Wednesday 25 July 2012
- Bible Book:
- Matthew
"It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave." (vv. 26-27)
Background
Today's passage depicts the request for glory by Jesus'disciples followed by Jesus' radical teaching on service. It comesdirectly after Jesus' third passion prediction in Matthew's Gospel(20:17-19), and so sets up an implicit contrastbetween Jesus' willingness to suffer and the disciples' desire forgreatness. The disciples clearly have a lot to learn.
It was the mother of the "sons of Zebedee" (v. 20) who comes toJesus, asking that her sons - James and John - could sit at hisright and left hand when the kingdom comes. Turning to James andJohn, Jesus points out they don't know what they are asking. Beingwith Jesus means following the way of the cross, 'drinking the cup'(v. 22), and Jesus recognises that James and John will indeedsuffer for the gospel. James, after all, was martyred (
The second part of the passage begins with the exasperated angerof the other Apostles with the two brothers. Who did they thinkthey were, asking Jesus such a thing? Their anger leads to Jesus'teaching about service. In contrast to the gentiles (non Jews),Jesus instructs his disciples to serve from below rather than rulefrom above. True greatness comes from service, and to be "first"means being last. Such service is grounded in Jesus' own calling:the "Son of Man" - a term Jesus often uses of himself in thepassion predictions (eg
Today when we remember James the apostle, it is helpful toremember that he too was subject to pride and envy, and yet Jesuschose him as his own. Learning the lesson of radical service, hewas also one of the Church's first martyrs.
To Ponder
- How is Jesus' teaching on service reflected in the Church? Andin your church in particular?
- To what extent is the 'way of the cross' always a part ofChristian life?
- How can focusing on Jesus help you become a better 'servant' ofothers?