June 28 - July 2, 2010

Now when He heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. Matthew 4:12-13

I love the journey we are on. I especially enjoy coming back to the Galilee; both in the pages of the The Book, as well as on my journeys back to Israel. The Galilee is divided into two major regions, the Upper Galilee and the Lower Galilee. The lower region is nestled around the largest freshwater lake in Israel, the Sea of Galilee. I don’t know what comes to your mind when you hear the word “sea,” but I would imagine it is something a bit more substantial than the Sea of Galilee. This freshwater lake is about 13 miles (21 km) long and 8 miles (13 km) wide. The total circumference of the sea is only about 33 miles (53 km). Its rugged terrain mixed with its accessibility to water cause the area to have a rare beauty in this desert land. Date trees, flowering plants and bushes, and mountain slopes with irrigated crops weave a beautiful tapestry on which the life of Christ was displayed for all to see.

This week we meet many of the main characters that will play a part in the rest of our journey. Some we will walk with till the end, others we will meet briefly, but their influence will be felt for the remainder of our time in the pages of The Book. The first person we have the honor of journeying with is John the Baptist. We met him briefly last week, but he was just a baby then. Now we see the fulfillment of God’s word in this God-fearing man. John was not just some obscure preacher tucked away in some remote place that only a few knew about. The people recognized him as a great rabbi of the day. His preaching of “repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins” had caused a great stir among the Jewish people. So great was his influence that the religious leaders began to wonder if he was the Messiah they had been waiting for. On numerous occasions, John has to reiterate that he is not the One. What an amazing role model John is for us today. Here is a man who understood his call in life and walked it out with integrity. Although he had gained the respect of the people, he never let it go to his head. He never grasped at the limelight and demanded to be the center of attention.

Rabbis were teachers of the Law. Unless one was a rabbi with authority, they would teach whatever their rabbi had taught them. When rabbis would come into an area, they usually taught in the synagogues, but if there were large gatherings, they would also teach in open areas. And if there was one thing we know for sure, John had the ability to draw a crowd! The people did not recognize John as just another rabbi; they saw him as a teacher of the Law who had authority. We will see this clearly when the Pharisees & Sadducees come and question Jesus where He got His authority from. Jesus posed a question that they dared not answer – “Where did John get his authority from?” Jesus knew that John’s authority came from the same Holy Spirit that endowed Him with authority. A rabbi with authority could interpret Scripture for himself. He was not bound to teach what the rabbi that taught him said. John’s message was different that the rabbis of his day. He had one focus; to declare the coming Kingdom of God and awaken people to its King in their midst.

A true rabbi was not a lone ranger; he was a teacher with a devout following. This following was not merely the people who came to see their favorite preacher when he would come to town; it would be made up of men who left everything to follow him. A true disciple had one goal in life – to be an exact copy of the one he followed. Those who were devouted to this extent would have been personally called by the rabbi to do so and would be known as his disciples. From the very beginning of our journey through the Galilee, we are introduced to several of John’s most committed disciples. Andrew was walking with his rabbi when he was told, “Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world!” Andrew wasted no time in heeding the message and obeying his rabbi. Immediately Andrew got in step behind Jesus. When Jesus stopped and turned to ask Andrew what he wanted, Andrew’s first word said it all, “Rabbi.” What was Andrew saying to Jesus? He was saying, “I want to be your disciple and become just like You!”

Andrew was the first of six of John’s disciples that are mentioned by name and who became, not only a disciple of Jesus’, but later became one of the twelve apostles. As you continue your journey, be sure to identify the other five. I think you may see these men in a whole new light. Although they were passed over by the religious system of the day, they were not ignorant men. They would have been well versed in the Scriptures and would have had extensive Torah studies, not only as children but also as John’s disciples. Keep in mind that John was not just another Jew; he was a Kohanim, a direct descendant of Aaron! His father was serving in the Temple when the angel Gabriel told him he was going to have a son and he was to name him John. Zechariah, John’s father, would have had much of the Old Testament memorized. For sure, he could have quoted the first five books of Moses by heart!!! And as a priestly descendant, and with the call on his son’s life, you can be sure he passed this down to his son. Learning and quoting Torah would have been a part of John’s life from the time he would have been old enough to parrot his father. John disciples may have been untrained in the legal oral traditions of Jewish hierarchy, but they knew the Law!

As we travel with Jesus this week, we are introduced to life in the synagogue. The word “synagogue” means “assembly.” The formalization of synagogues grew while the Israelites were in Babylonian captivity. Realizing that their plight was because of their disobedience to the Law of Moses, they determined to pay stricter heed to the Torah, the books of Moses which are the first five books of the Old Testament, the Prophets, and also to the Mishnah, the written record of oral laws that were passed down. Synagogues were not a substitution for the Temple and sacrifices were not brought there, and the Jews were still obligated to travel to Jerusalem for the three pilgrimage festivals. So what were synagogues created for? They were the gathering places for community events, the courtrooms for communal judgments, the places of study of Scripture, and houses of prayer. As a result, most Jewish communities endeavored to build a synagogue, no matter how minimal it might be. The Mishnah gives us insight into the schooling of a Jewish boy in the time of Christ.

At five years old [one is fit] for the Scripture, at ten years the Mishnah (oral Torah, interpretations) at thirteen for the fulfilling of the commandments, at fifteen the Talmud (making Rabbinic interpretations), at eighteen the bride-chamber, at twenty pursuing a vocation, at thirty for authority (able to teach others)

Ray Vander Laan, a powerful teacher with great understanding of Jewish culture in the time of Christ, has beautifully documented the educational plan of a Jewish boy. You may want to take a moment to stop by his place at http://www.followtherabbi.com/Brix?pageID=1636. I think you will find it well worth your time.

The setup of a synagogue was very different than our churches of today. Elevated benches for the leaders of the community flanked the room and were also along the front wall.

The rest of the community sat on the floor in the middle of them.

In the front of the meeting hall would be a table for the Torah Scrolls called the bema.

The seat of Moses would be off to the side.

Services on the Sabbath would include someone standing at the bema and reading the daily text. If he were a teacher, he would then sit down on the Seat of Moses, a special seat reserved for rabbis, and explain the meaning of the passage. Much of our time with Jesus this week is spent in the synagogues that sprinkled the Galilee. Perhaps, if we are good disciples and are willing to learn, we will find our understanding of what is taking place to be increased, as our understanding of the times and culture is increased. May we understand with greater clarity what it means to “follow the Rabbi!”