Christ Alone as Teacher and Master
Daily Devotional on Matthew 23:10

“Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.” — Matthew 23:10, UASV

In Matthew 23, Jesus delivers one of the most forceful rebukes of hypocrisy found in Scripture. Speaking to the crowds and His disciples, He exposes the pride and corruption of the scribes and Pharisees — religious leaders who exalted themselves as spiritual authorities but lacked genuine humility and obedience to Jehovah. Within this fiery discourse, verse 10 stands out as a profound reminder of spiritual equality under Christ: “Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.”

This statement follows two similar warnings in verses 8–9: “But you are not to be called Rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.” Together, these commands form a powerful declaration that no human being should claim ultimate spiritual authority or supremacy over others. In God’s Kingdom, there is only one true Master, one ultimate Teacher — Jesus Christ.

The term “masters” (kathēgētai in Greek) refers to guides, instructors, or leaders — those who claim the right to direct others in matters of truth and faith. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day loved such titles. They relished being greeted with honor and addressed with words that signified power and prestige. Their identity was rooted not in service but in recognition. Yet Jesus shattered this entire hierarchy of human exaltation, insisting that greatness in His Kingdom is measured by humility, not position (Matthew 23:11–12).

When Jesus said, “Do not be called masters,” He was not forbidding legitimate roles of teaching or leadership in the congregation. Scripture elsewhere makes clear that God appoints overseers, elders, and teachers for the building up of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11–12; 1 Timothy 3:1–2). His warning, rather, addresses the attitude behind titles — the pride that seeks to elevate self rather than serve others. Titles become dangerous when they foster dependence on men instead of dependence on Christ.

The emphasis falls upon the exclusivity of Christ’s authority: “For one is your master, the Christ.” Jesus is not merely one teacher among many; He is the Teacher — the divine revealer of truth, the embodiment of wisdom, the final interpreter of God’s will. He alone has the words of eternal life (John 6:68). All human teaching in the Church must derive its authority from Him and conform to His Word. To follow Christ is to submit to His lordship and to acknowledge that every other voice must be judged by His truth.

This principle guards the believer from the twin dangers of idolatry and intellectual pride. Throughout history, men have been tempted to revere spiritual leaders with misplaced devotion — to treat pastors, theologians, or institutions as if they were infallible sources of truth. But Jesus’ words abolish all such hierarchy. No man, however gifted, may stand as mediator or master over another’s conscience. Only Christ holds that right. The apostle Paul embodied this humility when he wrote, “Who then is Apollos? And who is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one” (1 Corinthians 3:5, UASV). Spiritual leaders are servants, not masters; channels, not sources.

Jesus’ command also applies to personal ambition. The Pharisees sought human titles to affirm their worth. In contrast, the true disciple seeks only the approval of Christ. The desire for recognition, power, or prestige is incompatible with genuine discipleship. The Lord calls His followers to serve without seeking to be exalted. “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12, UASV). True greatness in the Kingdom comes through submission to the authority of the Master, not through self-promotion.

The phrase “for one is your master, the Christ” carries both comfort and challenge. It comforts believers by reminding them that they need not rely on human systems to know God’s will. Christ’s teaching, preserved in Scripture, is sufficient for faith and life. Every believer has direct access to divine truth through the written Word. Jesus promised that His words would never pass away (Matthew 24:35) and that the Spirit-inspired apostles would record His teaching with accuracy and authority (John 14:26; 16:13). Therefore, the Church’s task is not to invent new revelation but to faithfully proclaim the truth already revealed by Christ.

At the same time, this statement challenges every Christian to live in submission to Christ’s authority. To call Jesus “Master” is not merely to acknowledge His title but to obey His commands. Luke 6:46 records His rebuke: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Submission to Christ’s lordship demands obedience, humility, and continual learning. The believer must approach Scripture not as a critic, but as a disciple eager to be taught by his Master.

This verse also establishes the foundation for true unity within the body of Christ. When Jesus said, “You are all brothers,” He erased distinctions of spiritual superiority. All believers stand on equal ground before God — redeemed by the same blood, indwelt by the same Spirit, and taught by the same Lord through His Word. Any system that elevates one believer as inherently superior over others violates this principle. Whether in the first-century synagogues or in modern churches, spiritual elitism contradicts the gospel of grace.

To be “mastered” by Christ means that our thinking, values, and conduct are continually shaped by His Word. The believer must measure every opinion, doctrine, and tradition against the teaching of the Master. When human interpretations or institutional traditions contradict the clear instruction of Scripture, the faithful disciple must stand with Christ. Peter exemplified this courage when he declared, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29, UASV).

The world prizes authority and influence; Christ prizes faithfulness and humility. Those who claim positions of leadership in the Church must remember that they are under the authority of the one true Master. Their task is not to command but to serve, not to exalt themselves but to point others to Christ. Peter exhorted elders to shepherd the flock “not as domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3, UASV). The only rightful Master of the Church is Christ, the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4).

Jesus’ command also corrects the distortion of religious authority seen throughout history. The use of exalted titles such as “Reverend,” “Most Holy,” or “Father” in a spiritual sense stands directly opposed to His teaching. Such titles elevate men to a status that belongs to God alone. Scripture calls all believers to humility and equality in Christ, not hierarchical distinction. The focus must always remain on the Master Himself, not on human intermediaries.

To live under the mastery of Christ is to experience true freedom. Paradoxically, submission to Jesus brings liberation from the tyranny of sin, pride, and human control. When He rules the heart, fear of man loses its power. The disciple who walks under His authority finds peace and purpose, for he serves not to please men but to glorify the Lord.

In daily life, this verse calls believers to examine whom they are truly following. Do we take our cues from worldly teachers, popular figures, or cultural voices more than from Christ? The Master still speaks through His Word, and His sheep still hear His voice (John 10:27). To follow Him requires rejecting every competing authority that claims mastery over the soul.

Thus, Matthew 23:10 directs every Christian back to the simplicity of discipleship — Christ as Master, believers as brothers and sisters, all walking under the authority of divine truth. The greatest honor a disciple can have is not to bear a title but to faithfully reflect the teaching of his Master.

When the believer recognizes Christ as his sole Master, he lives in humility, serves in love, and teaches in faithfulness. His life becomes a living testimony that there is indeed “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:5–6, UASV). To such a disciple, the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:10 are both a command and a calling — to forsake pride, to resist human exaltation, and to live under the gracious mastery of Christ alone.

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