matthew 22:16, disciples of the Pharisees, and of the Herodians addressed Jesus as Master.

It is interesting that both Jesus and the Pharisees had disciples. It seems that having disciples was a standard practice of the Pharisees.

In Matthew 22:24, it was the Sadducees who addressed Jesus as Master. In Matthew 22:36, a Pharisee lawyer addressed Jesus as Master. In Matthew 23:8, Jesus said this about himself, “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.” He said pretty much the same thing in verse 10, “for one is your Master, even Christ.” In Matthew 26:18, Jesus called himself by the title of Master. In Matthew 26:25, he was called Master by the disciple Judas. Again, Judas said, “Hail, master;” when he betrayed Christ.

Jesus is called by the recognized title of Master fifteen times in Mark, twenty-two times in Luke, and eight times in John. Altogether, in the New Testament, Jesus is addressed by the official title of Master some fifty-nine times.

Such a number places one far above the upstart level. Pharisees were also referred to by the title of Master. When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, who was a Pharisee, he asked him this in John 3:10, “Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?”

I am convinced that Jesus had an official status among the religious leaders and that his peers recognized that fact every time they addressed him by the title of Master.

Interestingly, John the Baptist, Jesus' close cousin, was also addressed as 'Master' in Luke 3:12. Here is what I wish to note in closing, Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, and lawyers were all masters of Israel. The title of 'Master' and the title of 'Rabbi' are one and the same. 'Master' is a bonafide title. All of them, being addressed by the title of Master – whether Pharisee, John, or Jesus – all of them, I say again, had disciples. It was a standard practice for all titled religious leaders.