The Greatest in
the Kingdom is the Least
In Mark 10:35-45, one would notice a request made by the
two apostles. “And James and John, the
sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do
for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I
should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on
thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory” (Mark 10:35-37). Matthew adds who really
made the request (Matt. 20:20).
After this statement was made, Christ asked if they could drink of the cup and
be baptized with the baptism that He is baptized with (More on the meaning of
that in the next point). They affirmed that they could. He let them know that
the two men would. This did not sit well with the other ten disciples. They
were displeased with James and John. This was a prime opportunity for the
Christ to teach an important lesson to the twelve (v. 42-45).
Those rulers of the Gentiles held lordship over the
people and were oftentimes very harsh in their rule. Read The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by Suetonius. You will get an idea
of just how harsh some of the Romans rulers really were. These were individuals
who loved to laud their greatness with pomp and circumstance. Think to the
arrival of Agrippa to listen to the circumstances of Paul’s imprisonment. “And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and
Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief
captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was
brought forth” (Acts 25:23). Christ
taught that this was not the way to greatness. It was not through a great title
(Matt. 23:1-12) or power. Something
else is needed to be the greatest in the kingdom of God.
The greatest
in the kingdom would be those who would serve others. The humble would be those
who would be the chief members. One should be reminded of the Pharisee and the
Publican (Luke 18:9-14). Think of
the various statements which are found in the Bible. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up”
(Jam. 4:10). This is a lesson which
stayed in the mind of John throughout his life. “I wrote unto the church:
but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us
not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating
against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he
himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.” (3 John 1:9-10). The church needs more people who are
willing to be servants. That is the way to greatness.
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