Jesus was the greatest servant

JESUS WAS THE GREATEST SERVANT
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Mark 9:35
New InternationalVersion
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said,
"Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last,
and the servantof all."
New Living Translation
He sat down, called the twelve disciplesover to him,
and said, “Whoeverwants to be first must take last
place and be the servantof everyone else.”
BIBLEHUB RESOURES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
Who Shall Be Greatest?
Mark 9:33-37
A.F. Muir The selectionofPeter, James, and John for exceptionalassociation
with Christ; the primacy of Petersuggestedby the words of their Masteron a
certain occasion;and the spirit of the sons of Zebedee, shown in the request
made by their mother, a little later, on their behalf (Mark 10:35-41), were
circumstances that soonattractedthe attention of the others, and gave rise to
discussionas to relative superiority. In dealing with this unseemly dispute, our
Savior showed-

I. THAT IT WAS A QUESTION THAT OUGHT NOT TO BE ASKED
AMONGST CHRIST'S FOLLOWERS. (Vers. 33, 34.)
1. His question elicited no reply. They were ashamedthat he should have
detectedthem. It was evidently contrary to his spirit, as they felt, although
they might be unable to explain.
2. That it is foreign to the genius of Christianity is further shown by the evils it
has createdwithin the Church. A vast percentage ofthe failures and scandals
of Christians has arisenfrom this contention, whether carried on in silence or
expressed, Nevertheless thatit is deeply seatedin human nature is shown by
its persistencyfrom age to age. A motive of action we are ashamedto confess
when a sense of Christ's presence is upon us cannot be a right one. And in
proportion as the presence ofthe Master's spirit is felt, it is suppressedor
destroyed.
II. THE PRINCIPLE BY WHICH IT SHOULD BE SETTLED WHEN IT
ARISES. (Ver. 35.) "If any man would be first, he shall be last of all, and
minister of all." This is, and probably was meant to be, slightly enigmatical.
Without altering the future of the sentence ("he shall be") into the imperative
("let him be"), as some, without sufficient warrant, have done, it is still
possible to read in it severaldistinct meanings. It might mean that that was to
be the penalty of such presumption; that God would so regard presumptuous
men; that this was a discipline to which they should subject themselves;that
the avenue to official pre-eminence was the greatestserviceableness and
humility; or, lastly, that the highestexcellence in the kingdom of God is his
who abases andforgets himself altogetherin the benefit and advancement of
others. It is in the last sense that Christ should be understood, if we are to take
the general spirit of his teaching for our guide. In the Christian the Virtue and
usefulness are ends in themselves, and not stepping-stones to external, official
pre-eminence. At the same time, there is a colourable suggestion, supported
by experience, in the first three interpretations. The secondlastis the spirit of
the Romancuria, which in literal expressionlooks so like the preceptit
contradicts. The sitting down of Christ, and his summons to all, prove the
importance of the lesson.
III. AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE PRINCIPLE. (Vers. 36, 37.) "A little
child," perhaps one of Peter's family. He gives an example in his own
behavior, simply and ingenuously, by embracing the child.
1. The lowliestin the kingdom of God should receive the purest sympathy and
consideration. This is the most disinterestedand unselfish service. The noblest
deeds in God's world are of this kind: "Pure religion and undefiled before our

God and Fatheris this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction,
and to keephimself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27). We can
"receive" to the heart when we cannot to the home; to kindness and love when
we cannot to greatearthly advantage.
2. The motive which distinguishes this conduct from ordinary human
tenderness and affection. It is to be "in my Name," i.e. "on accountof me,"
impelled by my example and spirit, and for the sake ofmy cause. It is only a
"grace"orquality of the regenerate nature as he inspires it.
3. So regarded, the objectof our love and compassionis really the
representative of Jesus and of God. Christ has thus commended the children
and the poet to the care of his people. And their sympathies thus awakened
and directed are to be lookedupon not as supplementing the deficient
provisions of the Divine love, but only, in our own degree and measure,
expressing and executing the infinite, loving Will of "our Father in heaven."
Herein, therefore, the lowliestservice and the highestcoincide. "See that ye
despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their
angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew
18:10). - M.
Biblical Illustrator
What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
Mark 9:33-37
The true child our pattern
Vita.What is the true child like?
I. HE IS UNCONSCIOUS OF HIMSELF;self-dissectionoranalysis is
unknown to him.
II. HE LIVES IN THE PRESENT.
1. He never worries or is anxious about the future; sufficient to the day, for
him, is the evil thereof.

2. So also, though always aspiring, he is never discontented in the ungrateful
or peevish sense;sufficient likewise forthe day is the goodthereof; he would
not have it otherwise.
III. HIS PLEASURES ARE SIMPLE, pure, natural, fresh from the hand of
God. The leastof His gifts, even a cup of cold water, has value in his eyes, so
that he wastes notwilfully.
IV. HE LOOKS FORWARD WITH BOUNDLESS HOPE TO A GREATER,
MORE COMPLETE LIFE (i.e., to be "grownup").
V. HE KNOWS NOT HOW TO SNEER OR BE CYNICAL: but instinctively
shrinks from a sneeras from a blow or a sting.
VI. HIS AVERSIONS AND DREADS ARE TRUE AND SYMBOLICAL
(until, like his tastes and likings, made artificial by example and training). E.g.
—
(1)Darknessand all that is black;
(2)bitterness, sourness, allthat is acrid or sickening;
(3)all that wounds and kills.
VII. HIS OBEDIENCEIS NOT RELUCTANT, BUT FAITHFUL.
VIII. HIS HEART RESPONDSTO THE TOUCH OF TRUTH, if honestly
and faithfully appealedto.
(Vita.)
The lessonofhumility
G. Petter.Children are patterns of humility in these respects.
1. They are not so puffed up as older people with conceitof themselves, or of
their own goodparts and gifts; they do not think the better of themselves
because they possessthese advantages. nordo they boastof them.
2. They do not disdain or despise others, but think as well of them as of
themselves, evenif inferiors.
3. They are not ambitious in seeking aftervain glory.
4. They are not given to strife and contention, but are of a quiet and peaceable
disposition.
5. They do not envy the goodfortune of others, but rejoice in eachother's
prosperity.
6. They are tractable to admonition and reproof, ready to submit to it, and
easilyreclaimed from a fault.

(G. Petter.)
Lessonagainst pride
J. H. Godwin.I. The humility and trustfulness of children should be preserved
by men.
II. They who have most powershould render most service.
III. They who descendmost in love will rise most in honour.
IV. God is served by obedience to Christ, and Christ by kindness to the least
and lowestwho belong to Him.
(J. H. Godwin.)
Disciples disputing
Expository Discourses.I. THOSE WHOSE CONDUCT IS BEFORE US ARE
THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST. Externally, really and spiritually; hence,
this spectacleis one within the bosomof the Church.
II. THEY DISPUTED AMONG THEMSELVES BY THE WAY. How fitly
did the College ofApostles foreshadow the state of the Church in after ages.
III. THE CAUSE OF DISAGREEMENTAMONG THEM — "Who should
be the greatest."Worldly ambition was the rooterbitterness. The secretof
most of the contentious of seeming Christians.
IV. CHRIST DID NOT INTERFERETO PREVENT THESE
CONTENDINGS.
V. CHRIST, THOUGH HE SUFFERED THEM TO END THEIR CONTEST,
CALLED THEIR TO ACCOUNT. Divisions are most offensive to Him. He
will callthe sowers ofdivision to account.
VI. TO THE INQUIRY OF CHRIST AS TO THE GROUNDS OF THEIR
DISPUTE, THEY MADE AT FIRST NO ANSWER.
VII. CHRIST TAKES ADVANTAGE OF WHAT HAD OCCURRED, IN
ORDER TO INCULCATE THE DUTY AND RECOMMEND THE GRACE
OF HUMILITY. Beware ofdisputes, and therefore of pride. Cultivate true
Christian greatness — Christ's example.
(Expository Discourses.)
Ambition
Chas. Hedge, D. D.I.Whatis it?
II.Proofthat it is evil.
III.Means of cure.

I. AMBITION IS TO BE DISTINGUISHED FROM THE DESIRE OF
EXCELLENCE.
II. THAT AMBITION IS EVIL IN ITS NATURE, AND THEREFORE
DEGRADING IN ITS INFLUENCE, IS EVIDENT.
1. Becauseit is inconsistentwith our relationto God as creatures.
2. It is inconsistentwith our relation to God as sinners.
3. BecauseChristalways reproved this desire of preeminence.
4. This trait of characterdid not belong to Christ.
5. We always approve of the opposite temper wheneverwe see it manifested.
6. It is inconsistentwith our being governedby right motives and affections.
III. MEANS OF CURE.
1. Cultivating a sense ofour insignificance and unworthiness.
2. Having our hearts filled with Christ.
3. By constantly refusing to yield to this evil desire;refusing to cherish it or to
obey its dictates. By uniformly avoiding to seek the honour which comes from
men.
(Chas. Hedge, D. D.)
Who is the greatest
J. C. Gray.I. THE WORLD'S OPINION. The world's greatmen are usually
greatconquerors, or greatphilosophers, poets, etc. Many of them small men,
viewed in their moral relations. Alexander wept for another world to conquer.
"Greateris he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketha city." See the world's
greatones described (Matthew 20:25, 26). Haman was one such, yet a very
little man. It is said there are three classesofgreat men.
1. Those who are born great.
2. Those who have greatness thrust upon them.
3. Those who achieve greatness. The world sees no greatness in lowliness.
II. THE DISCIPLES'WISH. Even they wishedto be great. Not, indeed, after
the world's fashion, but eachone wanted to be above the rest. Eachone might
think he deservedto be first, or had qualities that fitted him for preeminence.
III. THE MASTER'S LESSON. Note —
1. The kindness of His manner. "Speak the truth in love."

