Luke 6:40

40 A student is not better than the teacher, but the student who has been fully trained will be like the teacher.

Luke 6:40 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 6:40

The disciple is not above his master
Or "more excellent", as the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions render it; that is, in learning and knowledge; if the master is ignorant, the scholar will be so too; and thus it is with teachers, and their people under their care; if the leaders are blind and ignorant, those under their instructions will remain so likewise. These words are an illustration of the preceding parable, and are used to another purpose here than in ( Matthew 10:24 ) . (See Gill on Matthew 10:24)

but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
The Vulgate Latin reads it, "every one shall be perfect if he is as his master"; that is, if his master is a man of general learning, and a complete scholar, if he is like him, he will be so too: the Persic version renders it, "every disciple that desires perfection shall be as his master": whoever is ambitious of being a thorough scholar, and is diligent and industrious, by all ways and means, to obtain such a character, shall be even as good an one as his master, under whom he learns, and better he cannot well expect to be; and this is sufficient; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, "is it not enough that every one be as his master?" agreeably to ( Matthew 10:25 ) (See Gill on Matthew 10:25)

Maimonides F9 has an expression much like this:

``he that learns, shall not be greater than he of whom he learns, but shall be, (wtwmk) , "as he".''

Christ, in this last clause, seems to design his own disciples, who, when perfect in knowledge, which is not to be expected in this state, unless in a comparative sense, will be like himself.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 Misn. Bava Kama, c. 2. sect. 5.

Luke 6:40 In-Context

38 Give, and you will receive. You will be given much. Pressed down, shaken together, and running over, it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you."
39 Jesus told them this story: "Can a blind person lead another blind person? No! Both of them will fall into a ditch.
40 A student is not better than the teacher, but the student who has been fully trained will be like the teacher.
41 "Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the big piece of wood in your own eye?
42 How can you say to your friend, 'Friend, let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye' when you cannot see that big piece of wood in your own eye! You hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your friend's eye.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.