Church Fathers 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)

St. John Chrysostom: Because it would come to pass that His disciples, among their other persecutions, would suffer damage to their reputation—which to many is the most grievous of all calamities—He comforts them with His own example and with the things that were said about Him. This is a comfort with which no other can compare.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: For the Lord—the eternal Light, the Captain of the faithful, the Author of immortality—set this comfort before His disciples for the sufferings that would come upon them: that we should embrace it as our glory when we are made like our Lord in suffering. This is why He says, The disciple is not above his master, nor the slave above his lord.

St. John Chrysostom: Understand that as long as he is a disciple or a servant, he is not above his master or lord in the natural order of honor. And do not object here with rare exceptions; instead, accept this principle as it applies to the common course of things.

Remigius of Auxerre: He calls Himself master and lord; by "disciple" and "servant," He refers to His Apostles.

Glossa Ordinaria: It is as if to say: Do not be indignant that you suffer things which I also suffer, because I am your Lord, who does what I will, and your Master, who teaches you what I know is profitable for you.¹

Remigius of Auxerre: And because this sentence did not seem to agree with the preceding words, He shows what He means by adding, If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household?

St. John Chrysostom: He did not say "slaves" here, but "those of his household," to show how dear they were to Him. As He said elsewhere, I will not call you slaves, but my friends (John 15:15).

Remigius of Auxerre: It is as if to say: You, therefore, will not seek worldly honors and human glory while you see me pursuing the redemption of humankind through mockery and contempt.

St. John Chrysostom: And He does not only say, "If they have reviled the master of the house," but He states the very words of their insults, for they had called Him Beelzebub.

St. Jerome: Beelzebub is the idol of Ekron, who is called in the book of Kings "the god of flies" (2 Kings 1:3). "Bel" signifies "idol," and "zebub" signifies "a fly." He calls the Prince of demons by the name of this foulest of idols, which is so named because of the uncleanness of the fly, an insect that destroys the sweetness of ointment.

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