Mat 23:9-10 | KingComments | STEP | The Lord warns His listeners of certain things which should not be so among them. It is thus inappropriate to be called “Rabbi”, for that title belongs only to Him. All others are brothers. They are all on an equal footing, no one is more than the other. What He says of ‘Rabbi’ also applies to “father”. There is only One Who has the right to be so called and that is the Father in heaven. One of the sins of the papacy is that the pope calls himself this and even ‘holy father’ (cf. ). This is hideous posturing. Nor should we want people to call us “leaders”, for that title belongs only to Christ. All to whom the glorified Lord has given a task as a teacher ( ) are therefore no more than others. On the contrary, they are servants of others. Christ is the only Leader. Leaders only lead in what they have learned from Christ. It is not a question of raising oneself above others, feeling better or more important, but of bowing to the other and serving the other. Such a person is truly the greatest. God will deal with every man according to the choice he makes. Raising oneself up is a choice of one’s own, as is humbling oneself. God’s answer depends on man’s choice. He will humiliate those who exalt themselves, and He will exalt those who humble themselves. The choice is ours.

‏ Matthew 23:9-10

One Is Your Teacher

The Lord warns His listeners of certain things which should not be so among them. It is thus inappropriate to be called “Rabbi”, for that title belongs only to Him. All others are brothers. They are all on an equal footing, no one is more than the other. What He says of ‘Rabbi’ also applies to “father”. There is only One Who has the right to be so called and that is the Father in heaven. One of the sins of the papacy is that the pope calls himself this and even ‘holy father’ (cf. Jn 17:11). This is hideous posturing.

Nor should we want people to call us “leaders”, for that title belongs only to Christ. All to whom the glorified Lord has given a task as a teacher (Eph 4:11) are therefore no more than others. On the contrary, they are servants of others. Christ is the only Leader. Leaders only lead in what they have learned from Christ. It is not a question of raising oneself above others, feeling better or more important, but of bowing to the other and serving the other. Such a person is truly the greatest.

God will deal with every man according to the choice he makes. Raising oneself up is a choice of one’s own, as is humbling oneself. God’s answer depends on man’s choice. He will humiliate those who exalt themselves, and He will exalt those who humble themselves. The choice is ours.