Aramaic word of the Day
- Andre Moubarak
- Jul 8
- 2 min read
My Master - Rabboni - ܪܒܘܢܝ
An Aramaic Encounter in the Garden
It was early morning in Jerusalem. The air was still cool, carrying the earthy scent of dew-soaked olive branches. I was leading a small group through the Garden Tomb, that quiet place just beyond the Damascus Gate. The city was just beginning to stir, but the garden remained sacredly still as if time itself slowed down.
One woman in the group whispered, “Do we know where Mary stood when she saw Him?”
I paused. We were near the old stone steps. A place that felt like memory.
“No,” I said gently, “but we know the sound of her heart when she recognized His voice.”
I knelt and drew the Aramaic letters in the ground with my finger: ܪܒܘܢܝ — Rabboni “My Great Master.” (John 20:16)
This wasn’t just a respectful title. It was an explosion of recognition. A word from the depths of a soul awakened by love.
Rabboni comes from the root ܪ–ܒ–ܒ (r-b-b), meaning “to be great” or “master.” It’s related to Rabbi but more personal, more intimate. It means “My Master”, but not in the distant, academic sense. Think: my guide, my beloved teacher, the one I trust with my life.
In Aramaic, relationships aren't about credentials. They’re about closeness. About walking with someone. Watching how they eat, pray, speak, and weep.
In the Middle Eastern mindset, to follow a master is to imitate his very essence.
But in the Western world, you often separate knowledge from life. A teacher gives you information. A student takes notes. But in the world of Jesus, a Rabboni gives you himself.
That’s why Mary didn’t cry out “Rabbi!” or “Jesus!”She said:
“ܪܒܘܢܝ!” - Rabboni
With the tears of recognition. With the intimacy of a disciple who had once been lost—and now was found in His voice.
This one word captures a universe of longing, grief, hope, and reunion.
When was the last time you didn’t just study Jesus, but called out to Him as your Rabboni?
When was the last time you let His presence find you, like He found Mary by the empty tomb?
Let today be that day. Call Him Rabboni not with your head, but with your heart.
Mary’s cry in the garden still echoes today.
She didn’t just see Him. She knew Him.
Learn more at 👉 www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com
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