2. The simplicity and clearnessofillustration. Might have argued, but took a
little child in His arms.
3. The nature of the lesson. Goodness is greatness.Learn:
1. Notto be deceivedby the world's notions of greatness.
2. Notto give place to ambitious desires.
3. To aim after goodness,and let the greatnessfollow if it may.
(J. C. Gray.)
A child for a text
C. S. Robinson, D. D.I. Let us begin with THE MISTAKE SOMETIMES
MADE, WHICH WILL CERTAINLY NEED CORRECTION. OurLord
does not teachby any implication that children are sinless little creatures.
1. Forthe argument and illustration of the discourse He gave are all against
such a supposition. According to the authorized version, Christ says that they
are "lost," that the Son of Man needed to come to "save" them, and without
the will of the Father they would "perish" (Matthew 18:11-14).
2. The story offers no proof of any innocence even in the child He chose.
Ecclesiasticaltradition, not reliable, states that this boy became afterwards
the martyr Ignatius, and was in the subsequent persecutions thrown to the
wild beasts at Rome. That is the best which could be said of him, and we do
not know even so much to be true. Surely, he was never offered as a model
child, and we do not suppose he was born unlike others.
II. So now let us inquire WHAT IS THE TRUE SPIRITUAL DOCTRINEOF
THE PASSAGE. It is evident that our Lord was rebuking His disciples for a
foolish dispute they had had "by the way." And he did this by commending to
them a child-like disposition.
1. A child is remarkable for his considerateness ofethers. It is the hardest
thing we ever try to do to teach our children to be aristocratic and keepup
"style." They are instinctive in their fondness for what is agreeablyhuman. It
was askedofthe goodCecil's daughter what made everybody love her? She
thought a moment with a curious sort of surprise, then answeredwith her
own kind of logic, "BecauseI love everybody."
2. A child is remarkable for his obedience to rightful authority. His subjection
is instinctive as his charity is. He accepts the parental will as law. So his
fidelity is spontaneous;he does not recognize any merit in it. He does the exact
thing he was setto do. When the young girl in the class heardthe teachersay,

"How is the will of God done in heaven?" she answered, "It is done without
anybody's asking any questions."
3. A child is remarkable for his contentment in the home circle. There is only
one mother in the world, and where that mother is, there is home. Disturb
him, wound him, frighten him, maltreat him, and his earliestwish is, "Please
let me go home."
4. A child is remarkable for his persistencyof trust. Children are the most
logicalcreatures in the world. A lady askedthe small daughter of the
missionary Judson, "Were you not afraid to journey so far overthe ocean?"
And the reply was, "Why, no, madam: father prayed for us when we started!"
Do a boy a real kindness, and nothing on earth can keephim from insisting to
all the others that you are a kind man. Help him once, and he will keep
coming with a pathetic sortof confidence that you like to help him. For one,
having stumbled around a gooddeal in this muddle of a world, in which
nobody seems to stick to anything, I am ready to sayI know nothing more
beautiful than the sweetforgiveness, andrenewalof confidence, whicha child
shows when, having met a rebuff once and been turned away, it sits
wondering and waiting, as if sure you would come round by and by and be
goodagain.
III. Thus, now, having studied the realmeaning of this incident, let us try to
find out ITS PRACTICAL BEARING.
1. In the first place, considerhow it would modify our estimates of human
greatness.Here is the point at which our Lord meant His instruction should
be felt earliest. These disciples had been contending about preeminence.
Perhaps Peterbegan the jealous dispute, reminding them that he kept the
house where Jesus was entertained. Perhaps Johnaskedhim to remember the
place Jesus usually gave him at the table. Perhaps Andrew suggestedthat
Simon might as well bear in mind that he had led him to Jesus downin
Bethabara. Perhaps Matthew hushed them imperiously, declaring that none
of them were business men as he had been. And perhaps James insisted that
age and experience had some rights in the reckoning of precedence. Thus they
workedthemselves up into a passion. All this petulance was met by the
spectacle ofa tranquil little boy, who possibly wonderedhow he came to be
put into show: and while they were looking curiously at him, Jesus said,
calmly: "Whosoevertherefore shallhumble himself as this little child, the
same is greatestin the kingdom of heaven."
2. Next, let us considerbow this teaching would modify our aims for
attainment. We need more of this child spirit in our hearts. Does anyone ask

how it may be attained? In the old fable which the Hebrews used to teach
their children about the fallen angels, they said that the angels ofknowledge,
proud and wilful, were castdown hopelesslyinto hell; but the angels of love,
humble and tearful, crept back once more into the blessedlight, and were
welcomedhome.
3. Again, let us consider how these words of Christ would modify our
intellectual processes ofstudy. Yes: but the Bible says do this thing like a
child. Study with your faith rather than your intellect. A man needs
conversion, not conviction. Our Lord here reverses human terms of counsel.
We sayto a child, "Be a man," but Jesus says to a man, "Be a child." That is
the wayto enter the kingdom.
4. Once more: let us considerhow this doctrine will modify our formulas of
belief. There is something for the greatdivines to learn also. Do we never
force our theories beyond the confines of the gospel? A child's theology is
frequently wiserfor real human need than a man's. It often comes to pass that
when a mature intellect has been worrying itself into most discouraging
confusion, it is startled by the keenpenetration and almost oracular
deliverance of an infant trust. Ask one of our young girls, "What is God?"
Perhaps she will give answer, "Godis a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and
unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness,and
truth." And perhaps she will reply, "God is my father in heaven." Forall
availableness to deep experience of need, some of us think that, little as this
seems to say, really it says more than the other does. Faith cannotclimb up on
the north side of a doctrine in the shade. She took her notion out of the
prayer, and not out of the catechism;that is all. These greatformulas ought to
be explained in the very warmth and light of the figures and relationships of
the gospel.
5. Let us considerlikewise how Christ's teaching would modify our advice to
inquirers. Some of those who claim to be honest seekers aftertruth completely
invert the order of relation betweenbelief and duty. Much of the difficulty
they profess to find in the gospel is irrelevant in the matter of obligation, and
entirely illogicalin the matter of faith. Any sensible child is aware that its
father's relationship by marriage, socialstanding in the community, form of
daily occupation, political influence in the party, or citizenship by
naturalization, has nothing to do with the question of its own obedience to his
just commands. To reckonhow much money he owes or owns, does not come
before minding what he says. But inquirers will often insist on having the
Trinity made clear, before they will take up repentance. They saythey are
stumbled about praying, because they cannot understand the Incarnation.

Now the child spirit knows that taking the yoke comes even before learning of
Christ (see Matthew 11:29). Jesus says, Do My will (John 7:17).
6. Finally, let us considerhow this teaching will modify our tests of experience
in grace. It is only a strange perversity which makes us seemto prefer the
more subtle evidences ofa change of heart. Here a plain test is proposed. The
last result, the positively completedpicture, of regeneration, is found in a
child's temper and disposition. Anyone ought to know whether he possesses
that or not. He can find out. His life will answerhis questions, when possibly
he cannot exactly find out about so mysterious a thing as his heart. Nobody is
going to be excluded from heaven because he cannot find out his electionor
his regeneration, if he is holy, and truly believes in Christ, "as this little
child."
(C. S. Robinson, D. D.)
The desire to be first
H. Clay Trumbull.If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last(Mark
5:35). There is no way in which men are surer to outwit themselves than in
looking out for themselves over everybody else. The poorestservant in the
world is the one who always puts himself before his employer. The poorest
place to buy anything is where the dealernever regards the interestof his
customers. He is less than nothing as a friend who gives his friend the second
place in his plans and course. No politician can be a leaderwhile it appears
that he cares only for his own advancement, and nothing for the voters. What
would a soldier be worth whose aim was to look out for his ownsafety and
comfort in times of service and battle? And if this principle be applicable in
other fields, how much more does it apply to Christian service!He who is
intent on what he can gain out of his religion, will be behind the poorest
servant of Christ who is a servantin truth as well as in name. Self-seeking is
self- destroying in the kingdom of God.
(H. Clay Trumbull.)
In My name
M. F. Sadler.This means, for My sake, andit includes
(1)because they belong to Christian parents;
(2)because they partake of the nature which Christ took upon Him;
(3)because they belong to the race which Christ redeemed;
(4)because, like Christ, they are poor;

(5)because, Christmay be honoured in their after-life.Suchchildren are
receivedin Christ's Name, not only in orphanages orin Sunday schools, but
by many of the Christ-loving poor, who have children of their own, and yet
take into their homes some poor waif or stray, and cherish it as their own
flesh and blood, for no rewardexcept the Lord's approval.
(M. F. Sadler.)
ReceivethMe
M. F. Sadler.The grace ofthis promise seems almostincredible. What an
honour would any Christian have esteemedit, if he had been permitted to
receive Christ under his roof for a single hour, and yet that receiving might
have been external and transitory; but the Lord here undoubtedly promises
that to receive a little one in His Name is to receive Him effectually.
(M. F. Sadler.)
COMMENTARIES
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary9:30-40 The time of Christ's suffering
drew nigh. Had he been delivered into the hands of devils, and they had done
this, it had not been so strange;but that men should thus shamefully treat the
Son of man, who came to redeem and save them, is wonderful. Still observe
that when Christ spake ofhis death, he always spake ofhis resurrection,
which took the reproachof it from himself, and should have taken the grief of
it from his disciples. Many remain ignorant because theyare ashamedto
inquire. Alas! that while the Saviour teaches so plainly the things which
belong to his love and grace, men are so blinded that they understand not his
sayings. We shall be called to accountabout our discourses, andto accountfor
our disputes, especiallyabout being greaterthan others. Those who are most
humble and self-denying, most resemble Christ, and shall be most tenderly
owned by him. This Jesus taught them by a sign; whoevershall receive one
like this child, receives me. Many have been like the disciples, ready to silence
men who have successin preaching to sinners repentance in Christ's name,
because they follow not with them. Our Lord blamed the apostles, reminding
them that he who wrought miracles in his name would not be likely to hurt his
cause. If sinners are brought to repent, to believe in the Saviour, and to live
sober, righteous, and godly lives, we then see that the Lord works by the
preacher.

