Christian Art Today - The disciple is not superior to his teacher

The Severe Teacher, by Jan Steen. Oil on panel, 1668 © Private Collection, all rights reserved

Gospel of 13th July 2019 - Matthew 10: 24-33

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: 'The disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor the slave to his master. It is enough for the disciple that he should grow to be like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, what will they not say of his household?

'Do not be afraid of them therefore. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops.

'Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

'So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.'

Reflection

Jan Steen was a Dutch 17th century painter, known for his fun compositions filled with humour and psychological insights. We see a Severe Teacher (also the title of this painting) at work, with pen in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other for disciplining the children. The little boy who is reading is near tears, and all the other kids are seen studying and concentrating hard.

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