The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
The disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord, but is to be content to be as his Master and Lord, sharing His standing and reproach rather than expecting a higher place. It was spoken in Christ's charge to the twelve after He set before them the opposition, arrest and punishment they would meet for His name's sake, that their work and experience were to follow the pattern He set. They must therefore not expect better treatment in this life than Christ received, but share His opposition, hatred for His name's sake, reproach, shame and contempt. If Christ as Master of the house and Prince of heaven was called Beelzebub and accused of doing the devil's work, those of His household will much more be misrepresented and reviled in the same way. So they must not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but openly avow their principles and speak in the light what Christ told them, while cherishing the humility that dwelt in Him and following Him through self-denial, sacrifice and service to the poor and needy.
Meaning and Setting
The twelve had learned from teaching and example and were then sent to labor apart as representatives, though still needing instruction and correction. The saying belongs to the charge given to those twelve, whose preaching would bring opposition, arrest, and punishment. Their work and experience were to follow the pattern set for them.
It was spoken after enumerating the persecutions they would meet for His name's sake. That enumeration included being delivered up to councils, scourged in synagogues, and brought before governors and kings for a testimony, with the Spirit of the Father speaking through them in that hour. It further included being hated by all for His name's sake, betrayed by brother and father and children unto death, and persecuted from city to city.
To be disciple and servant is to be content to be as the Master and Lord. It is enough to share His standing and reproach rather than to expect a higher place. Even to be called Beelzebub as the Master of the house was called is part of that shared lot, with those of His household reviled still more. As He left heavenly honor and became poor so that fallen people might gain eternal riches, so likeness to Him calls for self-denial and sacrifice, laying up treasure in heaven rather than using means for worldly display and self-gratification.
Sharing Master's Persecution
The disciple is not to look for kinder treatment in this life than Christ Himself received, but to share His experience of opposition, hatred for His name's sake, reproach, shame and contempt. To be content to be as the Master is enough, for the servant is not to expect a better portion than the Lord. If Christ as Master of the house and Prince of heaven was called Beelzebub and accused of doing the devil's work, those of His household will much more be misrepresented and reviled in the same way.
The shared lot includes being sent as sheep in the midst of wolves, being delivered to councils, scourged in synagogues, brought before governors and kings for a testimony, betrayed by brother and father and children unto death, persecuted from city to city, and hated by all for His name's sake. In that hour the Spirit of the Father will speak through those delivered up, he who endures to the end shall be saved, and nothing covered shall remain unrevealed. When persecuted in one city disciples are to flee into another city or country so they can continue bearing the Bible message elsewhere and not needlessly imperil their lives. They will not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come, just as Christ Himself often left the city where He was working and went where He would not be recognized, and in the time of the end this calls believers to have the life hid with Christ in God.
Therefore they must not fear persecutors who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. They must openly avow their principles of action, scorn concealment, unfurl their colors as a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men, shun not responsibility, and stand bravely for the right so the world may know where they will be found in time of trial, for they cannot serve God and Baal. They must speak in light what Christ told in darkness, preach upon the housetops what they heard in the ear, warn people of peril, and continue warning, reproving, comforting and encouraging without being deterred by Satan's wrath.
This opposition comes because Jesus' pure, blameless life drew reproach, hatred and assaults from those opposed to God's law, and because teaching truths opposed to prevailing religious beliefs brings reproach, opposition and persecution. Because His followers do not belong to the world their distinct way of life brings ridicule and censure, so that lack of opposition can signal conformity to the world. Followers will share the contempt, scorn, reproach, misunderstanding and unkind judgment Jesus received even though He was perfect, because those who cherish pride, jealousy, sensitivity and an unrenewed, unsanctified heart are offended by the truth He brings through those who wear His yoke, lift His burdens and speak what God commands. Despising, ridiculing and making light of the messengers God uses to do His work and speak His word is despising God who delegated them and closes the door against the light God desires to communicate and makes it impossible to love Jesus Christ and His work, yet it cannot extinguish the message, prevent God's appointed work, or change truth into a lie.
Living Christ's Humility
No follower stands above the Master or is greater than the Lord, and to follow Him is to cherish the same humility of mind that dwelt in Christ. Since He lived without display or grandeur, His followers accept a humble path and do not expect to escape the sacrifice and lowly standing that belong to following Him. Though exalted above all, He humbled Himself to serve the poor, the afflicted, the distressed, and the needy. His followers copy that example by helping those who most need help, even when the work is unpleasant or seems beneath them, and whoever counts such service beneath himself puts himself above his Lord.
No finite worker is greater than Christ his head, who is the only begotten Son of the infinite God. His whole work from the manger to Calvary was marked with self-denial and sacrifice as substitute and surety, ransoming sinners by His blood. Having left heavenly honor and become poor so that fallen people might gain eternal riches, He calls disciples to follow Him through self-denial and sacrifice. It is enough for them to be like their Lord by laying up treasure in heaven rather than using their means for worldly display and self-gratification. So those joined in God’s publishing work are to love and fear God, refusing to run it on the principles of other publishing houses but keeping it as a training school where everyone from highest to lowest is a true missionary example, maintaining the spirit Christ manifested, practicing self-denial, refusing selfish grasping for higher wages, and thus retaining the confidence of a self-denying people.
The disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord, but is to be content to be as his Master and Lord, sharing His standing and reproach rather than expecting a higher place. It was spoken in Christ's charge to the twelve after He set before them the opposition, arrest and punishment they would meet for His name's sake, that their work and experience were to follow the pattern He set. They must therefore not expect better treatment in this life than Christ received, but share His opposition, hatred for His name's sake, reproach, shame and contempt. If Christ as Master of the house and Prince of heaven was called Beelzebub and accused of doing the devil's work, those of His household will much more be misrepresented and reviled in the same way. So they must not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but openly avow their principles and speak in the light what Christ told them, while cherishing the humility that dwelt in Him and following Him through self-denial, sacrifice and service to the poor and needy.
Meaning and Setting
The twelve had learned from teaching and example and were then sent to labor apart as representatives, though still needing instruction and correction. The saying belongs to the charge given to those twelve, whose preaching would bring opposition, arrest, and punishment. Their work and experience were to follow the pattern set for them.
It was spoken after enumerating the persecutions they would meet for His name's sake. That enumeration included being delivered up to councils, scourged in synagogues, and brought before governors and kings for a testimony, with the Spirit of the Father speaking through them in that hour. It further included being hated by all for His name's sake, betrayed by brother and father and children unto death, and persecuted from city to city.
To be disciple and servant is to be content to be as the Master and Lord. It is enough to share His standing and reproach rather than to expect a higher place. Even to be called Beelzebub as the Master of the house was called is part of that shared lot, with those of His household reviled still more. As He left heavenly honor and became poor so that fallen people might gain eternal riches, so likeness to Him calls for self-denial and sacrifice, laying up treasure in heaven rather than using means for worldly display and self-gratification.
Sharing Master's Persecution
The disciple is not to look for kinder treatment in this life than Christ Himself received, but to share His experience of opposition, hatred for His name's sake, reproach, shame and contempt. To be content to be as the Master is enough, for the servant is not to expect a better portion than the Lord. If Christ as Master of the house and Prince of heaven was called Beelzebub and accused of doing the devil's work, those of His household will much more be misrepresented and reviled in the same way.
The shared lot includes being sent as sheep in the midst of wolves, being delivered to councils, scourged in synagogues, brought before governors and kings for a testimony, betrayed by brother and father and children unto death, persecuted from city to city, and hated by all for His name's sake. In that hour the Spirit of the Father will speak through those delivered up, he who endures to the end shall be saved, and nothing covered shall remain unrevealed. When persecuted in one city disciples are to flee into another city or country so they can continue bearing the Bible message elsewhere and not needlessly imperil their lives. They will not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come, just as Christ Himself often left the city where He was working and went where He would not be recognized, and in the time of the end this calls believers to have the life hid with Christ in God.
Therefore they must not fear persecutors who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. They must openly avow their principles of action, scorn concealment, unfurl their colors as a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men, shun not responsibility, and stand bravely for the right so the world may know where they will be found in time of trial, for they cannot serve God and Baal. They must speak in light what Christ told in darkness, preach upon the housetops what they heard in the ear, warn people of peril, and continue warning, reproving, comforting and encouraging without being deterred by Satan's wrath.
This opposition comes because Jesus' pure, blameless life drew reproach, hatred and assaults from those opposed to God's law, and because teaching truths opposed to prevailing religious beliefs brings reproach, opposition and persecution. Because His followers do not belong to the world their distinct way of life brings ridicule and censure, so that lack of opposition can signal conformity to the world. Followers will share the contempt, scorn, reproach, misunderstanding and unkind judgment Jesus received even though He was perfect, because those who cherish pride, jealousy, sensitivity and an unrenewed, unsanctified heart are offended by the truth He brings through those who wear His yoke, lift His burdens and speak what God commands. Despising, ridiculing and making light of the messengers God uses to do His work and speak His word is despising God who delegated them and closes the door against the light God desires to communicate and makes it impossible to love Jesus Christ and His work, yet it cannot extinguish the message, prevent God's appointed work, or change truth into a lie.
Living Christ's Humility
No follower stands above the Master or is greater than the Lord, and to follow Him is to cherish the same humility of mind that dwelt in Christ. Since He lived without display or grandeur, His followers accept a humble path and do not expect to escape the sacrifice and lowly standing that belong to following Him. Though exalted above all, He humbled Himself to serve the poor, the afflicted, the distressed, and the needy. His followers copy that example by helping those who most need help, even when the work is unpleasant or seems beneath them, and whoever counts such service beneath himself puts himself above his Lord.
No finite worker is greater than Christ his head, who is the only begotten Son of the infinite God. His whole work from the manger to Calvary was marked with self-denial and sacrifice as substitute and surety, ransoming sinners by His blood. Having left heavenly honor and become poor so that fallen people might gain eternal riches, He calls disciples to follow Him through self-denial and sacrifice. It is enough for them to be like their Lord by laying up treasure in heaven rather than using their means for worldly display and self-gratification. So those joined in God’s publishing work are to love and fear God, refusing to run it on the principles of other publishing houses but keeping it as a training school where everyone from highest to lowest is a true missionary example, maintaining the spirit Christ manifested, practicing self-denial, refusing selfish grasping for higher wages, and thus retaining the confidence of a self-denying people.