Barnes'Notes on the BibleSee the notes at Matthew 18:1-5.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary35. If any man desire to be first,
the same shall be last of all, and servant of all—that is, "let him be" such: he
must be prepared to take the last and lowestplace. See on[1464]Mr10:42-45.
Matthew Poole's CommentaryVer. 35-37. Matthew’s recitalofthis passage
expounds Mark; he saith Christ said, Except ye be converted, and become as
little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever
therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatestin the
kingdom of God. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name
receivethme. Luke also relates this passagesomething more shortly, but
without any contradictionto what is saidby the other evangelists.The sense is
plain: our Saviour’s design was to check the ambition and ignorance of his
disciples, never more unseasonablyshowedthan now, when a suffering time
was so hard at hand. He at first did it by word of mouth, telling them,
If any man desire to be first, he shall be last of all, the leastvaluable in the
eyes of God, and he would have them value such a personleast. Humility is
that which most exalts a soulin the eyes of Christ, and setteth it highest in his
esteem. But it is observable our Lord doth not say, he that is the first, but he
who desireth to be first. God is a God of order, not of confusion; there canbe
no order without a first as well as a last. But Christians (ministers especially,
for he is here speaking to the twelve) ought to be soughtout for, not to seek
places of preeminence and dignity: he that is first in seeking them, is usually
last as to any true worth deserving them, and ought lastto obtain them. Then
he teacheththem humility by the type of a little child, which he setteth in the
midst of them, telling them they must be like that little child, (saith Matthew,)
not in all things, but in the want of ambition, in a carelessnessas to the great
things of this life. And whosoeverentertainedor showedkindness to such a
one, Christ would take it as done to himself; and what kindness was showed
him, reachednot to him only, but to his Father who senthim. There are also
other things in little children commended to us in holy writ, but this is
manifestly what our Saviour here intends.
See Poole on"Matthew 18:1" and following verses to Matthew 18:5.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd he sat down,.... As their master, as
one having authority; and in order to examine into this matter, and pass
judgment upon it:
and calledthe twelve;all the disciples, who though they might not be all
engagedin this dispute, nor equally criminal, yet were all, possessedofthe

same notion; and therefore Christ calls them all unto him, what he had to say,
being pertinent unto them all:
and saith unto them, if any man desire to be first; to have the pre-eminence,
and be in the chief place in the kingdom of the Messiah,
the same shall be last of all, and servant of all: his pride and vanity shall be
checked;his ambitious views shall be frustrated; insteadof being first, he
shall be last; and instead of having superior reverence and respect, he shall be
debased, and treated with neglectand contempt; and instead of being the
master over others, shall be the servantof all. Some copies read, "let him be";
and so the Persic version, "lethim be last, and minister to every one";and the
Ethiopic thus, "lethim subject himself to all, and be servant to all"; for the
only way to preferment in Christ's kingdom, or in the Gospeldispensation, is
humility and meekness,and performing the lowestservices to all, with
diligence and cheerfulness.
Geneva Study BibleAnd he satdown, and called the twelve, and saith unto
them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of
all.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek TestamentHYPERLINK"/mark/9-35.htm"Mark 9:35. καὶ
καθίσας, etc.:every word here betokens a deliberate attempt to schoolthe
disciples in humility. The Mastertakes His seat(καθίσας), calls His scholars
with a magisterialtone (ἐφώνησεν, for various senses in which used, vide
references, Matthew 20:32)—the Twelve (τοὺς δ.), calledto an important
vocation, and needing thorough discipline to be of service in it.—εἴ τις θέλει,
etc.:the direct answerto the question under discussion—who the greatest? =
greatness comesby humility (ἔσχατος), and service (διάκονος).
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges35. And he satdown] Observe the
many graphic and pathetic touches in this and the following verse. (1) He sits
down; (2) He calls the Twelve to Him; (3) He takes a little child, and places it
in the midst of them; (4) He takes it into His arms, and then He speaks to
them.
Bengel's GnomenHYPERLINK"/mark/9-35.htm"Mark 9:35. Καθίσας,
ἐφώνησε, τοὺς δώδεκα, sitting down, He called, the Twelve)solemnly.—
ἔσχατος—διάκονος, the last—servant)These two words differ. He who is the
last is not by that very factproved to be a servant. Therefore the ἔσται has
rather this force, he ought to be, than, he shall be, by way of punishment. For
a servant [minister] implies something of a voluntary character.

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 35. - And he satdown, and calledthe twelve. He sat
down, with the authority of the greatTeacher, to inculcate solemnly a
fundamental principle of the Christian life. If any man would be first he shall
be last of all, and minister of all. These words are capable of two
interpretations. They might be regarded as analogous to our Lord's words
elsewhere,"He that exalteth himself shall be abased;" as though they
indicated the penalty which attaches to unworthy ambition. But it is surely far
more natural to regard them as pointing out the way to realgreatness,
namely, by humble service for Christ's sake.
Vincent's Word StudiesServant(διάκονος)
Rev., minister. Probably from διώκω to pursue; to be the followerof a
person; to attach one's selfto him. As distinguished from other words in the
New Testamentmeaning servant, this represents the servant in his activity;
while δοῦλος, slave, represents him in his condition or relation as a bondman.
A διάκονος, may be either a slave or a freeman. The word deaconis an almost
literal transcription of the original. See Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:8, 1
Timothy 3:12. The word is often used in the New Testamentto denote
ministers of the gospel. See 1 Corinthians 3:5; Ephesians 3:7; 1 Thessalonians
3:2, and elsewhere.Mark uses δοῦλος, in Mark 10:44.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
The RoadTo True Greatness
Mark 9:30-50
Introduction: 1) Tony Merida, a pastor and preaching professorat SEBTS
says, “The gospel
frees us from our addiction to ourselves!” That is a powerful statement. I also
believe it is a true
statement.

2) Before Christ redeems us and sets us free we are like crack addicts addicted
to ourselves. We
are like alcoholics intoxicatedwith ourselves.
We are not as interestedin serving as being served.
We are not as interestedin giving as receiving.
We are not as interestedin pursuing God’s way as we are in getting our way.
We are not interestedin being the leastbut being the greatest.
3) And we are certain the way to greatness is not by an obedience that leads to
death (vs. 30-32),
being last and servant of all (vs. 33-38), having others do what we can’t (vs.
38-41), and
pursuing a life of self-mutilation that involves some serious suffering (vs. 42-
50).
4) And yet … this is exactly what Jesus says as He lays before us the road to
true greatness,
greatness as definedby God!
5) We are in the middle of Jesus’greatdiscipleship discourse (Mark 8-10).
Our Lord is turning
upside/down the value systems of this world. It is radical and mind blowing
through and through.
No wonder v. 32 says “they did not understand.” Ours is a world where
“everything is about
me!” Jesus died to free us from such slavery. He died to free us to serve and to
walk a road of
true greatness,the road that He Himself walkedas He “came not to be served
but to serve, and

give his life a ransom for many (Isa. 53:10-12;Mark 10:45).
2
Transition: In Mark 9:30-50 we discoverthat the road to true greatness is
paved with 4
important truths, all of which begin in our mind and then lead to concrete
action. The road to true
greatness is markedby:
I. Obedience to the will of God. 9:30-32
Jesus and the 12 moved on from the North of Galilee, probably near
Caesarea Philippi,
where Jesus had healed a demon-possessedboythe disciples could not (9:14-
29). They
are passing thru N. E. Galilee headedsouth to Jerusalemwhere our Lord will
be brutally
murdered on the cross. This is the first leg of his final journey.
His heart and mind are set to obey the Father’s will. He “Mustsuffer many
things”
(8:31) and nothing will stop Him in obeying the Father and fulfilling his
divinely
ordained destiny. Nothing!
As he focuses on the cross, He also takes time to continue instructing His
disciples.
They, like us, still have much to learn.
1) It is important to listen. 9:30-31

As they head toward the south to JerusalemJesus wants to keephis
movements a
secret. (v. 30).
Verse 31 explains why: “for he was teaching his disciples.” It also explains
what He
was teaching them: The Son of Man (Dan. 7:13-14;Mark 8:31), who is Jesus,
1) is
going to be delivered into the hands of men, 2) they will kill him, 3) after 3
days he
will rise.
This is the 2nd of his 3 passionpredictions (cf. 8:31-32;10:32-34). His goalis
to
prepare them for what lies ahead. His coming death and victorious
resurrectionis a
resounding theme as that inevitable day draws nearer.
3
Jesus specificallysays He “is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”
This word
delivered, paradiodotai, is used of our Lord’s betrayal by Judas (Mark 3:19;
14:41;
Luke 24:7), but also of the Father’s delivering up of His Son (Isaiah 53:6, 12;
Acts
2:23; Rom. 8:32). Here I believe the implied agentis God. Ultimately and
forever we
must never forget: God purposefully killed his Son in order that He might not
kill us!

Listen to the words of Jesus. The wayto the crown is by way of the cross.
Salvationis
ours by His suffering.
2) It is important to understand. 9:32
As has been the case throughout our Lord’s ministry the disciples do not
understand.
Of course we need to be fair to them, because we know now what they did not
know
then. Only after the cross and resurrectiondoes it all come togetherand make
sense.
A dying Messiah? Ihave no room for that in my worldview. A crucified
Christ? I
have no room for that in my theology. The glorious Son of Man of Daniel7 is
also
the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53? Thatjust does not fit into my preconceived
thinking of how God does things. Ouch!
They did not understand and they were afraid to ask Him. In contrast, we
should
understand and have no fear of asking Him anything. This Saviorcan be
trusted. This
Lord is approachable.
When He speakswe need to listen. What He says we should, with the help of
the
Holy Spirit, understand. And, when we know His will for our lives, like Jesus,
we
should obey because God’s will is always perfect(Rom. 12:2). Obedience to
the will

of God marks the road to true greatness. The roadto true greatness has a 2nd
mark.
4
II. Service to Others. 9:33-37
Jesus and the disciples arrive in Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee and retire
to a house,
probably the home of Peter’s mother-in-law (cf. 1:29). This will be His last
visit here and
as he had done previously He gives private teaching to the 12.
In spite of what He has taught them about self-denial, dying to self (8:34) and
losing their
lives for Christ and the gospel(8:35), they still aspire to be sovereigns not
servants. They
remain deaf to what He has said about the road to true greatness.Theystill do
not
understand what it means to follow Jesus. Obeying God and serving others
out of an
overflow of “gospelgratitude has still not sunk in.
They had yet to embrace the truth that gripped the heart of missionary David
Brainerd
who in many ways inspired the modern missionary movement, “It is sweetto
be nothing
and less than nothing that Christ may be all in all.”
1) We must overcome the desires ofpride. 9:33-34

While in the house Jesus confronts them about what they were talking about
“on the
way.” (v. 33)
At first they were silent, no doubt out of embarrassment(v. 34).
Finally they admit they had argued or debated “with one another about who
was the
greatest” (v. 34).
Matters or rank and recognitionwere important to the Jews ofJesus’day
just like
they are to most of us in our day. The nature of man and the times have not
changed
very much. Pride and the cult of personality have always been alive and well,
even
among the people of God who follow after the lowly Jesus.
Let’s take a “painful pride” test. Answer eachquestion with a simple Yes or
No.
5
1) Does it matter to me if I getthe recognitionfor a job well done?
2) Do I like and even long to sit at the head table in the seatof honor?
3) Do I seek creditfor what others have done?
4) Do honorary titles pump me up?
5) Is popularity crucial to my sense ofself-worth?
6) Am I a name dropper of those I know (or pretend to know?!)
7) Do I think I have something valuable to sayabout almosteverything?

