The Master

INTRODUCING THE MASTER

In many martial arts systems, there are those who are called master. Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines the term “master” as being commonly used to refer to a male teacher, an artisan qualified to teach apprentices, a player of consummate skill, a great figure of the past whose work serves as a model or ideal, a presiding officer in an institution or society. Some, even all, of these definitions may truly apply to those who call themselves, or are called by others, master. The question that arises then is should we take Merriam Webster, or any other producer of dictionaries to be the last word on the true meaning of words?

Mario Pei wrote “A Historical Sketch of the English Language” found in New Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language, College Edition, in which he explains the goal of producers of dictionaries. Mr. Pei says, “It is the task of good dictionaries to keep abreast of the rising tide of words that threatens to engulf us; grant them admission where permanence is more or less assured, and reject the nonce [special occasion] words; to indicate those words which have become completely archaic … properly label as obsolescent others … and maintain a clear-cut distinction between what is standard and what is substandard, what is general … and what is purely localism.” Mr. Pei makes it very clear that new words are continually created by mankind to communicate new ideas and new concepts and that the task of good dictionaries is to act as a word clearing house and to provide a clear-cut distinction between standard and substandard usage. So, it appears that producers of dictionaries are not the last word on the true meaning of words, mankind is.

Since mankind determines the meaning of words and producers of dictionaries merely record those meanings and distinguish between standard and substandard usage, then the definition provided in Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary for the term “master”, would seem to be an acceptable term for distinguished martial artists. But, how then do we handle the clear teaching of Jesus Christ who said that mankind is not to be called master, only one is Master, and He is Christ. (Mat. 23:10 – KJV)

The Greek word, kathegetes, translated “master” in the King James Bible is translated “teacher” in the New King James Bible. This word literally means, “a guide”. While a guide may actually be a male teacher, an artisan qualified to teach apprentices, a great figure of the past whose work serves as a model or ideal, etc., the warning we have from Jesus, is to not elevate an individual to a position of extreme reverence. The apostle Paul clarified this saying, “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.” (Rom. 13:7)

Clearly, one could refer to a male teacher or a great figure of the past whose work serves as a model or ideal, as “a” master, and not elevate him to “the” Master. Likewise, one could refer to an artisan qualified to teach apprentices, as “a” teacher, and not elevate him to “the” Teacher. The titles of Master and Teacher should be reserved for Christ and the teachings of men and women should be weighed against the teachings of “the” Master and Teacher.