16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.
Jesus further deepened the teacher/disciple contrast in verses 16 and 17.
16 Most assuredly, I say to you,
“Most assuredly” is literally amen, amen. This is solemn instruction. The idea is that we can be sure that the statement that Jesus was about to make is certain.
a servant [slave] is not greater than his master;
To not relate to one another in humility is to exalt self above the Lord. No slave has the right to deem any menial task to be beneath him if his master has set an example of doing it Himself. The person with lower authority should follow the person with higher authority.
nor is he who is sent [messenger] greater than he who sent him.
No messenger is greater than his master (Jn 12:26). The word “sent” or messenger is the Greek word for apostle, but there is no indication here that the word apostle is used in the official sense. The idea is that no messenger or emissary has the right to believe he is exempt from service.
PRINCIPLE:
There are too many people with a sense of self rather than a sense of others in Christian work today.
APPLICATION:
The person who thinks himself or herself as being great would have a sense of disgrace by a menial act. It is beneath their sense of self. A believer with the same perspective as Jesus looks upon service as a great opportunity to represent the Lord.
Today we have too many cooks and not enough bottle washers.
