Master-Disciple Relationship to Rapture Theories

by David Scott

Jesus made four statements about the relationship His disciples should have with Him, which reveal that any efforts we make to circumvent what He said are attempts to be greater than Him. These statements can be found in Luke 6:40, John 13:16&17, 15:20, and Matthew 10:24&25. To understand how they pertain to various doctrines about the rapture, we must examine them in greater detail.

In Luke 6:40, Jesus said, "The disciple is not above his Master: but everyone that is perfect shall be as his Master." An alternate translation of the last clause in this sentence is, "...everyone shall be perfected as his Master." This begs the question, "How was Jesus perfected?" Hebrews 2:10 reveals He was perfected through suffering. Since Jesus was perfected by suffering, we will be too. And any attempt for us to attain perfection apart from suffering is actually an attempt to be greater than Him.

In John 13:16&17, Jesus said, "...the servant is not greater than his Lord; neither he that is sent greater than He that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." The full context of these verses begins with verse 1. The context reveals that seeking perfection apart from serving others with humility is an attempt to be greater than Jesus.

In John 15:20, Jesus taught, "The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you..." The full context of this verse begins with verse 18 and extends through chapter 16:33. In this context, Jesus mentioned several types of persecution we can expect. John 15:18-25 tells how we will be hated by the world by the way our lives convict them of sin. John 16:2 reveals two forms of persecution: martyrdom and excommunication. John 16:32 shows how loneliness results from betrayal. John 16:33 mentions tribulation, which is a word that describes severe persecution. Ergo, any attempt by us to avoid persecution is really an effort to be greater than Jesus.

In Matthew 10:24&25, Jesus declared, "The disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord. It is enough for the disciple to be as his Master and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of His household?" The full context of this passage extends from verses 16-39. In this context, Jesus not only forewarned us about the way unbelievers will hurl blasphemous accusations against us, but also to expect false arrest and scourging (vs. 17), betrayal by close relatives (vs. 21), being an object of hatred (vs. 22), persecution (vs. 23), martyrdom (vs. 28), and our need to deny ourselves everything that is necessary to follow Him (vs. 38). However, it is what Jesus said in verses 24&25, which indicate that any effort on our part to avoid these things amounts to an effort to be greater than Him.

2 Cor. 3:18 reveals that it is God's plan to perfect all of His children. However, in our efforts to attain God's intention for our lives, we must do it according to the way He prescribed it. We will never accomplish it by ignoring what Jesus taught in the four statements quoted above. Unfortunately, this is exactly what the proponents of a pre-tribulation rapture are doing. By expecting God to rapture them away from persecution by the antichrist, they are trying to be greater than Jesus. They are not motivated by pride like Lucifer in doing this, however. They are simply ignorant of the principle of scriptural precedence.

The principle of scriptural precedence has to do with how to apply God's word in any given situation. Believers are confronted with tempting situations every day. According to Matt. 4:3 and 1 Thes. 3:5, many temptations are influenced by Satan. If we know what scripture has precedence in any such situation, we can defeat the tempter. This is what the Bible means when it describes God's word as a weapon to use against Satan and his minions. However, Satan sometimes tries to use God's word against us by quoting it himself. He tried to trick Jesus this way in Matt. 4. He quoted a verse from Psa. 91 in an effort to get Jesus to jump from the temple to prove how great He is. Jesus realized, however, that another scripture had precedence in that situation. Jesus rebuked Satan by pointing out that it is wrong to tempt God.

A more modern example of a similar violation of this same principle can be seen in certain "Pentecostal" churches in the USA where they regularly practice snake handling. They base their practice upon Mark 16:18. Yet, every time they pass their snakes around the congregation, they are violating the verse Jesus quoted to Satan about how sinful it is to tempt God. The proper way to apply Mark 16:18 can be seen in Acts 28:3-6. Paul was bitten accidentally by a poisonous serpent and God protected him. Paul did not deliberately allow that viper to bite him. Thus, he was not tempting God.

Because of what I previously stated above about the relationship we have as disciples with Jesus Christ, it is a violation of that precedent to promote the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture. Those, who do so, are trying to be greater than Jesus. Since He was persecuted, we will be also. Thus, persecution is not something to escape, but something to endure. I hope this understanding will gird your mind to help you endure what will soon come upon the whole earth under the world government ruled by the man of sin. His rule will last only 3 ½ years according to Rev. 13:5, 12:6&14, and Dan. 7:25. Then, the time will come for the saints to possess the kingdom and the son of perdition will be destroyed at the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Some of us will survive alive to experience Jesus' second coming. Others will be martyred. If you happen to be among the martyrs, do not consider that to be a defeat. Precious in the sight of God is the death of His saints. Most Bible verses about what Jesus is doing now in heaven tell us that He is seated at the right hand of the Father. However, on the day that Stephen was martyred, Jesus stood up to receive his spirit (Acts 56-59). He will stand up for you too, if martyrdom is the best way your life can glorify God at its end. Maranatha!