Matthew 23:8 kjv
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
Matthew 23:8 nkjv
But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.
Matthew 23:8 niv
"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
Matthew 23:8 esv
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Matthew 23:8 nlt
"Don't let anyone call you 'Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.
Matthew 23 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 20:25-28 | "You know that the rulers... lord it over them... But whoever wishes to become great... must be your servant..." | Christ's counter-cultural servant leadership |
| Mk 10:42-45 | "...but among you it will not be so. Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant..." | Calls for humble service, not hierarchical power |
| Lk 22:24-27 | "...The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves." | Emphasizes humility and service over position |
| Matt 11:29 | "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart..." | Jesus as the sole, true, humble Teacher |
| Jn 13:13-14 | "You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet..." | Jesus is the ultimate Teacher and Example |
| Jas 3:1 | "Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." | Grave responsibility of teaching, not just a title |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession..." | All believers share a priestly status and honor |
| Gal 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." | Equality and unity among all believers |
| Eph 4:4-6 | "There is one body and one Spirit... one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." | Upholds the ultimate unity and single divine headship |
| Rom 12:4-5 | "For just as each of us has one body with many members... so in Christ we, though many, form one body..." | All believers are part of one body, none are above another |
| Col 3:11 | "Here there is no Gentile or Jew... but Christ is all, and is in all." | Eliminates worldly distinctions among believers |
| Heb 3:1 | "Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling..." | Addresses all believers as equals in Christ |
| 1 Cor 1:10 | "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another..." | Exhortation to unity, warning against division/factions |
| Matt 7:28-29 | "When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority..." | Contrasts Jesus' inherent authority with that of the scribes |
| Jn 8:31-32 | "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth..." | Discipleship defined by adherence to Christ's teaching |
| 1 Tim 2:5 | "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus..." | Christ is the sole intermediary for humanity |
| Isa 43:10 | "...before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me." | God's absolute uniqueness, relates to Christ's singular authority |
| Deut 18:15 | "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him." | Foreshadows Christ as the unique ultimate Teacher |
| Phil 2:3 | "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves..." | Encourages humility, forbidding seeking honor |
| Lk 14:11 | "For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." | Divine principle of humility and exultation |
| Prov 27:2 | "Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips." | Against self-exaltation and seeking titles |
Matthew 23 verses
Matthew 23 8 Meaning
Matthew 23:8 serves as a strong prohibition against believers adopting and cherishing titles of religious honor and authority among themselves. Jesus explicitly instructs His disciples not to allow themselves to be called "Rabbi," signifying that among His followers, there is a fundamental equality and that Christ alone holds the ultimate authority and teaching office. This teaching directly challenges the hierarchical structures and self-exalting tendencies of the religious leaders of His day, emphasizing humility, unity, and the singularity of His Lordship within the community of faith.
Matthew 23 8 Context
Matthew 23:8 is part of Jesus' scathing indictment of the scribes and Pharisees, delivered just days before His crucifixion. This chapter records Jesus pronouncing "woes" upon these religious leaders for their hypocrisy, love of praise, oppressive legalism, and obstruction of true faith. Specifically, verses 5-7 highlight their desire for outward show, prominent positions, and honorable titles such as "Rabbi," "Father," and "Master." In direct response, Jesus pivots to instruct His own disciples in verses 8-12, presenting a radical counter-cultural ethos centered on humility, service, and the singular authority of God. The immediate historical context involves the prevailing custom where Jewish teachers held significant honor, and their disciples would often refer to them by these esteemed titles, reflecting a hierarchical social structure that Jesus explicitly challenges within His kingdom.
Matthew 23 8 Word analysis
- But you (ὑμεῖς δέ - hymeis de): The use of the emphatic "you" serves as a stark contrast to the scribes and Pharisees just described. It separates Christ's followers from the patterns of the religious establishment, emphasizing that they are to live by a different standard. This isn't merely advice but a direct command for a distinct community behavior.
