Isaiah Roman

Master and Teacher

You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am … . I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master …” (John 13:13 & 16 ).  To have a master and teacher is not the same as being mastered and taught. There is a saying “in order to master the piano one must first become its willing [bonded] slave.”

Having a master and teacher means giving assent to one who has himself been mastered and is fully qualified to be one.1 That person has gone through a process of assenting to being mastered himself.2 That person is one who is closer than a relative or friend, he understands the remotest depths of my heart and is able to satisfy the need there fully.3  It means having someone who has made me secure in the knowledge that he has met and solved all the doubts, uncertainties, and problems in my mind.

To have a master and teacher, “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.“ (Matthew 23:8 ).

God does not force anyone do His will.  He places before each life and death.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and live; reject Him and die the death.4 Perhaps there are times when it seems it would be better if God would master and control to make His will be done; but, He will not. There are times it would seem better if He left leave us alone, thank God for His grace, He doesn’t.

“You call Me Teacher and Lord …” is He really? Teacher, Master, and Lord are alien to one born in a nation where freedom is taken for granted; the words Savior, Sanctifier, and Healer are less binding and more preferable. There is only word that truly describes the experience of being mastered, love; little is known or understood about love as God reveals it in His Word. It is a sad commentary; but, even in the church this  is often the case.  The way we use the word obey is proof of this. In the Bible, obedience is based on a relationship between equals; for example, that of a son with his father.

The Lord is not simply God’s servant—He is His Son. “… though He were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered …” (Hebrews 5:8 ).  If we are consciously aware that we are being mastered, it is doubtful there is true assent to recognition of a master.  Holding that attitude toward Jesus, renders one far away from having the father -son relationship He has with His Father and desires for His followers.  Master and Teacher relationship should be such that there is no conscious awareness of it—a relationship where all that is known is that we are His to obey.5

1. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).
2. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8).
3. A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24).
4. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins (Acts 10:43).  And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are (John 17:11).
5. But if you had known what this means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless (Matthew 12:7).