Do What is Good!

Do what is good... "Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time. If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. For people like that have turned away from the truth and their own sins condemn them" Titus 3:9-11

I was recently conflicted by this question. Did Jesus go about in official vestments? My response is that Jesus was called teacher = Rabbi. Jesus would only have had to wear a prayer shawl.  In fact, the Bible does not command the wearing of a unique prayer shawl or tallit. The tallit (or, in Ashkenazic pronunciation, tallis) is the robe with which the worshipper is wrapped during prayer and hence often referred to as a “prayer shawl,” though this is not the traditional Jewish name for the garment, which was not originally associated particularly with prayer. In the book of Numbers (15:37-40), the Israelites are commanded to put tzitzit (“fringes”) [Ashkenazic pronunciation: tzitzis] on their garments in order to remind them of God’s laws. But in the book of Deuteronomy (22:12) it is stated that these fringes have to be placed on the four corners of the garment, from which the Rabbis conclude that only four-cornered garments have to have tzitzit affixed to them. In Talmudic times people wore four-cornered garments and to these tzitzit were attached. In fact, the word tallit, of uncertain etymology, simply means a robe or a cloak (some connect the word with the Latin “stola”). The sole significance of the tallit was in the tzitzit. The tallit itself had no religious significance.

* http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tallit-the-prayer-shawl/

But was Jesus an official 'rabbi' like we think. What made a rabbi in Jesus’ time? Jesus’ response to the request in Luke 12: 13-14 suggests he was not eager to be called Rabbi.

Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher (Rabbi ), tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

What many agree upon is that traditionally a rabbi was not a clergyman but a teacher of Jewish values and customs, and as such the authoritative judge or arbitrator …… only in the 18th and 19th centuries did rabbis in the west come to be regarded like Christian priests.

*http://www.wildolive.co.uk/Rabbi%20Jesus.htm

Leaders in the Church

Paul wrote to Timothy - "This is a trustworthy saying: "If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position. So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. he must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control and live wisely and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guest in his home and he must be able to teach. he mus not be a heavy drinker or be violent. he must be gentle and not quarrelsome and not love money. He must manage his won family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church." Timothy 3:1-5

Women in the Church

Women are to be modest in dress (1 Timothy 2: 9) and not to be 'officially' over and above men in the church (1Timothy 2: 11) though they can be a deacon (diákonos meaning servant or minister) and minister to people. We can read about this acceptable ministry 'service' in the letters of Paul who was instructed by the Lord Jesus Christ and who thus gave instruction to the new followers of Jesus Christ.

" I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God's people... Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus."  Romans 16: 1-7

 Again I say as Paul wrote - Do what is good... "Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time. If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. For people like that have turned away from the truth and their own sins condemn them". Titus 3:9-11


* In reading from Luke, (see above) we come to understand that Jesus Christ was in fact God and thus was not a 'teacher of man's law' as in man's order of doing things... nor did he have to be called 'teacher' in order to be recognized as a teacher of the Holy Spirit or as God.