41<\/strong>. began to be much displeased<\/em> ] “hadden endignacioun,” Wyclif. The sons of Zebedee had been in a better social position than most of their brethren, and this attempt to secure a pre-eminence of honour kindled a storm of jealousy.<\/p>\n Verse 41. When the ten heard it<\/B><\/I>] See Mt 20:24-28<\/span>.<\/P><\/p>\n 41. And when the ten heard it, theybegan to be much displeased with James and John<\/B>or “weremoved with indignation,” as the same word is rendered in Mt20:24<\/span>. The expression “began<\/I> to be,” which is offrequent occurrence in the Gospels, means that more passed than isexpressed, and that we have but the result. And can we blame the tenfor the indignation which they felt? Yet there was probably a spiceof the old spirit of rivalry in it, which in spite of our Lord’srecent lengthened, diversified, and most solemn warnings against it,had not ceased to stir in their breasts.<\/P><\/p>\n And when the ten heard it<\/strong>,…. The request made by the sons of Zebedee or their mother for them:<\/p>\n they began to be much displeased with James and John<\/strong>; Matthew says “they were moved with indignation against them”, Mt 20:24<\/span>; they were filled with, wrath and were very angry with them; which they showed in their countenances and by their behaviour towards them as well as by words: the Syriac and Arabic versions, render it, “they began to murmur against them”; they highly resented it and were ready to break out into an open quarrel upon it;<\/p>\n [See comments on Mt 20:24]<\/span>.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 1) “And when the ten heard it,”<\/strong> (kai alkousantes hoi deka) ”And when the ten (other ten of the apostles) heard it,” learned of James’ and John’s request of Jesus, Mat 20:24<\/span>. Every jealousy, strife, and indignation welled up in them.<\/p>\n 2) “They<\/strong> began to be much displeased,” <\/strong>(erksanto aganaktein) “They began to be incensed,” inflamed, indignant, with jealousy, resentment, and perhaps fear of positions of prestige for themselves, showing their carnality as well, Eph 4:30-32<\/span>; Luk 9:46<\/span>.<\/p>\n 3) ”With James and John.”<\/strong> (peri lakobou kai loannou) “Concerning James and John,” about the selfish request they, James and John and their mother, had made of Jesus, They were moved with indignation toward James and John, and their Zebedee mother, so that there was strife in the camp of the twelve, Luk 22:23-27<\/span>.<\/p>\n ‘And when the ten heard it they began to be moved with indignation at James and John, and Jesus called them to him and says to them, “You know that those who are deemed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it is not so among you. But whoever would become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever would be first among you shall be bondservant of all.” ’<\/p>\n It takes a long time to develop true humility and with all Jesus’ teaching it had not yet become obvious among the Twelve. Thus when the others heard what James and John had done they were indignant. What right had they to pre-empt the issue, they thought. They little realised that thereby they were showing that they too were unfit for the position.<\/p>\n How hard a lesson it is to learn, that the Christian leader should desire only one thing, and that not to be admired or exalted, but to be allowed to humbly serve. He must not want position or fame or to be treated as someone important. He must want to act as a bondservant to everyone, and really mean it. The Apostles had not learned it yet and they had been with Him for years. Show me someone who basks in praise, and I will show you someone who is a beginner in Christ.<\/p>\n Jesus illustrated His point from Gentile rulers. The Jews had experienced a number of them. And one thing was common to all, they lorded it over their people. They were proud of their authority and very conscious of it, and they exerted it to the full. They were the masters and they wanted everyone to know it. Furthermore the dreams of the Jews for the future rested on similar hopes for their own exaltation. And it was these very attributes that would cause them to reject and crucify Jesus.<\/p>\n ‘But it is not so among you.’ Those who were seeking position so as to be masters and lords in that way were not true disciples, nor were they following their Master. If they thought like that they were totally in the wrong. For disciples the opposite was to be true.<\/p>\n ‘Whoever would become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever would be first among you shall be bondservant of all.’ Compare Mar 9:35<\/span>. The true disciple’s prime concern, said Jesus, is to serve, yes even to be a bondservant. That is the test of greatness among Christians. Such a man does not look for praise, he does not seek honour, he does not desire position. He gladly takes the lowest task if it will help someone. He just wants to be useful in God’s service, and as long as God is satisfied he is satisfied. That is true greatness. And that will apply in heaven as well as on earth.<\/p>\n ‘Be your servant.’ The idea is of personal service rendered to others. And note the ‘your’. In that small band his aim would be the good of all and to serve all. He would not even want to be ‘first’. He would not think of it. The word for servant is diakononos. This verse incidentally describes the duties and responsibilities of a deacon, humble service to others. But that is not strictly in mind here. What is in mind here is the whole attitude of wanting to serve rather than to master it over others.<\/p>\n ‘Bondservant of all.’ Here the idea is of commitment and responsibility. He is ‘bound’ to those he serves, he is their debtor. They owe him nothing. He owes them everything.<\/p>\n Another lesson in humility:<\/p>\n v. 41<\/strong>. And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.<\/strong><\/p>\n v. 42<\/strong>. But Jesus called them to Him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.<\/strong><\/p>\n v. 43<\/strong>. But so shall it not be among you; but whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister;<\/strong><\/p>\n v. 44<\/strong>. and whosoever of you will be the chiefest shall be servant of all.<\/strong><\/p>\n v. 45<\/strong>. For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.<\/p>\n <\/strong> The other ten apostles had witnessed the entire incident with jealous apprehension and growing indignation. Not that they did not have the. same aspirations, but that others had voiced them first and probably been near accomplishing their design. Jesus believed the time appropriate to repeat the lesson of a short time ago. He called the Twelve to Him, apart from the rest of the disciples that. were with them. He then placed a contrast before them. Those who pass for, and are esteemed as, rulers by the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones of the world exercise dominion, use their power as they see fit, chiefly to enlarge their power. That is the case in earthly matters. But within the kingdom of Christ things are, or at least ought to be, far different. There greatness is measured, not by the amount of authority exercised, but by the amount of service rendered. The greater the service that is rendered, in unselfish humility, the higher will be the standing of a person in God’s kingdom. The more thorough the self-abasement in the interest of one’s neighbor and for love of Christ, the greater it will be accounted on God’s credit slip. And in this the apostles and all Christians have the most glorious example before their eyes always: He, the great Lord of heaven, who came to earth as the Son of Man, who might have demanded and enforced the service of all creation, did not demand and accept this service, but Himself became the lowest servant of all. That was one object of His coming. And the other is closely connected with this. He freely gave His life as a ransom, as the price of redemption. His life, His blood, was given to pay the guilt of the whole world, and though there is a large number that reject His redemption, there are also, by His grace, many that believe on Him and are saved by such faith. “Mark especially the verse where Christ says: The Son of Man is come to give His life as a ransom for many. For this verse teaches…. of the forgiveness of sins, and how we may obtain it. With our works and merit we are lost; for we owe God such a great sum that it is impossible for us to pay it. How may we then become rid of the guilt? In no other way but that our dear Lord Jesus Christ accepts our guilt and takes our sins from us and lays them on His back and suffers death, which we had earned by our sins, in order that we might be free and liberated from death.”<\/p>\n DISCOURSE: 1443 Mar 10:41-45<\/span>. And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you mill be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many<\/em>.<\/p>\n THE corruption of the heart, like fire in flint, generally lies concealed, till, by a collision with some particular circumstances, it is elicited; and then it comes forth with a power capable of producing the most fatal effects. Till James and John had applied to the Lord Jesus for the two highest places in his kingdom, the other ten Disciples appeared content with any lot that should be assigned them: but when they had reason to apprehend that their more aspiring brethren might be placed above them, they were filled with indignation against them, and were ready to dispute and quarrel with them for precedency. Then they shewed, that they themselves were as much actuated by ambition as the others; and were quite as averse to yield, as the others were anxious to obtain, the highest place of dignity and power. Unconscious of the evil that existed in themselves, they were soon offended at it in others: and it is observable, that we are never more easily offended, than when we behold in others the evil that is predominant in ourselves; so blind are we in our judgment, and so partial in our decisions. I.