Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 10:24-25

"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household!" — Matthew 10:24-25 (ASV)

The disciple is not above his Master, etc. That is, you must expect the same treatment which I have received. They have called me, your Master and Teacher, Beelzebub, the prince of the devils, Matthew 12:24; Luke 11:15; John 8:48, and you must expect that they will call all of the family by the same name.

Beelzebub, or Beelzebul, was a god of the Ekronites (see 2 Kings 1:2). The word literally means the god of flies, so called because this idol was supposed to protect them from the numerous swarms of flies with which that country reportedly abounded.

The word also signified, among the Jews, the god of filth, and was regarded as the lowest and most offensive of all the idol gods. Hence the name was given to the leader, or prince, of all the devils, Luke 11:15; Mark 3:22. By giving this name to Christ, they poured upon him the greatest possible abuse and contempt.