Proverbs 11:2 says, “Whenpride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the
humble is
wisdom.” James 4:6 adds, “Godopposes the proud, but gives grace to the
humble.”
2) We must overcome the desires for position. 9:35
With a heart of pride comes a desire for position. It is inevitable.
Jesus, in grace and tenderness (what a TeacherHe is!) sits down taking the
traditional
position of a rabbi. He then calls the 12 and gives them a simple proverbial
maxim:
“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and … servant of all.” The
word order
is instructive in the original language ofGreek:“he shall be of all last and of
all
servant” (diakonos).
It is critical important for us to see that Jesus does notrepudiate greatness.
He
redefines it. Be great in things that matter to God not man. Plato said in
Gorgias
(491e), “How canman be happy when he has to serve someone?(Edwards,
287).
Jesus says you will only find real and lasting happiness (joy) when you do
serve
someone, notbecause you have to but because you getto and want to.
Jesus does saythere is a position you should aspire to obtain: a diakonos, a
waiterof

tables, one who washes others feet(John 13:1-20)or changes their dirty and
soiled
6
undergarments. The work is not glorious in man’s eyes but it is greatin
God’s! Here
is a posture and position worthy of heaven!
3) We must overcome the desires for prominence. 9:36-37
Jesus now illustrates what it means to be a servantof all by “taking a child
and
putting him in the midst of them.” However, He does not stop there but picks
him and
takes him in his arms (v. 36). This would have been unusual if not surprising.
The
ancients, with high infant mortality rates, did not exalt the merits of children
as do
many modern cultures, especiallyin the westernworld. Theirs was not a
sentimental
societythat reveled in the virtues of youth. A little child was an excellent
example of
the lastor least.
Jesus then startles the disciples by saying, receive one like this on my behalf
(“in my
name”) and you receive me. In fact it gets even better. Receive me and you
receive
the one “who sent me” (v. 37). [Note “sending language” dominates John’s
gospel]

Treatwell those who have no standing in this world (children, lepers, AIDS
victims,
mentally impaired, physically disabled, the aged)and you will receive an
audience
with my Father!
Jesus points the way to true greatness.Die to self, serve others, care for those
no one
else cares for. Receive them in my name and you receive Me. Receive Jesus
and you
get His Father too! The way up is down. The way to getis give. The way to be
first is
to be last. This is the wayof Jesus. This is the way to true greatness.Now, note
a 3rd
mark of true greatness.
7
III. Allegiance to Christ. 9:38-41
A. T. Piersonsaid, “The ideal missionary must have 4 passions:1) a passion
for the truth;
2) a passionfor Christ; 3) a passionfor the souls of men; and 4) a passionfor
self
sacrificing.”
At this point the disciples, like many modern Christians, just aren’t there.
Oh, they are

zealous, of that there canbe no doubt. However, it is a zeal that is badly
misplaced and in
this instance, myopic and self-centered. In fact it is downright sinful.
The disciples, and in particular the apostle John, are about to learn that
God’s kingdom is
biggerthan their experience ofit. It is so large that anyone who is for Christ is
with us.
Sinclair Fergusonsays it so well, “In the last analysis, it is more important
that the
servants of God are devoted to Christ than that they are to one of us” (Let’s
Study Mark,
152).
1) The one who is not againstChrist is for Christ. 9:38-40
John voices a concernthat is bothering him and the others. He (they) came
across
someone casting outdemons (something they failed at in 9:18!) in Jesus’
name.
Apparently they did not know him, and he obviously was not a part of the “in
group”
of their religious denomination, and so they “tried to stop him, because he was
not
following us” (v. 38). Us?! Us?! Us!!!
If John expecteda word of affirmation and approval he was sadly mistaken.
Jesus
responds with a strong imperative of command, “Notforbid him.” You stop
him? No!

Stop what you are doing! Why, John may have wondered? Jesus provides 2
reasons.
First, “no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon
afterward to
speak evil of me” (v. 39). Anyone doing these things in my name does so by the
8
powerof God. It is an evidence of my call upon his life (cf. 1 Cor. 12:3). No, do
not
try and hinder him. Help him. Don’t try and restrainhim. Rejoice in and with
him.
Why?
Second, “Forthe one who is not againstus is for us” (v. 40). Paul obviously
understood this principle when in Phil. 1:15-18 he writes, “Some indeed
preach Christ
from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. The latter do it out of love,
knowing
that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ
out of
rivalry, not sincerelybut thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What
then? Only
that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and
in that I
rejoice.” Againstus/for us leaves no room for neutrality or fence riding.
And, here is a nobody exalting Somebody while the somebodies are worried
about

who is following a bunch of nobodies! Who in these verses is on the road to
true
greatness?
2) The one who serves Christ will be rewarded by Christ. 9:41
Verse 41 contains an illustration of the point Jesus is making under girded
againby
the authoritative amen translated “truly.”
Whoever:it is all inclusive.
“Gives you a cup of waterto drink because youbelong to Christ” – serves me
and
shows his allegiance to me by serving my servants.
“will by no means lose his reward” – I see and rewardthe smallestand
humblest acts
of service done to others in my name. Having a love and concernfor others
reflects
the love and concernI have for the nations (11:17), for those I came to serve
and give
9
my life as a ransom (10:45). Service to others frees us. It gets our eyes off of us
and
on others who need the same Christ we need.
An anonymous author has wellsaid, “World Missions is God’s major therapy
for our
sin of selfishness thateats the heart out of the localchurch.” Allegiance to
Christ will

lead us to applaud and celebrate those on God’s team, even if they are
different than
us!
IV. Fearof Hell. 9:42-50
These 9 verses are a source of greatinterest on a number of levels. First, they
put
front and centerthe costand serious nature of radical discipleship. Second,
they are
grouped togetherand united by various catchwords orphrases:“causesyou
to sin”
(vs. 43, 45, 47), various body parts (vs. 43-47), “hell” (vs. 43, 45, 47), “salt” (vs.
49
50). Third, the phrase in v. 48 “where their worm does not die and the fire is
not
quenched” is found in some translations as vs. 44 and 46 but not in the ESV
due to
Greek manuscript evidence. This in no way affects the understanding of the
passage.
Fourth, severalof these sayings are found in different contexts in the other
gospels
(Matt 5:13, 29-30;18:8-9; Luke 14:34-35). This indicates that Jesus taught
these
truths on more than one occasionas any goodteacherwould.
It is clearfrom these verses that our Lord had the strongestpossible view of
judgment
and hell. He believed it was realand He believed it lastedforever. In this
context, it

serves as a warning and as an additional motivation to follow Jesus in
devotion and
discipleship.
10
The great Puritan John Owensaid, “be killing sin or sin will be killing you.” I
would
add, “what you feedwill live. What you starve will die.” Jesus now takes us
into this
territory of spiritual life.
1) Learn the lessonof the greatmillstone. 9:42
This is a hinge verse that brings to an end the themes found in vs. 35-41 and
then
opens the door for what follows in vs. 43-50. It picks up on the theme of a
child in vs.
36-37 and those who belong to Christ in v. 41.
Little ones here does not refer to children but to those who follow Jesus, to
disciples.
If v. 41 speaks ofdoing goodto them v. 42 addresses justthe opposite.
If you cause just one who believes in Jesus to sin, lit. “to stumble” (Gr.
Skandalizein),
it would be better if a giant millstone (which only large animals like oxen
could turn)
was hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.” Betterto be
given a
pair of cement boots and hurled into the oceanand drowned.

