It is interesting and profitable to study the different words used by the writers of the New Testament, as led by the Holy Spirit, respecting our Lord in the sense of His being our Master.
1. The word most commonly used in reference to our Lord as Master signifies teacher. It was used occasionally by the disciples; for instance, when they were in the boat in a storm and He was asleep they said, “Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?” He was indeed their Teacher. When he had spoken parables in the hearing of the people, He explained to His disciples the meaning of what He had been saying, for He wished them to understand what He taught. “He said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables.” (Mark 4:11.) The disciples brought their difficulties to the Lord, and He solved them. Thus we find them asking the question, “Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?” (Mark 9:11.) Had Elias come first? Yes, in the person of John, and yet he was still to come, for John had been rejected by the rulers.
Our Lord on one occasion calls Himself the Teacher. When He sent his disciples to prepare the last passover, He told them to say to the good man of the house, “The Teacher saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.” (Matt. 26:18.). This was not exactly a family gathering to keep the passover; the Teacher with His disciples would meet for that purpose in the guest chamber. On the same occasion the Lord’s supper was instituted.
On another occasion our Lord said, “Ye call me Teacher and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:13, 14.) If the divine Teacher could thus humble Himself to wash His disciples’ feet, how much more should we seek to help and restore one another?
Our Lord was constantly addressed by His opposers under this title. It cost them little to account Him to be a teacher, who was gathering disciples around Himself; and they could do this without in any way owning His heavenly character. Nicodemus was beyond them, for he said, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him” (John 3:2), and he received further instruction.
It is to be remarked that this title is never applied to the Lord in the epistles. It was while He was on earth, and was with His disciples to instruct them, that He was thus addressed. Before He left the earth He said, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26.)
2. Another word used to designate our Lord as Master is Rabbi. It was an honorable title among the Jews given to their learned men, doctors of the law, &c. The title is applied to our Lord by His disciples and by others. In Matthew it is addressed to our Lord by Judas only, when he said, at the passover table, “Rabbi, is it I?” and again, when our Lord was arrested in the garden, he said, “Hail, Rabbi, and kissed him.” Alas! what honorable words can be used with treachery in the heart! In Mark’s Gospel (9:5), Peter on the mount of transfiguration says, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.” Nathanael said, “ Rabbi, thou art the Son of God: thou art the king of Israel.” (John 1:49.) Noble testimony!
Our Lord never uses this as a title for Himself, but allowed others to thus address Him. He was among ‘His own’ while in Israel.
Our Lord said that the scribes and Pharisees loved to be called, Rabbi, Rabbi; but He warned His disciples not to be so addressed; for they had a Master, even Christ.
3. Another word translated Master and referred to our Lord is the word commonly translated ‘Lord.’ Paul wrote to the masters at Colosse, to give to their servants that which was just and fair, knowing that they had a Master in heaven. (Chap. 4:1.) He is the One to whom we owe allegiance, and who has dealt with us in such marvelous mercy: we shall have to give an account of our actions to Him. He is our Lord.
4. Another word is used in six passages only, and is always addressed to our Lord. It signifies an overseer or one in authority. It is used by the apostles in Luke 5:5; 8:24, 45; 9:33, 49, and by the ten lepers in 17:13: “Jesus, Master? have mercy on us.” It is recorded that when the ten were healed, only one of them returned to give Him thanks, and he was a Samaritan. Thus we see how easy it is to own Him as Master, in order to be benefited by Him, and at the same time to render no real homage from the heart.
5. Another word is only once translated ‘ Master 5 when referred to our Lord. It signifies ownership, and is the correlative of ‘slave.’ 2 Pet. 2:1 refers to some “denying the Lord that bought them,” and who had thus become their owner, which our Lord is of all men. The passage in which it refers to our Lord is significant. (2 Tim. 2:21.) If a Christian purge himself from vessels to dishonor, “he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use:” fit for the use of the One that owns him. May this be the earnest desire of all God’s beloved people in this dark and evil day. The Lord is using one here and one there: let all seek to be so separated from evil as to be fit to be employed by Him.
6. There is still another word, which occurs only in Matt. 23:8, 10. It signifies ‘a guide,’ and thence ‘teacher.’ “Be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.....Neither be ye called masters; for one is your Master, even Christ.” Thus our Lord is declared to be our Guide—one to go before us; and hence to guide us into all truth, through the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Oh that we were more apt scholars, to sit at the feet of our Lord, and learn of Him. We should then never have to unlearn, as we often have to do.
From the above we see in how many aspects our Lord is called Master in scripture. Teacher, Rabbi, Lord, Owner, Guide; to whom we owe obedience, and whose authority over us we can never slight without receiving damage to our own souls, and giving grief to His tender, sympathizing heart. Let us contemplate what it cost Him to purchase and redeem us: it was not with silver and gold, but with His own precious blood. To His peerless name be everlasting praise!