Sunday 21 October 2012

Background

Today's passage follows on from teaching which Jesus had justgiven to his disciples about how he will be treated when they allgo to Jerusalem - and how he will be killed, but rise again afterthree days (Mark 10:32-34).

It seems extraordinary that at that moment James and John weremore concerned about their own position and status, rather thanwhat Jesus had just said. The highest place of honour was at theseat on the right of a ruler or host at dinner, and the nexthighest place was on the left. The two disciples were unfortunaterepresentatives of the human behaviour which seeks status andrecognition.

Jesus responded to the request with questions which lead to anunderstanding of the real cost of discipleship. For the firstreaders of Mark's Gospel, this would have resonated with much ofwhat Christians were experiencing at that time - real hardship andpersecution.

The other disciples were understandably angry with James andJohn. Whether that was because they too wanted places of honour, orbecause they realised how inappropriate the two disciples' requestwas, we do not know. But it enabled Jesus to teach the importanceof servant ministry. A well-known passage in the Old Testamentspeaks of the suffering servant (Isaiah53) and Christians see that as laying the foundation ofJesus' life and ministry. Jesus himself behaved like aservant, and a servant who suffered for others.

The real message that greatness lies in serving other people iscentral to understanding how to be a follower of Jesus. This mayhave been included in Mark's Gospel as a warning to the earlyChurch, and possibly as a warning to church leaders whose attitudeswere not unlike those of James and John.

To Ponder

• How easy do you find it to serve other people? And how do youcope with people who seek status and recognition?

• Can you think of ways in which you may suffer if you want tofollow Jesus?