Q14. Titles

[Pastor Ralph]

Q14. (Matthew 23:7-12) Why do the Pharisees love to be called “Rabbi.” How can titles and recognition exalt our pride? When people fail to recognize our work or accomplishments, why does it hurt? How much of our motivation is to puff up our ego? In the area of seeking recognition and praise, how can we meaningfully humble ourselves?

[Jewells]

Q14. (Matthew 23:7-12) Why do the Pharisees love to be called "Rabbi." How can titles and recognition exalt our pride? When people fail to recognize our work or accomplishments, why does it hurt? How much of our motivation is to puff up our ego? In the area of seeking recognition and praise, how can we meaningfully humble ourselves?

The Pharisees loved to be called Rabbi because of the status and recognition.  Scripture says they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.  At one point, Jesus calls them white washed tombs.  It was all an outward show and because it built them up in pride they were truly far from God, the one to whom they were representing.  I do think there is a place to respect and admire those who have worked hard and succeeded in areas of expertise and they are using the gifts to serve others.  I think the Lord is teaching us about not demanding others elevate, or put us on a pedestal, because we have achieved more or have gifts others don't have.  When these things build up the ego it is only a way to divide and not to build up in love and God is not honored.  If we realize all gifts come from God, and even the chance to use the gifts comes from God, and without him we can do nothing the Lord will get the Glory.  We must all realize we are running a race and in the end all our works and motivations will be judged.  Some have one talent, some two, some five or ten so to seek ego gratification based on the comparison to others is truly missing the point of why God even gave us the gifts!  Which is to serve.

[Brother Clifford wilson]

Rabbi are highly esteemed spiritual leaders and academic teachers.  These men of extraordinary pride want to be called by the highest name and wear the highest garments with their symbols.  Those same people love the rewards but lack the spiritual backbone and the hard work that it takes to achieve them same rewards.  In the minds of many we subconsciously are seeking earthly stature and reward.  When we don't receive rewards, we feel the shame of our lack of accomplishments regardless of our stature in life.  Even children feel bad we they are not acknowledged.  This has been programmed into us at a early age.  When we place Christ on the throne, we lose the kidlike inspirations.  By placing Christ in charge of our life everything we receive comes from him, humble submission ensures humble acknowledgement.  We love Christ so much that that his acknowledgement is what we seek.

[Clelie]

Rabbi is an honorable title with the Pharisees

Depending   on how  meaningful titles are ,they can become a trap to pride.

when hurt occurs where  titles are not acknowledged, those titles are often borne out  of pride .

Human beings are motivated to exalt self, to puff their ego.

In area of seeking recognition and praise, we have to remember we can do nothing without God. If we have achieved success, give all the glory to God and that will keep us humble .

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Brenda Joy]

Q14. (Matthew 23:7-12) Why do the Pharisees love to be called "Rabbi." How can titles and recognition exalt our pride? When people fail to recognize our work or accomplishments, why does it hurt? How much of our motivation is to puff up our ego? In the area of seeking recognition and praise, how can we meaningfully humble ourselves?

The Pharisees love to be called Rabbi it ranks them higher in the social scale and it bolsters their self exultation.  Titles can cause people to boast, it enables them to have the need to be needed.   We all get fleshy at times and feel our work deserves to be noticed.  However, with that mindset trust is broken down, it blocks our relationship with God and I would rather have a heavenly reward than an earthly one.  

The best way to receive recognition is to look at our motives (we do unto the Lord) and look at our hearts (making sure our motives are pure) and as we move forward pleasing God we know who He is and know that He is pleased.

[Zanele Tlhakanelo]

Pharisees love to be called "Rabbi" because they want recognition in the marketplaces and that people must hold them in high esteem. Instead of greeting people, they want people to greet them as a sign of saying that they are esteemed members in the synagogues.

Titles and recognition exalt our pride because we want people to know who we are so that we are given higher places and be served instead of us serving people. People get offended if they are not called by their titles such that at times we forget their real names and focus on the title. That is what pride does.

When people fail to recognize our work and accomplishment hurt because we want to be know for our achievements and be puffed up as being the most knowledgeable in whatever we do. In the late 1980s, I had an opportunity to go to Iowa State University as a young professional, I was amazed when lecturers there were called by their first names instead of the qualifications they held. Not in my country, people are called by the titles of the positions they hold and I always believe that it is all about pride to be known what they do.

