teacher

The Greek that is translated as “teacher” (also: “master”) in English is translated in the 1941 Yiddish by Einspruch as rebe (רֶבּי) or “Rabbi” in an effort to identify Jesus as a teacher of the Jews. (Source: Naomi Seidmann in Elliott / Boer 2012, p. 151ff.)

Likewise, a number of Hebrew translations, including the 2018 and 2020 editions by the The Bible Society in Israel also use “Rabbi” (רַבִּי).

See also rabbi.

complete verse (Luke 6:40)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 6:40:

  • Noongar: “A person who listens his boss’s good teaching, he doesn’t quickly become greater than his master. But all people who listen to their master and follow him, when they finish, then they will become like the master.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “And there is no student [lit, school child] who is more honored that his teacher. When his schooling is finished, only then is he the same with his teacher.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The knowledge of a student does not exceed that of his teacher. But if his learning is complete he is equal with his teacher.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He who has someone else teaching him, he must not think that he is greater in respect than the one who teaches him. And if there’s no longer anything that the one who teaches can teach him, then they are equal — the one who was taught and the one who taught.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Neither is there one who is learning who is higher than his teacher, but when he has properly finished what he is learning, after that he will be-like his teacher.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “It’s true that as for a disciple, he can’t exceed his teacher. But as long as he is really well taught, of course he can become the same as his teacher.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 6:40

Exegesis:

ouk estin mathētēs huper ton didaskalon ‘a disciple is not above his teacher.’ The article ton has possessive force. The saying must be understood as having a bearing upon the leadership of the disciples, see below. huper means here ‘surpassing’
and refers to authority and insight. didaskalon is best understood as referring to Jesus.

katērtismenos de pas estai hōs ho didaskalos autou ‘every disciple, who is fully trained will be like his teacher.’ The subject of estai is either ‘he,’ to be understood from and referring back to mathētēs in the preceding clause (with pas going with katērtismenos), or pas, with mathētēs understood, ‘every disciple’ (cf. Revised Standard Version). The latter seems preferable.

katartizō ‘to make complete’; here ‘to train fully.’

Translation:

Is not above, or, ‘is not more/better/greater/higher than,’ in the sense of ‘is not more important than.’

When he is fully taught, i.e. when he has been taught all things he has to know, or, when he has learned everything he has to learn (cf. Kekchi). In some languages one can use a rather technical term for having finished a course, or, graduated from a school (e.g. in Bahasa Indonesia RC).

Will be like here refers to equality in degree of authority or capability; hence, ‘will be as great/high/important as,’ cf. also “will reach his teacher’s level” (New English Bible).

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 6:40

6:40

The teaching in 6:40 is about the relationship between a student and his teacher. It reinforces the warning in 6:39b–c. Jesus told his disciples that it is important to choose the right teacher because a well-trained disciple becomes like his teacher. It is also important to be a good teacher because your students will be like you.

6:40a

A disciple is not above his teacher: This was probably another common proverb. Jesus used this proverb to emphasize the relationship between a disciple and his teacher. Some other ways to translate this are:

A student is not better than the teacher (New Century Version)
-or-
Students are not greater than their teacher. (New Living Translation (2004))

In some languages, a rhetorical question will show this emphasis. For example:

Are students better than their teacher? (Contemporary English Version)

disciple: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as disciple means someone who commits himself to a master. He does this in order to learn and live according to the master’s teaching.

Some ways to translate this could be:

student/learner
-or-
follower
-or-
apprentice

In the context, the term is general and does not refer specifically to disciples of Jesus. In some languages, it may be more natural to use a plural form (“disciples”) for a general truth:

Disciples are not above their teachers/masters.

See disciple in the Glossary, and see how you translated this term at 5:30a.

above: In this context above means “superior to.” Some other ways to translate this are:

is not greater/better than
-or-
does not surpass/exceed

6:40b

but: There is a contrast in the form of the clauses in 6:40a and 6:40b. The meaning is similar. The contrast is between the phrase “is not above” in 6:40a and the phrase “will be like” in 6:40b. The student is not above his teacher, but he will be like his teacher.

Some other ways to connect this clause are:

However
-or-
And

In some languages, no conjunction is necessary here.

everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher: Jesus stated that the student will become like his teacher. It means that the disciples must choose their teacher carefully because they will become like that teacher.

everyone: The word everyone here refers to all students or disciples. For example:

all pupils (Good News Translation)

fully trained: The phrase fully trained refers to a disciple who has been thoroughly taught by his teacher. It is passive. If your language would prefer to use an active form here, you should supply “teacher” as the subject:

whom ⌊the teacher⌋ has fully trained/taught

Here is another way to avoid a passive form:

all pupils, when they have completed their training, will be like their teacher (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 6:40a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of the clauses in 6:40a–b. For example:

40bWhen a student is fully trained, he will be like his teacher. 40aHe will never be above his teacher.

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