But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is flipping the script on titles of honor. He's not just saying "don't call people 'Rabbi'" to avoid vanity, but to radically reorient his followers' understanding of authority: the very act of being called "Rabbi" or "Master" implies a hierarchy that Jesus is dismantling by pointing to their shared identity as "brothers" under one ultimate Teacher.
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is directly addressing the crowds and his disciples, contrasting the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees with the humility expected of his followers. He has just condemned the religious leaders for their pride, love of recognition, and the heavy burdens they place on others while not lifting a finger themselves. Now, he issues a specific instruction to his disciples, drawing a line between the honor due to God and the honor that humans falsely claim for themselves.
Jesus confronts religious leaders who crave honor and position. But why is this so dangerous, and what did Jesus want for His disciples instead?
Jesus is speaking directly to His disciples in Matthew 23:8-10, contrasting their future with that of the scribes and Pharisees. These religious leaders loved to be called 'Rabbi' (teacher), 'Father,' and 'Master' because these titles conveyed authority and elevated them above others. They reveled in the 'first seats' and 'salutations' (Matthew 23:6-7). Jesus, however, warns His followers against seeking or accepting such titles.
Why the Warning?
If no one is to be called 'Rabbi' or 'Master' among you, what does that leave? Jesus provides a beautiful, unifying answer that redefines relationships.
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After forbidding the titles of 'Rabbi' and 'Master,' Jesus immediately offers the counter-principle: 'and you are all brothers.' This isn't just a suggestion; it's the foundation of how His followers are to relate to one another.
The Significance of Brotherhood:
Understand the original words
adelphos · Greek Noun
Refers to the familial bond and spiritual equality of believers within the kingdom of God. This term highlights that all followers of Christ relate to one another as equals under the headship of God.
kathēgētēs · Greek Noun
One who instructs, guides, or provides authoritative knowledge, particularly concerning the Scriptures. Jesus claims this role exclusively for himself, rejecting human attempts to monopolize spiritual truth.
Jesus' instruction against being called 'Rabbi' wasn't about abolishing titles entirely, but about redirecting the disciples' ultimate loyalty and respect. He was challenging the spirit of hierarchical ambition and the desire for human honor that had infiltrated the religious leadership of his day, emphasizing a humility and equality rooted in their shared identity as followers of Christ.
c. 200 BC - 20 BC
Rise of the 'Rabbi' Title
The title 'Rabbi' (meaning 'my great one' or 'my master') gained prominence among Jewish teachers, evolving from a term of respect to an official title. This period saw the formalization of oral law and the establishment of prominent schools of thought.
c. 20 BC - AD 20
Hillel and Shammai Schools Flourish
The influential schools of Hillel and Shammai were highly active, with their leading rabbis commanding significant authority and respect, often addressed as 'Rabbi.' Debates between these schools shaped Jewish legal and ethical interpretations.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Public Ministry
During Jesus' active teaching and ministry, the titles 'Rabbi,' 'Father,' and 'Master' were commonly used by disciples to address their influential teachers, often implying a high degree of authority and devotion.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Confrontations with Religious Leaders
Jesus frequently challenged the authority and hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees, who often sought public recognition and honor through their titles and public displays.
The elders of Israel ask for a king 'like the nations around us,' seeking external titles and authority, which God sees as rejecting Him. This parallels Jesus' warning against seeking titles like 'Rabbi' to avoid mimicking worldly hierarchies.
Isaiah 54:13This prophecy states, 'All your children shall be taught by the LORD.' Jesus echoes this by pointing to Himself as the one true teacher, emphasizing that true spiritual authority comes directly from God, not from human titles.
Galatians 3:28Paul declares, 'There is neither Jew nor Greek... for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' This foundational truth of unity and equality in Christ directly supports Jesus' command that 'all you are brothers,' dismantling any hierarchy based on titles.
1 Peter 5:2-3Peter instructs elders to 'shepherd the flock of God that is among you... not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.' This aligns with Jesus' teaching by stressing humble service and example-giving over lordly titles.
calvinMatthew 23:1-12: "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,"
- Then Jesus spoke to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2. Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in the chair of Moses. 3. Observe and do, therefore, all things whatever they command you to observe; but do not according to their works; for they say and do not. 4. For they bind heavy and intolerable burdens, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they refuse to touch them with their finger. 5. And they do all their…
ellicottMatthew 23:8: "But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren."
(8) Be not ye called Rabbi. —The teaching of our Lord was not without its foreshadowings in that of the better scribes, and a precept of Shemaiah, the predecessor of Hillel, lays down the rule that “men should love the work, but hate the Rabbi-ship.” One is your Master.—The word, as found in the better MSS., is used in its old sense as “teacher.” He was, as the disciples called Him, the Rab…
Jesus is flipping the script on titles of honor. He's not just saying "don't call people 'Rabbi'" to avoid vanity, but to radically reorient his followers' understanding of authority: the very act of being called "Rabbi" or "Master" implies a hierarchy that Jesus is dismantling by pointing to their shared identity as "brothers" under one ultimate Teacher.
Jesus is directly addressing the crowds and his disciples, contrasting the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees with the humility expected of his followers. He has just condemned the religious leaders for their pride, love of recognition, and the heavy burdens they place on others while not lifting a finger themselves. Now, he issues a specific instruction to his disciples, drawing a line between the honor due to God and the honor that humans falsely claim for themselves.
Jesus is directly addressing the crowds and his disciples, contrasting the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees with the humility expected of his followers. He has just condemned the religious leaders for their pride, love of recognition, and the heavy burdens they place on others while not lifting a finger themselves. Now, he issues a specific instruction to his disciples, drawing a line between the honor due to God and the honor that humans falsely claim for themselves.
"But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers." — Jesus is flipping the script on titles of honor. He's not just saying "don't call people 'Rabbi'" to avoid vanity, but to radically reorient his followers' understanding of authority: the very act of…
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Last reviewed October 2026