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This saying was already a proverb in the time of our Lord, or He made it a proverb by His frequent use of it (Matthew 10:24, 25; John 13:12-16, and John 15:20). On the occasion referred to by St. Luke, He uses it in its widest, its most general scope; for here He is speaking of any and every master, of any and every disciple. "No disciple," He says, "while he remains a disciple, can reasonably expect to be wiser than his master, whoever his master may be." On every other occasion our Lord limits the scope of the proverb by applying it to Himself and to the disciples who followed Him. Here it follows a parable with which it seems to many to have little connection, to some no connection at all. although it is not easy to see how any attentive reader should have missed it. Surely the meaning of the entire passage, and its sequence of thought, are obvious enough. If a teacher be blind, if, that is, he lack intellectual or spiritual discernments, if he therefore frame partial and erroneous conclusions, what can be expected but that his disciples should fall into the very same errors, and fall into them all the more surely in proportion as they are faithful disciples? The disciple is not above his master; the learner is not wiser than the teacher. It is a question whether the disciple will ever rise to the level of his master. He will have done much if he do so much as that. From our Lord's use of this proverb here we may infer some lessons of no small practical importance, and, in learning them, still further develop its meaning.

I. THE IMMENSE IMPORTANCE OF BOTH HAVING AND PRESENTING A TRUE AIM, A TRUE IDEAL, OF LIFE. What is our aim then? What should it be? The old catechism answer, rightly understood, is surely as good as any: "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever." But it is of the last importance that we should set a single aim before us, and that the highest of which we are capable.

II. How HAPPY ARE WE, AND HOW GREATLY ASSISTED IN OUR PURSUIT OF IT, SHOULD THIS AIM, THIS ABSTRACT IDEAL, CLOTHE ITSELF IN FLESH AND BLOOD, AND STAND BEFORE US IN THE PERSON OF A MAN OF LIKE PASSIONS WITH OURSELVES! An embodied ideal, a realized and incarnate ideal, is worth a thousand pale abstractions. It is much to have a noble aim before us; but, oh, how much more to have it clothed in the loveliness of a perfect life. The lofty but abstract ideals of character which men have framed incarnate themselves, clothe themselves, with life and power and loveliness, in Christ, the Son of Man.

III. If it be important that we should have it for ourselves, it is also important that WE SHOULD PRESENT A TRUE IDEAL OF LIFE TO OTHERS. We may seek even the highest good selfishly; but, in proportion as we find it, we shall cease to be selfish: we shall seek to be good for the sake of others as well as for our own sake. Let us remember that if in any respect — national, commercial, intellectual, social, spiritual — we are above any of our neighbours, to them, without our permission being asked, we have become masters, i.e., teachers and examples. And therefore we should seek and strive for grace to set them a good example, that our influence may be stimulating and helpful to them. Above all, we should try so to follow Christ as that we may lead them to the Perfect Example, and make them disciples of the only Master who can never mislead them.

(S. Cox, D. D.)

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

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