Luke 6:40 - Printer Friendly

ESV: A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

NIV: The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

NASB: A student is not above the teacher; but everyone, when he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.

CSB: A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

NLT: Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.

KJV: The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

NKJV: A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

Jesus has told His followers that even if someone persecutes them for following Him, they should not be quick to judge and condemn. To do so is to invite God's judgment and condemnation. Instead, they should freely forgive their abusers and God will forgive them, maintaining their close relationship with Him (Luke 6:37–38). That doesn't mean Jesus' followers are never to declare that another's actions are sinful. It means all judgment must be tempered with mercy and wisdom. Here, He continues the progression His followers must take before they can effectively judge the sins of another and lead them into obedience to God.

First, we must examine ourselves, with intense scrutiny. If we have no discernment, we have no right judging another's actions. If we hate and curse our enemies, refuse to help them or forgive them, and quickly judge and condemn them, we prove we do not understand Jesus' way (Luke 6:27–36); we are blind. Being blind, we have no authority to judge (Luke 6:39).

To truly see, we must be true disciples of Christ. Such a label comes with a warning. Jesus teaches that His followers will be flogged in the synagogues, tried before governors and kings, killed by family members, and hated by all types of people (Matthew 10:16–22). In the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus will explain that the world will hate us because they hate Him, and they hate Him because they hate His Father. The more Jesus speaks His Father's words and does His Father's deeds, the more the religious leaders hate Him. Likewise, the more we emulate Jesus, the more those antagonistic to God will hate us (John 15:18–25). Some will be so deceived that they will kill Jesus' followers, thinking they are protecting the name of God (John 16:1–3).

In that suffering, however, God promises blessing. The mournful will laugh, the hungry will be satisfied, and the poor will inherit the kingdom of God (Luke 6:20–21). When we follow Jesus' ways, God calls us His children (Luke 6:35). When we are free with forgiveness, we will find that God is free with His blessings (Luke 6:37–38).

Following Jesus involves changing through the power of the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:12–13). Once we have taken on Jesus' character and worked with the Holy Spirit to flee from sin and spiritual immaturity, then we can consider the righteousness of others. Only after we have judged whether our own actions reflect a life of devotion to God will we be ready to help others (Luke 6:41–42).

In John 13:16 Jesus also uses this concept of disciples not being above their teachers, there referring to a servant and master as well as a messenger and his sender, to exhort the disciples to humbly serve each other as He washes their feet.

In Luke 6:37–42, Jesus finishes explaining precisely what it means to be His disciple. He began with a list of blessings His persecuted followers can expect. He listed consequences for those blessed by the ungodly world (Luke 6:20–26). He exhorts His followers to love their enemies with prayer and generosity (Luke 6:27–35). Here, He applies mercy (Luke 6:36) with gracious judgment and forgiveness. Finally, He calls the crowd to have good hearts and lives that are founded on Him (Luke 6:43–49). The sentiments behind Jesus' teachings here are scattered around Matthew and Mark.

Luke 6 contains two main sections of teaching and calls to discipleship. Luke 6:1–16 continues the pattern of Luke 5. The two ways in which Jesus sets aside tradition—this time by taking authority over the Sabbath—are paired with His call for the Twelve disciples. Luke 6:17–49 records Jesus' teaching on the ''level place,'' or His ''Sermon on the Plain,'' and a call to a crowd for general discipleship. Much of this material has parallels in Matthew 5 through 7, but it's not clear if the two accounts are of the same event. As a travelling teacher, Christ likely gave the same general message multiple times.

Luke 6 completes Jesus' call for disciples and followers that started in Luke 5. Luke 5:1—6:16 consists of three calls for disciples, each paired with two revolutionary teachings about Jesus' authority that increasingly infuriate the religious leaders. Luke 6:17–49 continues the theme with a general call for followers and a description of their responsibilities. In Luke 7:1—8:3, Jesus interacts with the other: Gentiles, women, and even the dead. This is followed by another general call (Luke 8:4–21), a series of miracles (Luke 8:22—9:17), and a final call for the Twelve to follow Him even more deeply (Luke 9:18–50).

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.