Mark 10:35-45 — Servant Leaders?

Mark 10:35-45

v. 42-45 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are

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considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

It seems that James and John may have realized that Jesus was not going to establish a physical/ political kingdom of Israel on earth. He had just taught about his approaching death. So here we see James and John jockey for prime positions in the glory of Jesus' kingdom—in the next life. They got the jump on the other disciples in this respect. 

The other disciples were angry. 

When Jesus responded by asking if they were able to drink the cup and be baptized with what he was about to be baptized, they said, “Yes.” They really had no idea what they were saying, but it would in fact come to pass that they would suffer for the sake of Christ. However, Jesus said that God was not currently “taking applications” for those positions in heaven.

Jesus still had to deal with the envy and anger of the other apostles and did so by saying (and I paraphrase), "If James and John want to be rulers or first among you let them. It just means that they will have to become your servant—your slave. In the world to come, it will be (and in the church today it should be) that your leaders will be those who serve you rather than those who lord it over you. 

If you want to lead, then you must learn to serve. Jesus modeled this for us in that he came not to be served but to serve.

Because this series of devotionals is short, I have not included all that I have written on this passage here. For a longer treatment on this passage, which I wrote to encourage pastors and Christian leaders click on the following link: Are We Asking Amiss? Seven Questions for Discerning the Legitimacy of Our Prayer (Mark 10:35-45).