Matthew 23:1-12

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example.
“For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.
“All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
“As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ.
“The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

BACKGROUNDER

Jesus, who is the Christ, calls himself master. He proclaims his immediate lordship over his disciples. He is truly the Son of God, King of kings, and Lord of lords. Jesus isn’t just the highest in a sequence, he is utterly beyond any earthly measure.
Nonetheless, Jesus acknowledges the authority of the Scribes and the Pharisees, because they sit, “on the chair of Moses”. God gave the Law to Moses, who led Israel, then passed his leadership on to Joshua, and this spiritual leadership then went to the prophets, and on down to the time of Jesus. Jesus affirms the force of the Law.
Jesus challenges the Scribes and Pharisees because “they preach but they do not practice”. Instead of living up to the Law, they ensured that they were seen in a good light. They wore elaborate vestments, sat in honoured seats, and enjoyed being called ‘Rabbi’.
Jesus is a different kind of Master, and he is looking for a different kind of follower. The followers of Jesus are to put others ahead of themselves, not using titles like Father or Master as ways of putting people down. Jesus then insists that “the greatest among you must be your servant”.
Who is the greatest among the disciples? Of course, Jesus himself. He is the one who will give his life for his followers, and for all people. This is truly unthinkable. Why would God not redeem us with his power? What does God’s power even look like?
Jesus is the one who, “humbled himself, obediently accepting death, death on a cross” (Philippians 2). The followers of Jesus are to do no less: we are to sacrifice for their salvation, following the path of our Master, the path to exaltation.