Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the scripture might be fulfilled, 'The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.' From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." (Jn 13:16-20)
Jesus talks about the position and status of slave in front of the master and the messenger in front of the one who sent him. Jesus picks up the practices in the society and from there he leads them to understand the kingdom. In the society there will be distinctions; there will be different strata; there will be inequality; there will be differences in the rewards; such is the society.
In the kingdom where Jesus is the sole master, he chooses the followers. There is not fixed status. Jesus chooses whomsoever he wants. There is equality among all. There is relationship between the chosen and the one who chooses them (I know them). There should not be betrayal from the chosen ones. There should only be loyalty and fidelity. Human negative behaviour in the society which may be tolerated in the society should not be found in the kingdom.
The position of the one who is sent is equal to the one who sends. (Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.) In the kingdom the one who is sent (the apostles and the disciples) are received the same way as the one who sends them (Jesus) and Jesus is received and the same way the Father is also received.
