Highlighted New Testament Bible

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Thursday, March 24, 2011

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse:25a, Teacher, Pupil relationship.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Disciple not above his teacher) Part 2.  

Christ continues to explain to his disciples the principals of pupil and teacher.  In the previous verse he has told them that no disciple is above his teacher nor is a servant above his master.  What he is indicating is that if one calls himself a disciple then he/she is accepting the position of being under a teacher.  And vise versa if one is a teacher then there are pupils under him.  So if Christ is calling his students disciples it means that they are accepting that they are not above their teacher.  These principles are earthly ideals because Christ is of divine nature and everyone is under his teachings.  But Christ is indicating here, the principal of student/teacher relationship.  He is clarifying spiritual relationship.  This is important for the disciples to know because just as they are being trained as disciples to do combat with the dark forces of evil, there are also disciples of the evil one. 

He says to his disciples,  "It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and for the servant to be like his master."   It is sufficient for the pupil to take on the principals taught to him by his teacher thereby becoming like him.   Also it is enough for the servant to accept the mindset of his master thereby becoming like his master.   But the classic human struggle of, freedom vs servitude or pupil exceeding teacher, comes into play.  One does not serve when bound under slavery.  One does not truly give of oneself with a yoke around one's neck.  The service is not truly given but demanded.  So one who is bound under the servitude of slavery does not truly serve.  He/she only gives out of the requirement of their bondage. 

Likewise a pupil who learns from a teacher and then declares himself above the teacher is no longer a disciple, a student, a pupil.  For the declaration states that one knows more than the teacher and therefore is equal to or better than the teacher.  The confusion comes when one thinks of the pupil having received training from his teacher and then achieving greater understanding and greater success than the teacher.  However, the foundation for that success and greater understanding always comes back to the teacher.  One would not have succeeded were it not for the instructions of the teacher.  The pupil is not above the instructor.  The disciple is not above his teacher.

So Christ is giving his disciples principals to do battle by.  The opponents they will face will be disciples of the evil one.  They are not above their teacher but like him at most.  They serve him out of a desire to do evil.  For their service is given willingly out of a desire to do greater evil.  It is enough that the enemy that they will face will be like their master and not above him.  For they have been prepared and trained to do spiritual warfare also.  So Christ gives his disciples encouragement to let them know whom they will face.  They will face disciples of evil.  Do you seek to become the teacher yourself or is it enough that you have become like the master?  Our willingness to serve must come out of our love for him whom we serve.