As human beings, our motivation is to exalt ourselves in order to puff up our ego so that we can be known. We always want to be put in high places and that people should know who we are and what is it that we do.

We can humble ourselves by accepting who we are and not what we are. Titles do not make a person but humility does.

[Mama Eve]

Q14. (Matthew 23:7-12) Why do the Pharisees love to be called "Rabbi"?

Pharisees love to be called Rabbi because they were so puffed up and the name Rabbi gave them power and uplifted their ego. They were so  hungry for their status. Although, Rabbi was of high respect for the teachers of the law they still had pride.

How can titles and recognition exalt our pride?

Arrogance! People want to feel superior to others or they want to be encouraged by others to seek attention and praise. This is self-promotion accepting praise from others. Some people desire honor even if it means stealing titles from others.

When people fail to recognize our work or accomplishments why does it hurt?

There are people that are jealous of others. They want to take credit for other people's accomplishments. It hurts people in today's society because many people in authority take advantage of others and this makes others who work so hard feel hurt, angry , disrespectful and not valuable at all.

How much of our motivation is to puff up our ego?

People have the desire to prove themselves, to out-shine others, or seek validation from others. Jesus Christ calls us to focus on service, not greatness, on humbling ourselves, not seeking to puff our ego.

 

 

[Lisa Wolf]

Q14. (Matthew 23:7-12) Why do the Pharisees love to be called “Rabbi.” How can titles and recognition exalt our pride? When people fail to recognize our work or accomplishments, why does it hurt? How much of our motivation is to puff up our ego? In the area of seeking recognition and praise, how can we meaningfully humble ourselves? 

While Jesus spoke directly to the Pharisees who were working so hard to follow the Mosaic Law and the cultural Laws that their sect set in motion around the Laws, He truly includes any of us that want to be recognized for what we do.  Titles and recognition can jade us. If we get used to being recognized when we are not, it can be hurtful because we think we 'deserve' the recognition. Our unchecked ego continues to puffs-up and grasp for personal glory. Isaiah 64:8 is important for our perspective, "Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." Apart from the Lord we can do nothing.  Colossians 3 reminds us that our focus needs to be on Jesus--that we need to be humble.  In verse 17 we are reminded to keep our eyes on the Lord and reminded to be thankful, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."  While we may not be slaves, we are reminded in verse 24 that, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters," If we keep both of these at the forefront of our thinking and ask the Holy Spirit to help us, there is hope that we will remain humble. 

[George L]

Q14. (Matthew 23:7-12)

1. Why do the Pharisees love to be called "Rabbi." Public honor of their personal achievement.  Like carrying a personal achievement with you in public.
2. How can titles and recognition exalt our pride? Man’s recognition. A place in public has its worldly advantages.
3. When people fail to recognize our work or accomplishments, why does it hurt? Expectation of recognition for efforts on others behalf expects the courtesy of a thank you. Less equals some how they believe you owed them what you have done.
4. How much of our motivation is to puff up our ego? It can be so until we become scriptural mature. Pleasing God is wonderful, and we honestly are yet children at best in his sight.
5. In the area of seeking recognition and praise, how can we meaningfully humble ourselves? Measure our selves against the word of God. Then get to prayer before Father and into quiet time listening to Him.

[hanks]

Q14. (MATTHEW 23:7-12) 
Why do the Pharisees love to be called "Rabbi." How can titles and recognition exalt our pride? When people fail to recognize our work or accomplishments, why does it hurt? How much of our motivation is to puff up our ego? In the area of seeking recognition and praise, how can we meaningfully humble ourselves? 
Since the title “Rabbi” is a title of honour or dignity, to the Pharisees it signifying superiority, feeding their pride enabling them to look down upon others. In the same way tiles can exalt our pride. If we think of our titles as also signifying superior to or greater than others. We battle with our old selfish nature and combined with our lack of humility we find ourselves not living in harmony with others. However, we can humble ourselves, as disciples united with Christ, by not seeking recognition and praise for ourselves, but rather thinking of the best in others. We need to count others more significant than ourselves. Thinking of ways, how we can give of ourselves to help others. Doing this keeps us aware of their needs, and it stops us from focusing only on ourselves. Even then we may find that our good deeds have tainted motives. 
 