Jesus, Ibelieve, is still speaking to John and the issue on the table is still their
pride
and desire for prominence and prestige. Godhates pride and his wrath is
greatagainst
it because it is contrary to His nature and does so much harm. If we do not rid
ourselves of the sin that took both Satan and Adam down we will be a
stumbling
block to others and God will hold us accountable.
2) Learn the lessonof self-mutilation. 9:43-48
A saving faith is a fighting faith. It will engage the battle againstsin and do so
with
deadly seriousness. Outof gratitude for the new “life” (v. 43, 45)we have in
Christ
and the “kingdom of God” (v. 47) we now belong to, we pursue a “holy life
agenda”
with passionand discipline.
11
Jesus uses in rapid fire succession3 powerful hyperboles to warn us of sin’s
danger
not just to others (v. 42), but also to ourselves.
We know they are hyperboles not to be takenliterally because the Bible
forbids
bodily mutilation (Deut. 14:1; 23:1; 1 Kings 18:28;Zech 13:6). However, in no
way

does this diminish or negate the importance of what Jesus is saying. “Things
we value
supremely, like eyes, hands, and feet – should not stand in the way of eternal
life”
(Edwards, 294). Betterto lose one than lose your soul!
Eyes, hands and feetare all inclusive of what we see, whatwe do, and where
we go.
As important as they are, better to lose them than have them prevent you
from
entering eternal life and God’s Kingdom.
Basedupon Mark 7:20-23, we understand these acts are connectedto a heart
that
rejoices in sin rather than Christ. But Sam Storm is correct, “Verylittle, if
any, sin
comes out of your heart that didn’t first enter through your eyes.” He then
adds, “Our
external members are but the instruments we employ to gratify the lust that
emerges
from within. What our Lord was advocating, therefore, [to quote John Stott],
was not
a literal physical self-maiming, but a ruthless moral self-denial. Not mutilation
but
mortification is the path of holiness he taught.”
3 times in our text Jesus warns us about the dangers of hell, a place where
“the fire is
not quenched.” “Hell” (gehenna, Gk.)is the N. T. word used for the place of

eschatologicalpunishment (Matt. 5:29, 30; 10:28;Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke
12:5). The
word is transliterated Gehenna from the Hebrew ge-hinnom, “Valley of
Hinnom,” a
deep depressionsouth of Jerusalemwhere Kings Ahaz (2 Chr. 28:3) and
Manasseh(2
Chr. 33:6) offeredchild sacrifices to the pagangod Molech. Declaredunclean
by
12
Josiah(2 Kin. 23:10), it became the place to burn refuse and to dispose of
corpses (Is.
66:24;Jer. 31:40). O. T. prophets proclaimed oracles ofdoom on it, and
gehinnom
became a symbol of final judgment (Is. 31:9; Jer. 7:31, 32; 19:6). It is a place
of
eternal and unquenchable fire (Matt. 3:12; Mark 9:43), a lake of fire and
brimstone
(Rev. 20:10, 14, 15), an eternal fire (Matt. 18:8, 9; 25:41), a furnace of fire
(Matt.
13:42), an outer darkness (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30), and an eternal
punishment
(Matt. 25:46). Only God has powerto castboth body and soul into hell (cf.
also Luke
12:5). It is often said that Jesus saidmore about hell than anyone else in the
Bible.
That is true.

3) Learn the lessonof goodsalt. 9:49-50
Picking up on the word “fire” in v. 48, Jesus affirms that “everyone will be
salted
with fire” (v. 49). While we cannot be certain, the word “everyone” should
guide our
interpretation. “Salt” is a preservative. Thus all will be “saltedwith fire” in a
manner
consistentwith their relationship to Christ. For unbelievers, it will be the
preserving
fires of final judgment in hell. For the disciple, it will be the preserving and
refining
fires of trials and suffering that mark the road to true greatness.Verse 49 is
found
only in Mark’s gospel. It must have held specialsignificance forhim and
Peter.
Verse 50 summarizes this teaching by stating that salt is goodas long as it is
salty and
can serve its purpose. But if it loses its purifying and preserving value then it
is
worthless and of no value. Therefore, “have salt(pre. imp) in yourselves.”
Sinclair
Fergusonhelps clarify the intent of our Lord’s words for the disciple when he
says,
“Our Lord’s point is that unless we maintain the purity of our own lives
(plucking out
the eye, etc.)and are purified by the flames of testing, and remain faithful to
Christ,

13
our lives will have no preserving influence on this corrupt world” (Let’s Study
Mark,
155).
Perhaps in light of the disciple’s argument about the greatest(v. 34) and
John’s
opposition to another brother doing the work of the Lord (vs. 38-41), Jesus
draws one
simple applicationfrom having salt in yourselves:“be at peace (pre. imp) with
one
another.” Be humble, avoid causing others to stumble or stumbling
yourselves. Don’t
fuss and fight over positions and status. Be at peace with one another and
yourself. Be
a witness and reflectionof the God given peace you have receivedfrom Jesus
(Rom.
5:1). Pull for your brothers and sisters in Christ not againstthem. After all,
though
we may play different positions, we are all on the same team who follow Jesus
as
Lord. Here is a path to true greatness where it really matters: in the eyes of
our
Savior.
Conclusion:One of the greatestservants ofKing Jesus I believe has ever
walkedthe earth was a

short thin-haired woman in her lastyears named Emma Lou. High school
educatedonly, she
faithfully served her Lord until the end of her life when Alzheimer’s disease
destroyedthe
precious mind that caredso deeply for her Savior. When rational thought
escapedher and
moments of panic gripped her, she would voice repeatedly a simple prayer,
“Help me Jesus”.
At her funeral her son-in-law would remark that he never heard Emma Lou
say, “I want.” Even
if it was her birthday and you askedher where she would like to go out for
dinner her response
was always the same, “whateveryou all want will be fine with me.” Her
daughter-in-law looked
to her as if she were her own biologicalmother.
Her sonhad the honor of preaching her funeral and did so from Proverbs 31
because Emma Lou
was a Proverbs 31 lady. And I have heard him on more than a few occasions
recount how she
14
workeda double shift for 2 weeks from7:30am – 4:30pm and 10pm – 2am so
her soncould go
on a mission trip, a trip on which God called him to the gospelministry.
I know so much about this lady named Emma Lou because she was my
mother. Was she a great

lady in the eyes of the world? Not really. Was she a greatlady in the eyes of
our Lord? Without a
doubt! When I getto heavenI hope to see my mom. I suspectI will need some
heavenly
binoculars because she will be so close to the Lord’s throne and I so far away.
She understood
and walkedthe road to true greatness. BYDANIEL AKIN
The Leastshall be GreatestMark 9: 30-41
After delivering the young man from the unclean spirit, Jesus and His
disciples have departed and are on their way back to Capernaum. As they
journeyed, Jesus againreminded the disciples that he would be delivered into
the hands of sinful men, die, and rise againon the third day. Like previous
encounters, these men heard what Jesus said, but they failed to comprehend
the enormity of His words. They remained afraid to ask for clarification,
(Vvs.30-32.)
It is important to keepthat in mind as we move through these verses. In fact,
we must always keepthe Gospelof Jesus Christin mind as we seek to serve
Him and others. The Gospelshould dictate our lives and purpose. Jesus
wanted to emphasize His purpose for coming to earth. He had not come to
establisha kingdom, and be seatedas King. He had not come to be served of
others, but to serve them through His greatsacrifice on the cross for the sin of
mankind. Our Lord humbled Himself, laying aside His glory, and hid His
deity in a robe of flesh. The eternal God became man, coming to earth to die
so that the children of men could become the children of God. Deity tasted
death for the depraved, providing for our salvation!

With all of this in mind, I want to examine the principles revealedin the text
as we considerthe thought: The Least shall be Greatest.
I. The Contention among the Disciples (33-34)– And he came to Capernaum:
and being in the house he askedthem, What was it that ye disputed among
yourselves by the way? [34] But they held their peace:for by the way they had
disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. Mark reveals a
debate that took place betweenthe disciples as they journeyed toward
Capernaum. Consider:
A. The Quarrel – As they journeyed a dispute arose among the disciples about
which of them held the highest rank within their group. There were twelve of
them, and one had to be the greatest. The men were jockeying for position,
trying to determine the ranks of authority among them. While they clearly
didn’t understand that Jesus would soonbe taken from them, they were
concernedwith who would be in charge in His absence. Keepin mind what
Jesus had told them as they journeyed to Capernaum. He had revealedthat
He would give His life for them, and all the world. The Christ came to serve
and surrender to the Father’s will, and the disciples were arguing about who
held the highest rank. Clearly they missedthe point again!
disciples, but things have not changedin our day. We are well aware of all
that Jesus endured for us. He provided the supreme example for service,
giving His life in our place. He humbled Himself and
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became a servant to all, and yet we worry about who is in charge or who will
get the credit for our efforts. Many churches face turmoil today because
personalagendas and the hunger for authority take priority over the will of
God. We often want our way more than we want to please the Lord.
B. The Quietness (34) – But they held their peace:for by the way they had
disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. The disciples knew
that Jesus would not have been pleasedwith their argument, so they refused
to answerHis question. While the Lord knew what was in their hearts, these
men spoke not a word. Apparently they were convictedand ashamed,
knowing the Lord would have rebuked such nonsense.
this argument end. There would have been no point in arguing with the Lord.
In fact, He is about to give them a lessonin regardto their selfish ambitions. It
is never wise to argue with truth. Our Lord has given His Word to guide our
lives. If the Word says it, that settles it. There is no need to argue. We can
submit to God’s will or remain in disobedience. There is no other option!

II. The Illustration of Jesus (35-37)– Knowing the debate the disciples had,
Jesus useda simple illustration to make a profound point. Notice:
A. The Explanation (35) – And he satdown, and calledthe twelve, and saith
unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and
servant of all. In regard to their debate, Jesus offereda startling truth. He
declaredthat if a man desired to be first in kingdom work, he must be willing
to be last, submitting to serve all others. The way to be used of the Lord and
secure a position of value is to be willing to be of service to the Lord and
others. Greatness in ministry is securedthrough service.
nteresting to note that the word translatedservant in our text is also
translated deaconin other passages. Thosein places of leadership within in
the church are calledto serve, not to lord over the congregation. Irealize that
pastors and deacons must lead, but the greatestform of leadershipis service.
Servant leadership was modeledby our Lord and expected in the church.
B. The Example (36a) – And he took a child, and sethim in the midst of them.
As Jesus spoke with the disciples, He took a child into His lap and continued
to teach. This was done with purpose. Jesus woulduse the example of a child
to teacheternal truth to these men. These men would have understood what
the Lord was about to say. Children were viewedin the lowestposition of
socialstatus. Theywere dependent upon adults for their well-being. Children
had to be served;
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they were unable to do much for others. They could not be used for
advantage, lacking ability to promote one’s socialstatus. These men were
calledto be servants, willing to serve all, even those who could offer nothing in
return.
C. The Expansion(37) – Whosoevershallreceive one of such children in my
name, receivethme: and whosoevershallreceive me, receivethnot me, but
him that sentme. As Jesus taught these men, He expanded His teaching. If
they willingly submitted to a place of service, receiving or showing hospitality
to a child, one who was unable to help themselves or offer anything in return,
they were in fact showing hospitality unto the Lord as well. Jesus eventook it
a step further. By serving others, they servednot only Jesus, but His Fatheras
well. Serving others would bring the approval of the Lord and the Father. In
essence, these menwere pleasing to God, fulfilling His will for their lives,
when they served others.
r
a “higher position.” We like to have our needs and wants met, but much too
often we fail to considerthe needs of others. This is prevalent even among the
church. People often ask – how canI know God’s will for my life; what does
God want me to do? Jesus revealeda greatplace to start. We canalways
make ourselves available in service to others. If this is pleasing to the Father,
then we can rest assuredthat we are doing His will for our lives. I fear we are
often like the disciples, desiring something that is viewedin our culture as
more desirable. I don’t know about you, but I have a desire to conform to the

