The Sacrament of Priesthood
The Sacrament of Priesthood
What Does “Do Not Be Called Master” Mean? And Did God Abolish Authority?
27. Christianity Did Not Abolish Authority or Lordship, but Gave Them a Spiritual Meaning, Free from Domination and Pride
The Lord Jesus Christ said to His disciples:
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.
And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave” (Matthew 20:25–27)
Here the Lord fought against the spirit of self-glorification and domination, and called His disciples to humility, presenting Himself as an example:
“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28)
Does the fact that the Son of Man took the form of a servant prevent Him from being Lord?
Certainly not, for He also said: “You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am” (John 13:13)
The scribes and Pharisees, however, as leaders, loved greatness, domination, and being called “Master,” which the Lord strongly opposed.
As for lordship itself, God granted it to humanity, since man was created in His image.
From the beginning, God made man a ruler and granted him authority over creation, saying to Adam and Eve:
“Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air…”
(Genesis 1:28)
And He said:
“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion…” (Genesis 1:26)
The same authority was granted by God to Noah and his sons after the Flood (Genesis 9:2).
28. Man, as the Image and Likeness of God, Is a Lord
The steward of God who represents Him is also a lord (Titus 1:7).
Human authority does not contradict the sovereignty of God.
It is a gift from Him, not a competition with Him, and it is exercised in humility.
Joseph the righteous says that God: “Has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler throughout all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 45:8)
Here, lordship, authority, and fatherhood are gifts from God, granted by Him personally to Joseph, who exercised them with humility and love.
29. Numerous Biblical Examples of God Granting Authority Without Pride
Are you surprised that God made Joseph a father to Pharaoh and lord over all his house?
Here is something even greater. The Lord said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh” (Exodus 7:1)
And He also said to Moses regarding Aaron: “He shall be your spokesman to the people… and you shall be to him as God” (Exodus 4:16)
Does this glory that God granted Moses trouble you?
Do you call it blasphemy or deception?
Certainly not.
The word “God” here means “lord” or “master.”
If so, do you accept the word “master” when it comes from God’s own mouth?
Listen also to the blessing that Jacob, the father of the patriarchs, received:
“Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you” (Genesis 27:29)
This was a blessing and a gift from God.
Of course, this bowing was a gesture of respect and submission, not worship.
Yet Jacob, despite being lord over his brother, bowed to Esau himself (Genesis 33:3).
Obadiah the righteous, the rescuer of the prophets, when he met Elijah the great prophet:
“Fell on his face and said, ‘Is that you, my lord Elijah?’ And he answered him, ‘It is I’” (1 Kings 18:7–8)
Did Elijah err in accepting this title?
Did Obadiah err in saying:
“Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord…?” (1 Kings 18:13)
The prophet Daniel addressed the angel who appeared to him in a vision by saying: “My lord” (Daniel 12:8), Did Daniel err in this?
30. Examples from the New Testament
Lest the opponents of the Old Testament say, “These are examples from the Old Testament,” we also present examples from the New Testament.
One of the most prominent examples is that of the Philippian jailer with Paul and Silas. When the angel shook the foundations of the prison, the doors were opened, and the jailer intended to kill himself, Paul and Silas stopped him. Scripture says of this jailer:
“He brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’
So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ…’”
(Acts 16:30–31)
The great apostle Paul and his companion Silas accepted the title “sirs” (my lords). Paul did not tear his clothes, nor did he consider the word “lord” to be reserved exclusively for God, nor did he interpret the phrase “do not be called master” in a rigid, literalistic, or distorted way.
31. “The Letter Kills”
Indeed, “the letter kills,” as Scripture says (2 Corinthians 3:6).
The intention of the verse is to forbid the love of lordship, the love of titles, and the love of greatness—especially the title “master,” which the scribes and Pharisees loved and which should no longer be attributed to them. This, however, does not prevent the fact that God has established authorities and lordships within His Church—authorities that walk in humility, not in domination.
The Apostle Peter praises the conduct of our mother Sarah, who used to call her husband Abraham “lord,” and presents her as an example for women to follow:
“Being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him ‘lord,’ whose daughters you are if you do good” (1 Peter 3:5–6)
If a woman follows the modest conduct of our mother Sarah, has she sinned or attributed to her husband a title that belongs to God alone?
Likewise, Saint John the Apostle, in the Book of Revelation, used the title “my lord” when addressing one of the elders whom he asked about those clothed in white robes (Revelation 7:14).
Did John err, or fail to understand the words of Christ?
32. The Word “Lord” Has Different Meanings When Applied to God and to Humans
The word “lord” is used of God in one sense, and of people in another.
When used of God, it denotes divinity.
When used of human beings or angels, it denotes respect and proper etiquette in speech.
Truly, “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6).
If you send a letter and begin it with “Mr. So-and-so,” have you violated evangelical truth?
If someone begins a public lecture by saying “Ladies and gentlemen,” has he violated biblical truth?
Does the apostles’ use of this term—or their acceptance of it from others—indicate a lack of understanding of Scripture, or rather refined and respectful conduct?
Did the Apostle Paul violate biblical truth when he said:
“Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh… as to Christ” (Ephesians 6:5)
See also Colossians 3:22; 1 Timothy 6:1–2; Titus 2:9.
And did the Apostle Peter err when he said:
“Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear” (1 Peter 2:18)
33. The Danger of Isolating a Single Verse
Indeed, the danger of relying on a single verse has destroyed many; and likewise, the misinterpretation of Scripture has destroyed many.
For this reason, God did not grant the authority to teach to everyone, but only to those who received this gift from Him:
“He who teaches, in teaching” (Romans 12:7)
Scripture entrusted the responsibility of teaching to:
“Faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2)
As for those who volunteer themselves for the task of teaching and present their own understanding as doctrine to be spread among the people, the Apostle James says to them:
“My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
For we all stumble in many things” (James 3:1–2).
