What does it take to become a true master of a particular field? In the western educational tradition, there are a series of degrees that denote one’s educational attainment. An Associate’s Degree denotes that one has learned enough about a field to practice that field under the supervision of a more trained professional. A Batchelor’s Degree certifies that one has the skills necessary to practice a profession independently and to become the supervisor of an Associate. A Master’s degree denotes mastery of a particular field sufficient to serve as a teacher in that field. In the original configuration of degrees there were only two academic doctorates: A PhD, or a Doctor of Philosophy degree, was awarded to those with sufficient education, knowledge, expertise and wisdom to have achieved mastery of multiple subjects. a PhD designated one as able to head a college of Masters - to run an educational institution. A PhD was deemed qualified to teach all academic subjects. Further study beyond the PhD, led to the possibility of earning a ThD - becoming a Doctor of Theology. A ThD was considered to be the supreme height of education, beyond which there were no advanced degrees to be attained.

Along the way, three specialized professional doctorates were added to the arena of degrees. A Doctor of Divinity designated one as having the educational background to serve as the head of a religious institution beyond a local church. The church, in some places ran its own parallel educational institutions, or seminaries, awarding Associate, Bachelor, Masters and Doctors of Divinity degrees. The second specialized professional doctorate was the MD, or Medical Doctor, awarded to one who had sufficient education to practice the arts of medicine and surgery. The third degree, J.D. designated one who was able to practice law. These professional degrees were originally awarded as honorary degrees and later became earned degrees on the level of a Masters, though holding the title of doctor. Later educational requirements were strengthened for all three degrees.

Those systems of academic degrees have changed over the years. Different emphases have been made in different universities. A university was considered to be a group of colleges - an institution of multiple academic disciplines and professions.

Remnants of that system remain in accredited institutions in contemporary society. The degrees, Associate, Batchelor, Master, and Doctor remain generally recognized by professions and employers.

The educational schema was different in the ancient world. Different systems were employed by Greek, Latin and other old world scholars. In our tradition - the tradition into which Jesus was born, the Rabbinate was the certifier of academic achievement. The system was essentially an apprenticeship system with a system of general schooling. For families who had the luxury of being able to afford it, young boys were enrolled in Hebrew School. Enrolling a son in Hebrew School meant that the family had sufficient wealth to be able to sustain itself without the labor of the boy for a couple of years when he reached the age of 12. The boy also had to show sufficient academic ability to be accepted into Hebrew School. In the Gospels we read that Jesus met such a criteria. When he was 12 he went up to the temple and remained their with the scholars for several days and they were amazed at his questions. We also know that he was not allowed to remain at the Hebrew school as the gospel reports that his parents went back and retrieved him from the temple.

Hebrew school, in those days, focused on rote memorization of the torah - roughly the first five books of our modern bible. Imagine memorizing Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The process was one of group memorization with individuals being singled out to recite specific chapters. Upon mastery of those five books, a few students, considered to be the best of the best, were invited to continue their studies with the rabbis in the temple. They would study the Psalms and the prophets primarily. Psalm 19, with a chapter for each letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, was considered the standard of literacy. A student who was able to recite the entire psalm (which is the longest of the psalms) was considered to know the written language as well as the spoken one. The best of the best of those students were then selected to study with an individual rabbi on the road to becoming a rabbi themselves. These students were called disciples.

At each stage of the process, there were students who didn’t make the grade and who were then returned to their families, usually to apprentice in the profession of their fathers, occasionally to apprentice with other adult males in other fields.

It is interesting to note that Jesus, who achieved the title rabbi, not from the traditional academic system, but from the acclaim afforded by his followers, chose disciples who were not from the traditional academic schools. We read that Peter and Andrew and James and John were all fishing with their fathers - that is they had either not attended Hebrew School or they had not been selected as disciples of the rabbis and were apprenticing the family trade. Jesus invited them to become disciples and the Gospels report that they immediately left their nets and followed Jesus. In those days, such a decision would be considered to be a step up - a career advancement - from fisherman to disciple. It was the offer of an academic career in place of being a laborer.

Jesus assembled his small group of disciples from non-traditional sources. It should come as no surprise that those who follow the Christian tradition have, for most of the history of the church, sought multiple paths to the Christian ministry. There have always been alternate ways of achieving degrees. This comes from the recognition that it isn’t academic achievement alone that qualifies one to be a minister of the Gospel. There are other skills and attributes that are necessary for ordination.

One of my teachers, the Hebrew scholar Andre Lacocque, told us, “A lifetime is too short to master a single book of the bible.” His life was dedicated to the Book of Daniel and he became recognized as one of the leading scholars of that particular piece of the scriptures. My dedication and devotion to academic scholarship has been less intense.

So when a colleague claims to be an expert in the Bible, or to preach the Bible, I raise my eyebrows slightly. Having been preaching from the Bible since 1973, when I was licensed and 1978 when I was ordained, I have not yet achieved such expertise. I’m still a student with much to learn.

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