image of my Lord. He was willing to serve, and if I am to be like Christ, I too
must be willing to serve.
III. The Clarificationof Jesus (38-41)– Here Jesus offeredclarification in
regard to some of the attitudes the disciples held towardothers. Consider:
A. John’s Assumption (38) – And John answeredhim, saying, Master, we saw
one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad
him, because he followethnot us. John admitted that he and the others had
rebuked a man for casting out devils in Jesus’name because he was not part
of their group. John assumed since he wasn’t one of the disciples, he had no
right to be doing any work in the name of Jesus.
Such an attitude was akinto the attitudes of the Pharisees. We know that
John loved the Lord and wanted what was best, but his heart was not right in
this matter. Sadly this attitude remains prevalent within the church today. We
tend to assume that we are serving the Lord in the best and most biblical way
possible. Falselywe think that those who do things differently have
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missed it and cannot be pleasing unto the Lord. We tend to criticize and even
condemn those who do things differently. As we continue, we will discover
what Jesus thought of this. Notice:
B. Jesus’Admonition (39) – But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no
man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
Jesus admonishedJohn for rebuking one who was doing a work in His name.
Jesus declaredthat if these were serving in the name of the Lord, doing
miracles in His name, they could not speak evil of Him or be a detriment to
the kingdom. They were among a different group, but they were all working
toward the same goal. We need to embrace this truth today as well.
C. Jesus’Affirmation (40-41)– For he that is not againstus is on our part.
[41] Forwhosoevershallgive you a cup of waterto drink in my name, because
ye belong to Christ, verily I sayunto you, he shall not lose his reward. Jesus
affirmed that those who were not working againstJesus were actually
working for Him, even though they did not travel with Him. He declared that
all who gave even a cup of waterin His name, revealing they belonged to Him,
would not lose their reward. Jesus was saying that although their approach
may have been different, that did not mean it was wrong. Jesus could work
through others the same as He did through the twelve.
of others who operate or serve the Lord differently than we do. We assume
that their differences disqualify them from service or accomplishing anything
of value for the Lord. We need to be carefulwith such thinking and attitudes.
The Lord has dealt with my heart regarding this. You all know that I prefer
the King James Version, but that doesn’t mean the Lord is unable to speak to

people through other translations, revealing truth that leads to salvation. I
prefer our choir to sing, but does that mean that any other type of music is
wrong and can’t glorify God? I am a Baptistand will be until I die, but are we
the only denomination that is reaching people with the Gospel? Justbecause
others are different, doesn’t mean that God is not working through them. I
may have different preferences, andeven disagree with some of their methods,
but I can’t condemn the work of the Lord. If they are savedby grace, seeking
to advance the Gospel, we are on the same team, working toward the same
goals!Time will eventually revealthe truth; it will endure if it’s of God.
Conclusion:This has been a convicting passage.Again, I am convincedwe are
more like the disciples than we care to admit. Often we allow our desires and
preferences to hinder what the Lord genuinely seeks to do through us. We
must be willing to serve Him and others, without being judgmental and
condemning just because someoneelse has a different approach. I pray we
will seek the Lord to guide our hearts as we strive to serve Him. If there are
needs in your life, particularly regarding salvation, come to Jesus today! BY
CHRIS BENFIELD
WHO’S THE GREATEST
Intro: Jesus and His men are on their way to Capernaum in these verses. As usual, Jesus uses
their time alone together to teach them more about Him and His ministry.
In verses 30-31 Jesus again tells His disciples that He will be killed, but that He will rise again
from the dead. They hear what He says, but they do not understand it, and they are afraid to ask
Him what He means, v. 32.
The disciples are not able to understand the truth the Messiah must give His life for His people.
They cannot comprehend the truth that Jesus came to this world “not to be served, but to serve
and to give His life a ransom for many.” They will not understand the main objective of the
Lord’s ministry among them until after He dies on the cross and rises from the dead. After that
they will understand and they will preach His death and resurrection in power, to the saving of
many souls.

Of course, our world also has a problem with the image of a suffering Savior. The idea that God
would have to die for sins so that sinners could be saved flies in the face of religion. According
to religion, man is able to work his way to God. God says that man cannot approach Him by
works, Eph. 2:8-9. The only way a person can come to God is through a faith relationship with
the Lord Jesus Christ, John 14:6.
The world hears the message of the cross and they say that it is foolishness, 1 Cor. 1:18. To say
that Jesus must die so that sinners could be saved is more than they can handle. The disciples are
in the same boat.
They see Jesus establishing His kingdom. They see Him reigning in power and glory. They see
Him defeating Israel’s enemies and restoring the ancient glory to Israel. They cannot see Him
dying for sin.
What they cannot grasp is exactly what Jesus came to this world to do. He came to die and rise
again so that all who receive Him might have everlasting life. That is the truth Jesus tried to
teach His disciples and that is what He wants you to know as well.
Salvation comes only through a personal, faith relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ,
Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:13, 1 Cor. 1:18. Is Jesus your Savior today?
As these verses unfold, we move from the teaching of our Lord’s death and resurrection to the
subject of who is greatest in the kingdom of God. Jesus uses these events to teach His people
then, and now, that true greatness come from humble service to others. I want to take a look at
this conversation between Jesus and His men. I would like to preach on the subject of
Who’s The Greatest. When we are through, we might just discover that those we think are the
greatest among us might not be great at all. We might also discover that the path to true greatness
is available to all who would walk it.
I want you to see
A Debate, A Demonstration and A Declaration in these verses. Let God minister to your heart as
we consider Who’s The Greatest?
I. v. 33-34
A DEBATE
· When they reached the end of their journey, Jesus has a question for His men. He wants to
know what they were discussing as they traveled, v. 33. His question is met with silence.
Apparently, they were embarrassed by their discussion, because they had been arguing among
themselves about who was the greatest of their number. They had been arguing over who was the
number one disciple!
· What had caused them to even begin thinking along these lines? I would suggest that it had
something to do with the fact that Jesus had chosen three of their number, Peter, James and John
to go with Him on a special trip up Mount Hermon, v. 2. I would also suggest that it had
something to do with the fact that when these three came down off that mountain, they were told
not to talk about what they had seen or heard there, v. 9.
So, these men come off the mountain and they are excited about what they have seen. They
might be saying things like, “Man, I have never seen anything like that! Have you?” “

That was the most amazing spiritual experience of my life!” So, they come off the mountain
having seen the very Shekinah glory of God; having seen Elijah and Moses; and having heard the
voice of God speaking with them.
They come back down from this experience and they are elated. I can see them smiling to
themselves; talking among themselves; and feeling a little superior to the others.
While three of the Lord’s disciples were enjoying that powerful mountain top experience, the
other disciples have been fighting a battle in the valley. They have been in an argument with the
scribes. They have been ridiculed by the crowd. They have failed miserably in a spiritual battle.
They have no use for the excitement or the silence of Peter, James and John.
· As they walk, they begin to talk. The nine ask the three about what happened on the mountain
top. The three respond that they cannot tell them what happened up there.
As you can imagine, this would have caused the nine disciples to feel inferior and left out. The
other three might have felt and acted superior to the others. You can almost imagine what their
conversation would have sounded like.
Peter, James and John make the case that one of them is surely the leader of the group since they
were chosen to go with Jesus and the others were not.
Maybe Peter says, “Well, it’s obvious that I am the leader. After all, it was me that first
proclaimed Jesus to be the Messiah.”
Maybe Andrew says, “Wait just a minute Brother! I introduced you to Jesus. If it weren’t for me,
you would still be out there on that boat fishing.”
Maybe John and James speak up and say, “
Hold it right there! We were among the first to follow Him. We have been with Him longer than
the rest.”
Maybe Judas says, “What about me? He trusts me to take care of the money.”
And so it goes. Each man thinks he is more qualified than the others. Each man thinks he is more
worthy of honor than the others. Each man thinks he should be the leader of the group.
· It’s no wonder that these men were embarrassed by their argument. When they were talking
among themselves the issue seemed important. But, when they stood before Jesus, they suddenly
see how silly, immature, arrogant and self-centered they had been. He was talking about the
matters of eternity. They could only focus on their own self-interests.
Look at the context! Jesus has just revealed His glory. Jesus has just proven His power over
demons. Jesus has just reminded them the He is going to die and rise again from the dead. And,
all they can do is fight about who should be first! No wonder they are embarrassed.
· By the way, it’s still embarrassing when it happens today! But it does happen! Everywhere you
go in the church you find the “high seat seekers”. Everywhere you go you find those people who
want to be recognized as the greatest and the best. Nearly every church has people who want to
be recognized as greatest and best.
In the epistle of 3 John, John condemned and man by the name of Diotrephes. John said that he
“loved to have the preeminence among them, v. 9.” that is, this man wanted to be number one.
He wanted to control the church. He wanted to run the church. He wanted to be the church boss.

