The literal meaning is straightforward: you cannot dedicate your full allegiance to two opposing authorities simultaneously. If you try, your efforts will be divided, and neither master will receive your true service.

Within the Christian mystical tradition, this speaks to the internal conflict between the ego-self and the Divine. The 'two masters' are often understood as the worldly desires and attachments (represented by mammon, or material wealth and status) and the singular devotion to God. The ego, driven by these worldly attachments, creates a fractured consciousness, preventing the unitive experience with the Divine that mystics seek. This internal division is the source of spiritual suffering. The goal is to 'die to self' (a concept explored by mystics like John of the Cross) so that Christ's spirit can truly inhabit and guide you, leading to a singular focus on God's will. This requires a radical detachment from the ego's demands and a complete surrender of the will to the Divine.

In your life: Recognize where your divided loyalties lie, between the demands of your ego and the call to spiritual devotion, and choose to align your will with the Divine.