Principle #1

If they call the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of His household. Matthew 10:25

How Much More – The first principle of rabbinic interpretation is common in Yeshua’s teaching. This is but one example from Matthew. That principle, kal va-chomer (simple and complex, literally “light and heavy”) is reasoning from something known to something less known, from something obvious to something less obvious. So, Yeshua observes that if it is appropriate to call the Master of the house of ha-satan by the demonic name, how much more obvious is it to call the servants in his house by the same name. In other words, those who serve the devil are of the same character as the devil. And those who serve God will be of the same character as God. In this interchange with His detractors, Yeshua employs a rabbinic principle to demonstrate the fallacy in their argument that He is from the devil. How can that be possible when He does good works? These detractors all knew the principle. Yeshua merely used it against them.

But if we don’t understand this principle was commonly accepted exegetical practice, we will not see how sharply Yeshua employs it. We will miss the entirely Jewish character of His debate. We will go right on thinking Yeshua is really “Jesus”, the founder of Christianity. Moreover, we won’t see the principle in action in Paul, Peter or John. They used rabbinic methods too. If we are going to really think like they thought, if we really want to understand what they said, then we will have to change the way we “rightly divide” Scripture.

Most Christians have some inkling of proper exegetical processes. That is to say, they have learned (usually by osmosis) what it means to give a sermon, prepare a Bible study or a devotional or teach a Sunday school lesson. They have aids and books and commentaries. All of these are very helpful. I use many similar resources (as you can probably tell). But I also know the Hebrew approach to Scripture is very, very different than the typical, Greek-based exegetical exercises we go through. We who are Greek-trained are looking for answers. I suspect most Hebrew thinkers are really looking for questions. God has the answers, but most of us don’t really understand the questions. My guess is that as we dig deeper into rabbinic thought we will discover deeper questions. Sometimes really knowing life is nothing more than knowing what the question is. Of course, discovering the question is often much more difficult than coming up with an answer.

Can I ask you to take a deep breath and allow yourself the luxury of not knowing the answer? Would you be just as secure, just as joyful, just as comforted in the arms of the Lord if you only knew the questions? This is not a facetious inquiry. So much of our distress and anxiety comes from the constant pursuit of answers.

Principle No. 1 – “how much more.” If your heavenly Father knows how to care for the birds of the air, how much more will He know how to care for you? It’s a question, isn’t it?

Topical Index: principle #1, how much more, kal va-chomer, Matthew 10:25