[Nicolaas A.P. Mostert]

Q14. (Matthew 23:7-12)

Why do the Pharisees love to be called "Rabbi." How can titles and recognition exalt our pride?

The point Jesus is making is not that a particular title is wrong, but what is in the heart.

This love of public attention flows from pride.

When people fail to recognize our work or accomplishments, why does it hurt?

You have put in your everything and very best.

How much of our motivation is to puff up our ego?

There must be NONE and IF the motive is wrong.

In the area of seeking recognition and praise, how can we meaningfully humble ourselves?

Firstly everything we do, do it unto GOD.

[Janzie]

On 8/12/2024 at 8:45 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q14. (Matthew 23:7-12) Why do the Pharisees love to be called “Rabbi.” How can titles and recognition exalt our pride? When people fail to recognize our work or accomplishments, why does it hurt? How much of our motivation is to puff up our ego? In the area of seeking recognition and praise, how can we meaningfully humble ourselves?

Pharisees loved to be called Rabbi it makes them feel important and they love public attention.

Titles and recognition exalt our pride because it puffs us up and makes us feel important and that we are someone special.

When people fail to recognize our work or accomplishments it might anger or hurt us and make us feel unappreciated because of all the work we put into it.

We are not to do things to puff up our ego, but in doing things out of love for others.

We can meaningfully humble ourselves by just saying thank you and not making excuses for a bad performance or a good one. 

[Krissi]

Titles are regarded differently within families or cultures. In some families, a title represents achievement and therefore could be a source of pride. In my family, however, titles merely signal that I made it to the starting line  – they do not mean I’m actually racing, let alone winning. As my life progresses without visible worldly success, my titles morphed into signs of failure – my life fizzled, in their eyes. Thus, for me, titles are shame-inducing.

I can easily list things I would be proud to accomplish. (Not all pride is sin.) These things, however, are not public. In other words, if I could accomplish them anonymously or masked, I’d still feel good even though I would receive no kudos or recognition from others.

The questions Pastor Ralph listed under Q14, have to do with public recognition. That’s an important clue. If there’s no recognition, the assumption is that there can be no pride. And in a way, this makes sense: most people would not be puffed up if no one knew what they had accomplished/earned/did. BUt ... just as giving is supposed to be anonymous, so can be achievements. Perhaps a humble Christian is a person who pretends to be a servant, but is really the master ... a person who quietly and secretly gives away not only money, but his own status or future ... a person who walks away from quick success to pursue a goal that has a long lead time and a non-trivial chance of failure ... etc.

So, can a person have pride without public recognition? Can pride be a hidden quality that resides in the heart, a character trait? Yes and yes, but it goes deeper than this.

1. People can be secretly arrogant if they know they COULD HAVE gotten the prize/award/contract/position but because of their faith or ethical scruples, did not. This is a pride in one's potential. It is a pyrrhic pride.

2. Secret accomplishments can be pyrrhic, too. This is hidden pride. Pride that is deeply embedded in character that sorta "transcends" the need for public acknowledgement.

What happens in both these cases is that the gap between who a person really is and what people think of him widens to the point that he distances himself from others lest they "find out" the truth. He becomes split between who he knows he is and who others know him to be. 

[Kak]

Q14.The Pharisees like to be called ‘Rabbi’ because it sounds important and makes them feel important and superior to those around them. In fact it is their pride that makes them desire adulation and respect from those lesser mortals around them. Lesser in their eyes not in God’s eyes because God created every person equal to one another. It is the human race that think some people are superior to others. 
We can all fall into the trap of pride by feeling important and superior because we bear a title of some sort. We must remember that whatever title we have whether we have earned it through studying or by having a job title or maybe a title in church, we have that title because God has allowed it to come about. Titles don’t entitle us to be superior or overbearing, we are still subject to God, and we should use our privileges to serve our fellow human beings in humility. By doing this we will honour God. 
When we feel our achievements are not being noticed, if we feel annoyed, or hurt it is human, but as followers of Jesus we should know that He sees what we do and that should be enough for us. We are working for God and not for man. However to get to this mature way of thinking, it takes complete trust in God, and self discipline not to allow ourselves to start complaining or feeling sorry for ourselves because our work is not being recognised or commended by others.

Jesus is the greatest example of humility we have. If we try to follow and emulate His example as much as possible, we would be striving towards humility.