RABBI RAP BATTLES: J—TOWN VERSUS GALILEE.

April 2 Written By Mark Shaffer

RABBINIC LITERATURE AND THE GALILEE

One of the things that shaped our Lord and Master the most was the land where he lived. The Galilee is beautiful commensurate to Jesus’ soul and much can be learned about Jesus by learning about the religious Jews around the Sea of Galilee. Because the Galilee was not just home to natural beauty, but a beautiful expression of Jewish identity and Torah interpretation. Why should you care? It’s one of the main things Jesus talks about in his rap battles with the Pharisees from J Town (Jerusalem the temple city).

Something super key to know, is that Galilean Rabbis ticked differently than the religious leaders in the south, who were part of the Jerusalem temple system. The temple crowd speaks with a ton of derision and hatred towards the Galilean teachers, and it explains why Jesus is always in arguments with them.

Josephus writes in a couple spots that the Galileans were known for rebellion and freedom fighting against oppression and overrule, and the temple system rabbis will tell you flat out that Galileans are stupid. And so the Pharisees and Sadducees and Herodian priests want to undermine the Galilean focus on embodiment, and argue that they fall way short at rigorous study of the text. They constantly point out how foolish Galilean teachers are they are for not devoting themselves to torah study more fully. And so the Galilean Jews are mocked. 

Enter Jesus… who likes to play with these haters, at least in the gospels. Seriously, he likes to go 8 Mile talking about how to live and breathe and read and interpret Torah. like. all. the. time.

HEART, Pastor Mark and Pastor Heather