In the first century, the synagogue and the Rabbi’s were central to Jewish culture.  I want to quote from an article by Tim Kelly entitled The Dust of the Rabbi regarding those Rabbi’s and their disciples:

According to Ray Vander Laan, Jewish children – both boys and girls – begin their formal study of the Bible at age 5 by attending a Beit Sefer (house of the Book)  that was associated with the local synagogue and taught by a ‘rabbi’ – which was the respectful way of addressing the teacher. 

The teaching focused on the Torah, emphasizing reading, writing, and memorization.  Large portions of the text were memorized, and some students memorized the entire Torah by the time he or she reached the conclusion of their primary education at age 12 or 13.

At this point, a male child was allowed to go to the Temple and participate in the sacrifice of his family’s Passover lamb.  Though he was now expected to learn the family trade, boys who showed exceptional study skills were also allowed to continue their biblical studies in what was called “Beit Midrash”, which roughly means ‘the house of searching’, as in searching for the meaning of the scriptures.

In the Beit Midrash they would continue to memorize scripture while studying the prophets and the writings.  This would continue until about age 18 which is the age when young men were encouraged to begin a family.

Though 18 was the age for marriage, some gifted students were allowed to postpone marriage and continue their studies under a rabbi.  Most students sought to learn under rabbis with an exceptional reputation and whom they believed had a good understanding of the scripture.  Once they found that particular rabbi, they would ask if they could ‘follow’ him.  If the rabbi believed the student would be successful in learning and understanding what would be taught, he agreed to let that student ‘follow’ him and the student would become his disciple.

What we need to understand is that disciples of these Rabbi’s sought out the teacher and, having been evaluated and accepted by the teacher, essentially began to live with him.  They were not just interested in what the Rabbi knew, but actually wanted to learn how he lived. They emulated his dress, his habits, his daily routines, his approach to scripture. the way he prayed, etc.  Typically, this discipleship lasted about twelve years.  If he began at age 18, then by 30 he himself could become a Rabbi.  If the Rabbi was located in a town, his disciples spent as much time with him as possible each day.  If he were an itinerant Rabbi travelling from place to place, they travelled with him. We see that pattern clearly with Jesus.

Here is what was different about Jesus.  He did not establish a school and wait for the best and brightest to come to him.  He actually went after those he wanted to follow him and called them to come.  Clearly, he did not pick the best and brightest scholars from the synagogues.  He picked men from Galilee which was reputed to be the most Torah-illiterate district in Israel.  These were men who had not pursued studies after their initial schooling but had gone on to be fisherman and tax collectors.  They did not follow Jesus for twelve years but only for three.  At many times, they did not seem like promising disciples and on many occasions were sources of great frustration for Jesus.  But that should be a point of great encouragement for us.

In John 15:16, Jesus told his followers, “You did not choose me, but I chose you…” We do not have to approach Jesus with a resume, hoping he will accept us.  We do not have to be Bible scholars with well-developed theology. We simply have to be responsive to the call of Jesus and trust him to develop us as he sees fit. We don’t even have to believe in our own potential, because God believes in our potential.  These unlikely disciples of Rabbi Yeshua did not need twelve years of teaching from him because the Holy Spirit would be their teacher.  In many ways, they did not need to be experts in the Law and the prophets because Jesus said the Law and the Prophets were summed up by two things -love God and love your neighbor.  That is what we need to master

Satan loves to make us feel unqualified to be followers of Jesus.  But Jesus has qualified us and he has chosen us.  He sees great things in us that we do not perceive.  He has given us a teacher who will lives with us forever – His Holy Spirit.  Of course, he has given us the written word of God, but he continues to explain it to us by his Spirit.  Our part is to follow Jesus, our Rabbi, daily and to do the things he did which we see on the pages of the gospels.  Our part is to be teachable and obedient.  Our part is to spend time with him in prayer, contemplation, doing his will. and spending time with other believers. When we are 3with other believers he is in our midst (Mt. 18:20).  Our part is to have faith that Jesus has called us to be his disciple…that he wanted us, that he calls us his friend, that we are his workmanship, and we are not accidental or inferior followers. He has a destiny for each of us and will complete the work he has begun in us…if we continue to follow.

Being the disciple of a great Rabbi was a great privilege.  Being called to be a disciple of the greatest Rabbi is the greatest privilege.