January, 1934
T H E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
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o f CHRIST “One is your Master, even Christ” C h r is t as M a s t e r i n C h r i s t i a n T h i n k i n g
By WILLIAM gVANS Los Angeles, California
“But be not ye called, Rabbi : for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father on the earth', for one is your Father, even he who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters : for one is your master, even Christ” (Matt. 23:8-10).
“G ood M aster , W h a t S h a l l I D o ? . . . J e s u s . . . S aid U nto H im . . . F ollow M e .” Let us look at the first group : Christ’s supreme mas tership over the intellect. We are not surprised that Christ should demand suprem acy in the realm of Christian thinking. He claimed that when He was here on the earth : “Call no man your teacher. One is your teacher, even Christ.” T h e C laim C hallenged Jesus’ claim to mastership in religious thinking was challenged. He had competitors in this realm. First of all there were the scribes. “And they were astonished at his doctrine : for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes” (Mk. 1:22). The
“And Peter answered, and~stiid unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us build” (Matt. 17:4). “But sanctify in your hearts Christ as Master” (1 Pet. 3:15).* 1 have selected these three passages of Scripture because they represent the different spheres in life in which Christ is Master of the Christian. T h e W ord “M aster ” The word “Master” in the Revised Version is the trans lation of seven different Greek words, and these words fall
scribes were the duly appointed teachers in Christ’s day. Since Ezra’s time, the nation had recog nized the scribes as divinely ap pointed tea ch e rs . They were looked upon as the ultimate word in matters of faith and practice. When, therefore, Christ differed from the scribes, He came into conflict with the authorized teach ers of the day, with the result that when the scribes saw that the multitudes hung upon His words, they said, “What shall we do, for the multitude goeth after him?” They determined to kill Him ; which, finally, they did.
into three groups, the first con taining three words; the second, two; the third, two. It is re markable to note that these three groups of passages re p re s e n t Christ’s mastership over the whole of the Christian’s life.
The author, Rev. W illiam Evans, Ph.D., D.D., at once the beloved and profound Bible teacher, is at present in the British Isles conducting a six-months’ Bible teaching campaign, which will conclude on May 27, under th e auspices of the Bible Testimony Fellowship of London, England. The blessing of God was manifested in so signal a manner upon a similar series of meetings held by Dr. Evans in the spring of 1933, that this re turn engagem ent was urged. The series of three articles, of which this is the first, which Dr. Evans has generously given to THE KING’S BUSI NESS, makes available to every reader th e same rich truth drawn from the depths of the Word with which his audiences are always refreshed.
The first group centers in the intellect—the mind, the brain, the thinking: Christ is didaskalos, “teacher” ; rabbi, “my teacher” ; rabbonì, “my very dear teacher.” The second group refers to Christ’s supremacy in the realm of the heart—affections, love, de sire. He is kurios and despotes — the One who stands at the door of the heart as Master, determining what loves, what affec tions, what desires, shall enter there. The third group has reference to Christ’s mastership over my hands and feet—my service and activities. He is epistates —one “set over” me : “We. have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, Master, at thy word, we will let down the net.” He is kathegetes, “superintendent,” the One who has power to command and superintend the building : “Master, let us build three tabernacles.” So the word “Master” concerns the Christian’s intellect, thought, brain; his heart with its loves, affections, emo tions ; his hands and feet with their service and activities. Christ is Master of the Christian’s entire being. *The Scripture quotations give the reader the real meaning of the original, rather than that of any one version— E ditor .
Then there were the Pharisees. They built their whole doctrine of life upon the teaching of the scribes. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith : these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone” (Matt. 23:23). They, also came into conflict with Christ when He claimed supremacy in the realm of thought. iTben came the Sadducees. They were the elite, the “highbrows,” the intellectuals, the higher (destructive) critics of that day. “How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Saddu cees? Then understood they how that he bade them not
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