<\/p>\n Of contrast<\/p>\n The men of this world affect and exercise a lordly authority The same dispositions are observable also in subordinate governors, and in all who are invested with authority: there is in every one a proneness to extend his power, and to make his own will the rule and reason of action to those around him: and the greater measure of despotism any one is able to exercise, the more he conceives himself to be exalted in the scale of being.] Our Lord proceeded to illustrate this idea further, in a way,<\/p>\n II.<\/p>\n Of comparison<\/p>\n Our blessed Lord has exhibited a perfect pattern for his people To resemble him should be the summit of our ambition From this subject we may learn, The true nature of Christian morality<\/p>\n [The generality of Christians have a scheme of morals scarcely elevated beyond the systems which were established by heathen philosophers: their morality is a system of pride; and, however wide its circumference, every line of it centres in self. But the morality of the Gospel is founded in humility, and, in every part of it, has respect to the glory of God. It requires us not to live unto ourselves, but unto him who died for us and rose again Were this more considered amongst us, we should not hear of persons founding their hopes of acceptance on their morality: for, where is there one who has regulated his life by this standard? If we try our morals by this touchstone, we shall see that the very best of us needs a Saviour, as much as the vilest of the human race Let us remember then what true morality is, and labour to attain its utmost heights.]<\/p>\n 2.<\/p>\n The diversified uses that we are to make of our Saviours death<\/p>\n [Doubtless the first great use that we are to make of it, is, to trust in it for our reconciliation with God. We all have sold ourselves to sin and Satan, and must all look to his blood as the price paid for our redemption. No other ransom ever was, or ever can be, paid for our souls: in that<\/em> therefore must be all our hope, and trust, and confidence But in the death of Christ we have also an assemblage of every virtue that suffering humanity can exercise. In that we have a pattern of all that is great and glorious; a patience invincible, a love that passes the comprehension either of men or angels. To that therefore we must look as to the pattern to which we are to be conformed: and though it is not possible that we should ever come near to his perfection, yet we must aspire after it; and, setting him ever before our eyes, must endeavour in all things to walk as he walked.]<\/p>\n 3.<\/p>\n The criterion whereby we are to judge of our spirit and conduct<\/p>\n [It is often difficult to ascertain the precise quality of our own actions; but here are two things, by which, as by a rule or plummet, we may be enabled to form a correct judgment. Let us compare our spirit and conduct with that which is discernible in worldly men: and we may be nearly sure, that, if we resemble them, we are wrong. Let us next turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, and see what his spirit and conduct were on similar occasions: and we may safely conclude, that we are right or wrong, in proportion as we resemble him, or differ from him. We do not undertake to say, that these tests are infallible in all cases; because a worldly man may sometimes do what is materially right, though from a wrong principle; and because the cases between our Lord and ourselves may not be sufficiently parallel: but the person who will habituate himself to try his spirit by these tests, will have a light, which will assist him in the most intricate paths, and preserve him from innumerable errors, into which he would fall, if he had no such clew to guide him. And let not this hint be overlooked; for, who can understand his errors? On many occasions, the Apostles themselves knew not what spirit they were of. Had they on the present occasion reflected either on the conduct of the world, or on the conduct of their Lord, they would have been kept from proud ambition on the one hand, and from envious indignation on the other. Whilst therefore we pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, let us be thankful for any subordinate means of ascertaining his mind and will: and let us endeavour so to walk, that Christ himself may testify concerning us, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!]