“No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other; you cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).

Master (Def): (Gr.): Kurios from Kuros: Supremacy, Supreme in authority, Controller

There are words spoken that are absolute and our text from the Gospel of Matthew spoken by Jesus to His disciples is one of those spoken words that fits the osbsolute. “No man can serve two masters”.

In the realm of the Spirit the quote is even more absolute, if that is possible, for we are referencing not a master on earth, but the supreme in authority in heaven, earth and under the earth. He is the Controller of everything, the Lord of All.

There are upon earth competing influences, or powers, or things that seek for our service and obedience. It could be as in the example Christ gave that the other master that wants our obedience is mammon.

Mammon (Def): (Gr.): Mammonas: (of Chaldee origin) Confidence in wealth personified, Avarice deified

In other words we make a god out of wealth and cravingly seek after it as we would seek after God; therefore, we have deified wealth as a competing master. Jesus makes it clear, we cannot serve deified wealth and God.

The Apostle makes the comparison of communion with the Lord and communion with devils:

“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. You cannot be partakers of the Lord’s Table and the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?” (I Corinthians 10:21-22).

Only One Master is the coin of the realm, the currency of the Kingdom, the governing principle of all decisions, actions and interactions. We cannot serve two, only one.

We may call Jesus, Lord, but what of our actions motivated by another master? Jesus said,

“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord (Gr. Kurios) have we not prophesied in Your Name? In Your Name have we not cast out devils? In Your Name have we not done many wonderful works?’ Then will I profess to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me you that work iniquity'” (Matthew 7:22-23).

In other words, go serve your other master because I do not know you; therefore, you have no part in Me.

Kurios is a word frequently used in the New Testatment, expecially in reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also translated Master, Owner, Sir, as a title of respect. The thought of Owner is an interesting one in the context of Lordship. What/Who “owns” me? The Apostle wrote to the Church at Corinth:

“For you have been bought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God’s” (I Corinthians 6:20).

“You have been bought with a price; be not the servants of men” (I Corinthians 7:23).

What price? The blood of Christ.

“Forasmuch as you know you were not redeemed (bought back) with corruptible things as silver and gold, from your van conversation received by traditions from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish, and without spot” (I Peter 1:18-19).

Therefore, we have only one Master, the Lamb of God, the Lord (Kurios) Jesus Christ, Son of God, who purchased us with His own blood and has brought us to Himself, as a Bride to Her Husband (cf. Ephesians 5:25-28).

The supremacy, authority and control over us is the Lord Jesus, our Master. The Only One, indeed.

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