He wanted everyone in the church to bow to bow to his will. Diotrephes is the kind of person we
should strive not to be!
· Let me just set the record straight today. There are no big “
I’s” and little “you’s” around here. All that we have in this church are people who have been
saved by the grace of God. There are no masters here that must be served. There are only people
here that need to learn to serve others. We are not a church filled with Masters; we are a church
filled with equals. We are all servants of the Living God and of others.
When this life is over and we stand before the Lord; all of our petty, silly striving to be first will
be seen to be as childish as it is. Would you rather stand before Him in embarrassment because
you wanted to be first? Or, would you rather stand before Him in fulfillment as He says to you,
“Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make
thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” The choice is yours.
II. v. 35-37 A DEMONSTRATION
· In order to correct the immature and foolish thinking of His disciples, Jesus sat down to teach
them His truth. When a rabbi sat, in those days, he assumed a place of authority over his
students. When Jesus sat down, His men knew they needed to listen up!
When Jesus begins to teach, He speaks of a great paradox. He tells them that the way to
greatness is through serving others. He tells them that the door to the first place is located in the
servant’s quarters. The word “servant” in verse 35 is the same word translated “
deacon” elsewhere in the New Testament. The word refers to those “
who wait tables”. The literal meaning of the word is “to kick up dust”. It is the image of a servant
kicking up little puffs of dust as he moves from one duty to another.
Jesus is teaching His men the truth that true greatness is achieved through the humble service of
others. That is a lesson that has been lost in our day. Some people think they deserve respect and
preferential treatment just because they occupy a certain position. If you attend preacher’s
meetings you encounter this attitude all the time. There are some men who walk around like little
peacocks, waiting for others to fawn over them and tell them how great they are.
If you really want others to respect you, serve them. Put them before yourself and meet their
needs, forgetting about your own needs. Give them the first seat, without wanting anything in
return. When we humble ourselves, the Lord will exalt us in due time,
Matt. 23:12; 1 Pet. 5:5.
· To put an even finer point on what He is teaching, Jesus takes a child and places him before the
disciples, v. 36. He tells them that if they will “receive” a child in His name is, in fact,
“receiving” both the Son and the Father Who sent Him.
The word “receive” carries the idea of “displaying hospitality”. In those days, hospitality was
everything. When a person showed up at your house, you were expected to “
receive” them and serve them, meeting all their needs.
Jesus is telling us that when we serve the least among us, we are in reality serving Him. By
serving Him, we are serving His Father as well.
· Jesus could have just told them this. Why did He use a child? I think there are several reasons.
First, children in that society were at the bottom of the social ladder. They were viewed as mere

property and largely ignored by most adults. Second, Jesus used a child to teach His disciples
about service because children really can’t do anything for adults. A child can’t enhance a
person’s position in society. A child cannot add to your success. A child can’t make you more
important in the eyes of the world. However, a child can teach you much about ministry!
Think about it, every parent in this room knows what happens when you have a new baby. That
child demands everything! From day one it must be served, every need must be met by a willing
adult. Children come into our homes and they take constant care and attention. If they are
ignored, they let you know all about in loud and irritating fashion. When parents have children,
they learn what giving and service are all about. When that child is born you give and you give
and you give. When that child grows, you give and you give and you give. Often, even they
reach adulthood, you give and you give and you give.
· Jesus used a child because children need to be served, but they cannot serve us in return. That is
a lesson we all need to take to heart. Too often, we only serve those who can do something in
return for us. The Lord would have us reach out to those who are the neediest. He would have us
serve those who cannot or even will not serve us in return. He desires that we do as He did and
give our all for those who may break our hearts in return.
Often the church will reach out, but when we do, we often reach out to people who are like us.
We look for those we think will be a blessing to the church. We want people with money, talent
and potential. We look for people who can help us become a success.
Jesus, on the other hand, had a habit of reaching out to people who could do nothing for Him in
return. (Ill. Jairus’ daughter; The Widow of Nain; The Gaderene Demoniac; Bartimaeus; the
Dying Thief, etc.)
· That is what Jesus did the night before He died. His disciples were so busy arguing about who
should be the greatest that not a one of them would humble himself and wash the feet of the
others, as was the custom of the day. But, when Jesus and His disciples finished their meal in the
upper room, Jesus put a towel around His waist and washed His disciple’s feet, John 13:1-17.
Jesus took the place of a slave and washed the dirty feet of men who would run away before
dawn. He washed the feet of Peter who would deny Him three times before dawn. He even
washed the feet of Judas Iscariot who would betray Him in to the hands of His enemies that very
night.
Jesus freely served those who would break His heart. When the next day dawned, Jesus
performed the greatest service of all when He went to Calvary to die on the cross for sinners who
hated Him and wanted nothing to do with Him.
Jesus set the example for us. He was a servant of the neediest people of all. He was a servant to
those who could never repay Him. He was a servant to those who would fail Him, deny Him, and
dishonor Him. He was a servant to you and men when He died on the cross,
Mark 10:45.
We need to set our hearts on those who need Jesus, without regard for what they can bring to the
table or contribute to the church. We need to fulfill our Lord’s command to “Go out into the
highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled,”
Luke 14:23. We need to wash the feet of those around us, regardless of their position in society,
their ability to help us, or their power and influence. We need a heart that is willing to serve the
least among us for the glory of God alone!

III. v. 38-41 A DECLARATION
· When John hears the words of Jesus, he brings up an incident that had occurred sometime
earlier,
v. 38. Apparently, the disciples had encountered a fellow who was casting out demons in the
name of Jesus. This fellow was successful because the verse says that “
he was casting out devils” in Jesus’ name. But, because he “followed” not Jesus and His men, the
disciples rebuked him and told him to stop what he was doing.
John is saying, “Jesus, we saw a fellow who was using Your name to cast out devils. But, we set
him straight! He wasn’t doing it like we do it and we let him know that our way is the only right
way that it can be done. He’s out of business!”
Jesus responds by telling them to let people like that alone, v. 39. If they are doing good works in
the name of Jesus, they are not against Him, but they are working for Him, v. 40. Jesus goes on
to tell His men that even if someone just gave a disciple a cup of water in the name of the Lord,
that person would surely be rewarded for their service,
v. 41.
· There are several lessons here for the modern church, if we are willing to receive them. Often,
we are just like the Lord’s disciples. If a church, a ministry or an individual doesn’t do
everything just like we do them, then we are quick to condemn them. We are quick to judge
them. We are quick to lash out against them. We are quick to try and silence them. There are a
few truths we have forgotten!
Ø No church, no preacher and no ministry has an exclusive lock on the truth – In other words,
God did not establish us as the final determiner of who is and who isn’t serving the Lord. Truth
is always much bigger than our grasp of it! The primary thing is whether or not the Lord is being
glorified.
(Ill. Jealousy over the things of God is nothing new - Joshua and Moses, Num. 11:26-29; Ill.
John the Baptist, John 3:26-30.)
Ø When it comes to churches, one size does not fit all – Not everyone responds to the way we do
things here at Calvary. This church isn’t for every believer!
As much as it may irk us at time, God does use folks who do things differently than we do. We
need to be careful that we do not judge a church, a ministry or a preacher just because they are
different than we are.
There are things that go on in other churches that I can’t stomach. I have a hard time with loose
dress standards in churches. I have a hard time with churches that use rock music. I have a hard
time with preachers who have abandoned the KJV. I have a hard time with lots of things. But, I
am forced by this passage to remember that even if I may not like this or that about a church or a
ministry, if they love Jesus and preaching His Gospel, we are branch offices of the same
business! We are still on the same team, even if I do not like their methods.
I am not condoning what they do; all I am saying is that we must understand those ministries will
give an account to God and not to us. Our duty here is for us to be the kind of church He wants

us to be. In other words, we are to worry about our own business first. And, we’ve got enough
here to keep us busy for the rest of our days!
Ø In the end, every church and every ministry must be judged by the kind of people it produces –
If a ministry produces worldly people, it is of the world, no matter what they claim. If a ministry
produces Godly people, it is a tool God is using, no matter how we feel about it!
Conc: During the Revolutionary War General George Washington walked up on a group of men
who were trying to pull down a tree. They were almost able to get the job done, but they lacked
just a little strength. It appeared that the help of just one more man would be sufficient to get the
job done.
Washington noticed their commanding officer standing off to the side, shouting orders.
“Why don’t you help them?” Washington asked.
The officer responded indignantly, “Sir, I am their commander! I give the orders and they do the
work!”
Hearing that, Washington got off his horse, took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves and gave the
tired men the help they needed to complete their task.
When they were finished, Washington looked at the officer and said, “Sir, if your men need any
further assistance, please call on me at any time.”
The officer said, “
Thank you friend, and where may I call for you if I need you?”
Washington said, “
You can find me in the commanding General’s tent.” With that he rode off leaving the
astonished and embarrassed officer in his wake.
Who’s the greatest in Calvary Baptist Church? The greatest person in this church is the person
who serves others selflessly, with no thought for what they might receive in return. The greatest
person in this church is the person who is willing to take the last place so that others can be first.
The greatest person in this church is the person who seeks to serve those who can never give
anything back in return. Does that describe you?
Or, has God spoken to you about this matter of serving Him by serving others. If He has, you
need to come before Him and surrender to His plan for your life.
Are you saved? If you aren’t, you can be! If the Lord is speaking to your heart about the greatest
need of your soul, you need to come to Him and be saved today.
BY ALAN CARR
Matthew 20:26 /matthew/20-27.htm New
InternationalVersion

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become
great among you must be your servant,
New Living Translation
But among you it will be different. Whoeverwants to
be a leader among you must be your servant,
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
True Greatness
Matthew 20:25-27
W.F. Adeney The daring request of the mother of Zebedee's children roused the jealousy of the
other disciples. This was natural, and quite in accordance with the customs of the world.
Nevertheless, Christ disapproved of the feeling. It showed something of the same selfish
ambition that the two brothers had displayed.
I. WORLDLY DIFFERENCES OF RANK ARE NOT TO BE ALLOWED IN THE CHURCH
OF CHRIST.
1. The necessity of this rule. It springs from the essential characteristics of Christianity.
(1) Brotherhood. In Christ rich and poor, high and low, are brothers, members of one family. We
are to call no man master in the Church, because we are all brethren. No institution of man is
more democratic than the Church of Christ - when it realizes his idea.
(2) The supremacy of Christ. One is our Master, even Christ (Matthew 23:8). For a man to
exercise lordship is to usurp the kingly office of Christ. Not only is he supreme; he deals directly
with every soul in his kingdom.
(3) The worthlessness of external pre-eminence. Christ cares for nothing of this sort. Of titles and
offices he takes no account. Character and conduct are the only things that he observes and
judges us by and character and conduct are quite independent of official position and nominal
rank.
2. The application of this rule. It has been and it is now so grievously neglected and outraged that
we ought to expose the wrong with a reformer's courage.
(1) In hierarchical pretensions. The papal claims are here out of court. Therefore the friends of
the papacy do not favour the reading of the New Testament by the people. But all domineering
priestliness is equally excluded.
(2) In worldly position. Differences of rank that have nothing to do with ecclesiastical order are
also quite out of place in the Church. They may have their use in the world. But they cannot
confer any privileges in spiritual and religious matters.