- are not to be called (μὴ κληθῆτε - mē klēthēte): This is a strong, negative command in the aorist subjunctive, often interpreted as a permanent prohibition. It's not just "don't call yourselves" but "don't allow yourselves to be called." It indicates responsibility not only to refrain from seeking such titles but also to reject them if others attempt to confer them, suggesting a deeper commitment to humility that denies human glorification.
- Rabbi (Ῥαββί - Rhabbi): From Hebrew "רַבִּי" (ravvi), meaning "my master" or "my great one," which evolved into a formal title for highly esteemed Jewish teachers and scholars. It conferred significant honor and spiritual authority. Jesus' prohibition directly attacks the pursuit of such human-given status within the new spiritual family.
- for (γάρ - gar): Introduces the reason or justification for the preceding command. Jesus provides theological backing for His instruction, grounding it in the nature of God's kingdom.
- you have one (εἷς... ἔχετε - heis... echete): The emphasis is on singularity – there is only one source of ultimate teaching authority. This sets up a profound contrast with multiple human "rabbis" and elevates Christ as the unique source of truth and guidance.
- Teacher (διδάσκαλος - didaskalos): A general term for "teacher" or "instructor." While "Rabbi" became a title, didaskalos can refer to the function. Jesus states He is the singular teacher, not merely a teacher, implying that all true teaching flows from and points to Him. Any human teacher's authority is derived and secondary.
- and you are all brothers (πάντες ἀδελφοί ἐστε - pantes adelphoi este): This phrase succinctly establishes the radical equality among believers in Christ. The concept of "brotherhood" dissolves hierarchical distinctions, asserting that all are on the same plane before God, united by their shared relationship with the one Teacher and heavenly Father. It points to a communal identity built on spiritual kinship rather than worldly rank.
Matthew 23 8 Bonus section
The Jewish custom Jesus was confronting also included specific behaviors associated with honorific titles, such as receiving special greetings in marketplaces and occupying prominent seats in synagogues and banquets (Matt 23:6-7). Jesus’ command to shun titles was thus also a command to reject the underlying pride and hunger for social elevation that accompanied them. This extends beyond merely using or not using a title to the spirit behind such usage—whether it aims at personal recognition and control or seeks to glorify God and build up the community in genuine humility. The prohibition reflects a deeper spiritual principle: ultimate authority in the Kingdom of God comes from humble service, not from hierarchical status or human recognition (Matt 20:26). While God does raise up teachers and leaders (Eph 4:11), their authority is always derived from and accountable to the singular "Teacher," Christ, and must be exercised with humility and a recognition of the universal "brotherhood" among believers.
Matthew 23 8 Commentary
Matthew 23:8 is a foundational declaration against spiritual elitism and human hierarchy within the body of Christ. Jesus’ prohibition against accepting the title "Rabbi" transcends a mere critique of titles; it exposes a core issue of pride and the misdirection of ultimate authority. The issue is not just about the word "Rabbi," but the system of spiritual status it represented—a system where human teachers gained exalted positions over their followers. Jesus insists on a horizontal structure within His spiritual family: "you are all brothers." This establishes a radical equality, meaning no one believer is fundamentally superior to another.
The presence of "one Teacher" (Christ Himself) serves as the primary rationale for this equality. All genuine spiritual insight and authority originate solely from Him. Therefore, human teachers are merely instruments, channels, or facilitators, not the source of truth or objects of worship or undue deference. This truth guards against the formation of cults of personality or any system that would interpose human authority between believers and their direct relationship with Christ. It calls believers to discern all teaching through the lens of Christ's perfect instruction and to view fellow believers as equals under the headship of the one Lord. This does not eliminate different roles or gifts (e.g., Eph 4:11), but it definitively eliminates any basis for superiority or an inherent class distinction among disciples. The command remains a perpetual reminder for leaders to exemplify humility and for followers to reject undue reverence for human figures, always pointing back to Christ as the exclusive "Teacher."