Commentary

The well trained disciple will be like his master

The blessed disciples were to be the spiritual guides and teachers of the whole world. It had therefore to be dearly seen by all that they held fast to the true faith. It was essential for them to be familiar with the gospel way of life, skilled in every good work, and to give teaching that was precise, salutary, and scrupulously faithful to the truth they themselves had long pondered, enlightened by the divine radiance. Otherwise they would be blind leaders of the blind. Those imprisoned in the darkness of ignorance can never lead others in the same sorry state to knowledge of the truth. Should they try, both would fall headlong into the ditch of the passions. To destroy the ostentatious passion of boastfulness and stop people from trying to win greater honor than their teachers, Christ declared: “The disciple is not above his teacher.” Even if some should advance so far as to equal their teachers in holiness, they ought to remain within the limits set by them, and follow their example. Paul also taught this when he said: “Be imitators of me as I am of Christ,” (1Cor 11,1). So then, if the Master does not judge, why are you judging? He came not to judge the world (Jn 12,47), but to take pity on it. What he is saying, then, is this: "If I do not pass judgment, neither must you, my disciple. You may be even more guilty of the faults of which you accuse another... “Why do you look for the speck in your brother's eye?”