25. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the
servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house
Beelzebub--All the Greek manuscripts, write "Beelzebul," which
undoubtedly is the right form of this word. The other reading came in no
doubt from the Old Testament "Baalzebub," the god of Ekron
(2Ki 1:2),
which it was designed to express. As all idolatry was regarded as devil
worship
(Le 17:7;
De 32:17;
Ps 106:37;
1Co 10:20),
so there seems to have been something peculiarly satanic about the
worship of this hateful god, which caused his name to be a synonym of
Satan. Though we nowhere read that our Lord was actually called
"Beelzebul," He was charged with being in league with Satan under that
hateful name
(Mt 12:24, 26),
and more than once Himself was charged with "having a devil" or "demon"
(Mr 3:30;
Joh 7:20; 8:48).
Here it is used to denote the most opprobrious language which could be
applied by one to another.
how much more shall they call them of his household--"the inmates."
Three relations in which Christ stands to His people are here mentioned:
He is their Teacher--they His disciples; He is their Lord--they His
servants; He is the Master of the household--they its inmates. In all
these relations, He says here, He and they are so bound up together that
they cannot look to fare better than He, and should think it enough if
they fare no worse.
JFB.
Picture Study Bible