Mark 10:41-45 41And when the ten heard it, they began to be angry at James and John. 42And calling them together Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43But it is not so among you, but whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant, 44and whoever would be first among you will be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The true colors of all twelve apostles come out in this story. The audacity of James and John made the other ten angry, and perhaps a bit jealous. Jealousy and rivalry reveal fleshly and selfish thinking. The other ten apostles knew something was not right in the situation. Jesus’s response to their anger reveals what bothered them the most. He called them together for another huddle and teaching moment. He would attempt to help them understand the level of commitment he was about to show them on the cross and what they needed to live out in Spirit-filled resurrection power after.
Jesus makes a comparison in his response between how the world acts and how the disciples should act. History has shown over and over again how the rulers of the nations (ethnōn) take positions of power and control over people. To lord it over has the sense of ambition to have power over people. A certain type of leadership is implied in this phrase. The typical leadership style shown in many rulers of the first century bordered on dictatorship and sometimes cruelty, especially toward enemies. Positions of power and influence open the door to corruption and superior thinking. Victimization of others usually results.
These attitudes and actions are not only problems of Gentile rulers but can creep into even the relationships between followers of Jesus, as evidenced between James and John and the other ten. Verse 43 begins with a strong statement of declaration using an indicative verb that has a sense of imperative. Disciples do not and should not act that way. They are different because they have different priorities that have been transformed through obedience to a new Lord.
Jesus next highlights one of the great paradoxes of God’s kingdom. To be great in God’s kingdom requires being a servant (diakonos). The meaning of serving in the New Testament has the sense of deep love, concern, and willingness to forego one’s rights in order for others to come to full faith in Jesus Christ. Servants model the Great Servant, Jesus, who willingly when to the cross as a sign of his love for humanity (Philippians 2:5-11). Greatness comes when one joins unconditional love with total obedience in order to see others grow in their faith. Selfishness becomes a great hurdle and block not only in one’s relationship with another person but also in spiritual development and relationship with God. The problem of self lays behind the marital issues Jesus earlier spoke about in verses 1-12.
Verse 44 says essentially the same thing in parallel but uses different words. Great is joined with first, which specifically speaks to the request of James and John. Were they willing to follow Jesus to the cross and give up themselves in service in order to have places of honor in God’s kingdom? Following this path of greatness and being first cannot be done out of selfish motives. Greatness in God’s kingdom is not earned by human effort but given as a gift and experienced through faith. The motive is not to be first but to be obedience and serving. Servant is replaced with slave, which gives a sense of submission. The contrast is even more vivid in the second phrase. A servant might have some degree of self-will and freedom, but a slave was even more inferior, lacking freedom in many cases, and had to do whatever the master said.
Discipleship follows the new model provided by Jesus. Verse 45 is another forceful declaration with Jesus using his self-description of Son of Man. Jesus sets the pattern for all who wish to follow him and receive eternal life. Ministry must be modeled after the pattern of the cross and not according to the latest leadership fads or values of the world. Jesus modeled relationship and service by going to the cross. The keyword ransom (lytron) refers to the price paid to get prisoners of war back, purchase a slave, or get someone out of jail. In the context of Israel’s faith, it is related to atonement from sin. Jesus willingly gave his very life so that all people have the availability of salvation and potential for eternal life. Going to the cross was his own decision and not forced by God the Father. Again, the theme of the cross stands in the background of discipleship.
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