II. CHRISTIAN GREATNESS IS GREATNESS OF SERVICE. It is not hierarchical power and
dignity. It is not secular wealth and titles. It is a purely moral greatness - the result of conduct.
They stand highest in the kingdom of heaven who best serve their brethren.
1. The grounds of this greatness.
(1) It is Christ-like. They will be most honoured by Christ who best resemble him; they will
come nearest to him in rank who follow him most closely in conduct. Christ was the servant of
all.
(2) It is inherently excellent. God honours Christ himself for this very reason. He humbled
himself and took on him the form of a servant - "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him"
(Philippians 2:9). To serve is to manifest energy in unselfishness and kindness - the best of all
things witnessed on earth.
2. The pursuit of this greatness. The words, "and whosoever would become great among you
shall be your servant," are not the threat of a punishment for ambition. They are an indication of
the way to true greatness. This is not, like worldly greatness, reserved for the privileged. It is
within the reach of all. If any wish to approach the honours coveted for the brothers James and
John, the way is open. It is to be first in service, to excel in self-sacrificing toil for the good of
others. - W.F.A.
Biblical Illustrator
And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Matthew 20:26-28
True greatness
C. O. Bridgman, D. D.Greatness a word often used, and people's ideas of it differ much. Some
regard it as consisting in wealth, social position, physical strength. Christ places it in service,
springing from love in the heart. Man's true greatness must be in himself.
1. The importance of a true ideal of life.
2. This true ideal can be realized by every one of us. No life need be a failure.
(C. O. Bridgman, D. D.)
Greatness measured by service
G. Anderson, D. D.I. Greatness is to be measured by service. No man lives or dies to himself.
Florence .Nightingale moved other women most when she herself went to minister on battle
fields.

II. The greater men are in intellect and culture, the more imperative it is that they become leaders
and helpers. If a man has power to do good and refuses, he is not guiltless.
III. Those who thus labour for the good of their fellow-men are the greatest. Love is the greatest
power on the earth.
(G. Anderson, D. D.)
Basis of true greatness
R. W. Clark, D. D.1. Our Lord does not condemn the spirit of ambition, but simply aims to point
out the basis of real greatness. He regarded His disciples, in a certain sense, as kings, but He
would have them establish their regal right in a different manner from the princes of this world.
2. In how many scriptural promises do we find this principle recognized. They that turn many to
righteousness " shall shine as the stars for ever and ever:' St. Paul says, "There is laid up for me a
crown of righteousness," etc.
3. Rank in the kingdom of heaven will be measured by humility. Condescension is the measure
of exaltation. The way up to the glory of the Exalted One is through humble, self-denying love.
(R. W. Clark, D. D.)
The greatness of being useful
H. Melvill, B. D.Yet what has the patriot made himself but the servant of his countrymen: It was
in order to the ministering to the well-being of thousands, that he threw himself into the breach,
and challenged tyranny to the battle. It was for the sake of securing the rights of those who trod
the same soil with himself, that he arose as the champion of the wretched and injured. The case is
the same with the philosopher as with the patriot. Accordingly, he who labours in the mine of
truth, and presents to the world the results of his investigations, furnishes his fellow-men with
new principles on which to act in the business of life, and thus equips them for fresh enterprises,
and instructs them how to add to the sum total of happiness. We need not exemplify this in
particular instances. You are all aware how scientific research is turned to account in everyday
life, and how the very lowest of our people enjoy, in one way or another, the fruits of discoveries
which are due to the marvellous sagacity, and the repeated experiments, of those who rank
foremost in the annals of philosophy. And thus it is evident that the man who is great in science,
is great in the power of serving his fellow-men, and that it is this latter greatness which insures
him their applauses. If his discoveries were of no benefit to the many; if they opened no means
by which enjoyments might be multiplied, toil diminished, or danger averted; his name would be
known only within a limited circle, and there would be nothing that approached to a general
recognition of superiority. The individual again who gains renown as a statesman, who serves his
country in the senate as the warrior in the field, is the minister to all classes, so that the very
lowest have the profit of his toils. And in proportion as the service wore the aspect of selfishness,
would the tribute of applause be diminished: we should be less and less disposed to allow, that,
in making himself a servant, he had made himself great, if we had increasing cause to think that
his main design was the serving himself. But there is no room for suspicions of this class, when
the exhibition is that of a fine Christian philanthropy, leading a man to give his assiduity to the
sick-beds of the poor, or the prisons of the criminal. Accordingly, when an individual is
manifestly and strongly actuated by this philanthropy, there is an almost universal consent in
awarding him the appellation of great: even those who would be amongst the last to imitate are
amongst the first to applaud.

(H. Melvill, B. D.)
Pride destroys the best elements of character
H. Melvill, B. D.The rebel against lawful authority cannot be truly great: the slave of his own
passions cannot be truly great: the idolater of his own powers cannot be truly great. And the
proud man is this rebel, this slave, this idolater; for pride spurns at the Divine dominion, gives
vigour to depraved affections, and exaggerates all our powers. What, then, can be more accurate
than that pride destroys the chief elements of which a great character is compounded, so that it
must be to direct a man in the way to eminence, to prescribe that he be "clothed with humility?"
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
Christ our Redeemer because our servant
H. Melvill, B. D. .But if Christ thus made Himself servant to the human race, it is this very fact
which is to draw to Him finally universal homage. Had He not been their servant, He could not
have been their Redeemer; and, if not their Redeemer, then at His name would not every knee
have bowed, "of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." Thus He
illustrates His own precept: He became great through redeeming; but since lie redeemed through
making Himself the minister to a lost world, lie became great through becoming a servant.
(H. Melvill, B. D. .)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(26) Whosoever will be great.—Better, whosoever
wisheth to be great. The man who was conscious, as the disciples were, of the promptings of
ambition was at once to satisfy and purify them by finding his greatness in active service; not
because that service leads to greatness of the type which natural ambition seeks for, but because
it is in itself the truest and highest greatness.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary20:20-28 The sons of Zebedee abused what Christ said to
comfort the disciples. Some cannot have comforts but they turn them to a wrong purpose. Pride
is a sin that most easily besets us; it is sinful ambition to outdo others in pomp and grandeur. To
put down the vanity and ambition of their request, Christ leads them to the thoughts of their
sufferings. It is a bitter cup that is to be drunk of; a cup of trembling, but not the cup of the
wicked. It is but a cup, it is but a draught, bitter perhaps, but soon emptied; it is a cup in the hand
of a Father, Joh 18:11. Baptism is an ordinance by which we are joined to the Lord in covenant
and communion; and so is suffering for Christ, Eze 20:37; Isa 48:10. Baptism is an outward and
visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace; and so is suffering for Christ, for unto us it is given,
Php 1:29. But they knew not what Christ's cup was, nor what his baptism. Those are commonly
most confident, who are least acquainted with the cross. Nothing makes more mischief among
brethren, than desire of greatness. And we never find Christ's disciples quarrelling, but
something of this was at the bottom of it. That man who labours most diligently, and suffers
most patiently, seeking to do good to his brethren, and to promote the salvation of souls, most

resembles Christ, and will be most honoured by him to all eternity. Our Lord speaks of his death
in the terms applied to the sacrifices of old. It is a sacrifice for the sins of men, and is that true
and substantial sacrifice, which those of the law faintly and imperfectly represented. It was a
ransom for many, enough for all, working upon many; and, if for many, then the poor trembling
soul may say, Why not for me?
Barnes' Notes on the BibleBut Jesus called them unto him - That is, he called all the apostles to
him, and stated the principles on which they were to act.
The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them - That is, over their subjects. "You
know that such honors are customary among nations. The kings of the earth raise their favorites
to posts of trust and power they give authority to some over others; but my kingdom is
established in a different manner. All are to be on a level. The rich, the poor, the learned, the
unlearned, the bond, the free, are to be equal. He will be the most distinguished that shows most
humility, the deepest sense of his unworthiness, and the most earnest desire to promote the
welfare of his brethren."
Gentiles - All who were not Jews - used here to denote the manner in which human governments
are constituted.
Minister - A servant. The original word is deacon - a word meaning a servant of any kind; one
especially who served at the table, and, in the New Testament, one who serves the church, Acts
6:1-4; 1 Timothy 3:8. Preachers of the gospel are called minister's because they are the servants
of God and of the church 1 Corinthians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 4:1; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 2 Corinthians
6:4; Ephesians 4:12; an office, therefore, which forbids them to lord it over God's heritage,
which is the very opposite of a station of superiority, and which demands the very lowest degree
of humility.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible CommentaryMt 20:17-28. Third Explicit Announcement of His
Approaching Sufferings, Death, and Resurrection—The Ambitious Request of James and John,
and the Reply. ( = Mr 10:32-45; Lu 18:31-34).
For the exposition, see on [1331]Mr 10:32-45.
Matthew Poole's CommentarySee Poole on "Matthew 20:27".
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBut it shall not be so among you,.... This is not to be
extended to Christian nations, as if there were to be no order of magistracy subsisting in them;
but that all must be on a level, and no distinction of princes and subjects, of governors and
governed; nor to Christian churches, as if there was no ecclesiastical authority to be used, or any
church government and power to be exercised; none to rule, whom others are to obey and submit
themselves to; but is to be restrained to the apostles as such, among whom there was an entire
equality; being all apostles of Christ, being equally qualified and sent, and put into the selfsame
office by him: the same holds good of all pastors of churches, who have no superintendency and
pre-eminence over one another, or can, or ought to exercise any lordly power and authority, one,
or more, over the rest; being equally invested with the same office power, one as another: for
otherwise Christ's kingdom would appear like the nations of the world, and to be of a worldly
nature; whereas it is spiritual, and does not lie in worldly pomp and grandeur, and in external
superiority and pre-eminence of one another; but in the spiritual administration of the word and
ordinances; which every pastor of a church has an equal right to exercise, and obedience to them
lies in a submission to these things:

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