Luke 6:40 (KJV)

What does Luke 6:40 mean?

Luke 6:40 says that a student’s training leads toward becoming like the teacher, not rising above the teacher. Jesus uses the relationship between a learner and a teacher to show how closely the learner’s outcome is tied to the one providing the instruction.

Jesus speaks to his disciples using an image from everyday teaching. Following his question about a blind person leading another blind person in verse 39, he draws attention to the relationship between a teacher and a learner.

The Greek behind Luke 6:40

• “disciple” — μαθητής (mathētēs): The word carries the sense of a learner or student. In this verse, “disciple” describes someone receiving instruction from a teacher.
• “master” — διδάσκαλος (didaskalos): The word means a teacher. The KJV’s “master” refers here to the person who teaches the disciple.
• “perfect” — καταρτίζω (katartizō): The word can carry the sense of being prepared or fully trained. Here, “perfect” is often understood as describing a learner whose training has been completed, rather than someone who never makes a mistake.

Why Luke 6:40 matters

• The verse places weight on who is doing the teaching. Jesus says the trained disciple will be “as his master,” connecting the learner’s outcome with the teacher’s example.
• The surrounding passage gives the teaching image a sharp edge. After the question about blind people leading one another, Jesus later speaks about noticing a speck in another person’s eye while overlooking a beam in one’s own eye (verse 42). The passage places teaching and clear sight close together.