Gospel of Matthew 10:24-27
Christ Instructs His Apostles [3]
"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more they will revile his household! Do not fear them; for there is nothing covered, that will not be revealed; nothing hidden, that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what your ear may hear, proclaim from the housetops."
Comment on the Scripture
You will recall that Christ is about to send his apostles out on their own for the first time, to spread the good news and is giving them instructions. [Matthew 10:4] In the first admonition in today's reading — "a disciple is not above his teacher" — Christ is not trying to simply put the apostles in their place. He is specifically warning them not to embellish upon his teaching during the coming months, while they are away from him.
The reason He gives for this is not that they might say something wrong; in fact, given the enormous importance of the later writings of Paul, it he probably does not intend that interpretation at all. Rather, he says that the apostles will get into enough trouble just by repeating his teachings!
Remembering yesterday's lesson (Matthew 10:20-23), Christ has just warned them that their preaching is going to cause a lot of trouble. Not only might they be arrested, but "brother will hand over brother" to be put to death; parents and their children will be enemies. Here, he tells them not to be afraid of the consequences. They are to deliver their message in the open, even shout it 'from the housetops', because the truth is going to be revealed; and, in the context of the entire chapter, that revelation will come fairly soon.