<\/p>\n<\/p>\n (41) And when the ten heard it,<\/em> they began to be much displeased with James and John; (42) But Jesus called them to him,<\/em> and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. (43) But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister: (44) And whosoever of you will be the chiefest shall be servant of all. (45) For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n What a very lovely and unanswerable argument the LORD makes use of in those verses, to beget humbleness of soul. Who that be holds the SON of GOD leaving the bosom of his Father, and coming voluntarily to give himself an offering and a sacrifice for sin, can in the view of such an instance, assume distinction and pride!<\/p>\n NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar 10:41-45<\/p>\n 41Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. 42Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”<\/p>\n Mar 10:41 “Hearing this” This showed James and John waited until they were alone with Jesus. It also shows the humanness of the Apostles. These were not “super saints,” just men called, equipped, and used by God. The others became indignant, not because of the inappropriateness of James’ and John’s request, but the fact they got to ask first. These chosen Apostles still exhibited selfishness and sin.<\/p>\n Mar 10:42 Jesus again addresses their ambition and misunderstanding of the Kingdom.<\/p>\n Mar 10:43<\/p>\n NASB”But it is not this way among you”<\/p>\n NKJV”Yet it shall not be so among you”<\/p>\n NRSV”But it is not so among you”<\/p>\n TEV”This, however, is not the way it is among you”<\/p>\n NJB”Among you this is not to happen”<\/p>\n These translations reflect a Greek manuscript variant. In some manuscripts (, B, C*, D, L, W) the Present tense is used (cf. NASB, NRSV, TEV), which is also found in the parallel in Mat 20:26. However, in other manuscripts (A and C3) the future tense is found (cf. NKJV and implied in NJB).<\/p>\n “‘whoever wishes to be great'” Jesus does not discourage greatness or ambition, but defines true greatness as service and humility (cf. Mat 20:26; Mar 9:35).<\/p>\n “servant” This is the term diakonos, which later becomes the office\/function of deacon. All believers are called to serve (cf. Eph 4:11-12).<\/p>\n Mar 10:44 This helps explain Mar 10:31.<\/p>\n “slave” This is the term doulos, which referred to a domestic servant.<\/p>\n Mar 10:45 “‘the Son of Man'” See note at Mar 8:38 c.<\/p>\n “‘did not come to be served, but to serve'” This is the true definition of greatness. Jesus models the life of the Kingdom for us to emulate (cf. 1Pe 2:21). This truth was taught symbolically in Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet in the Upper Room the night He was betrayed (cf. Joh 13:14-15).<\/p>\n This truth is always difficult for church leadership. But without it there is no servant church.<\/p>\n “‘to give His life'” This is the summary verse of Mark’s Gospel. Jesus always refers to His death as His gift or His glory. It denotes the vicarious, substitutionary atonement (i.e., sin offering, cf. 2Co 5:21) of Christ (cf. Gen 3:15; Isa 52:13 to Isa 53:12).<\/p>\n “‘ransom'” This is literally “to buy back” or “to pay a price” (cf. Mat 20:28; Tit 2:14; 1Pe 1:18). It reflects the OT term used of slaves and prisoners of war being bought back, often by a near kin (go’el). Jesus unites in Himself the love and justice of God the Father. Sin costs a lifeGod provided one!<\/p>\n SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM\/REDEEM <\/p>\n “for” This is the Greek preposition anti. Sometimes it is joined to the noun “ransom” (lutron = antilutron, cf. 1Ti 2:6). It can mean “instead of,” “on behalf of,” or “in the place of.” The relationship between the prepositions anti and huper must be determined by the context (cf. 2Co 5:14; Heb 10:12; 1Pe 2:21; 1Pe 3:18; 1Jn 3:16). All of these have the connotation of Jesus’ vicarious, substitutionary atonement. He died in our place, bore our sin (cf. Isa 53:4-6).<\/p>\n “many” The term many has been used by some commentators to limit Christ’s atonement to “the elect.” The terms “many” and “all” are synonymous in two key passages that deal with redemption. Compare Isa 53:11-12, “many” with Isa 53:6, “all.” This parallelism is clearly seen in Rom 5:18, “all” and Rom 5:19, “many.” Jesus paid the price for all, but only those who respond by repentance and faith to the wooing of the Spirit are redeemed.<\/p>\n Mar 10:45 is the theological heart of the Gospel. It came in response to personal ambition. Human ambition must be given back to God as a gift (cf. Rom 12:1-2). Christians must emulate Christ’s self-giving (cf. 1Jn 3:16).<\/p>\n much displeased = indignant. <\/p>\n with = concerning. Greek. peri. App-104. Not the same word as in verses: Mar 10:27, Mar 10:30. <\/p>\n [41. , the ten) When one of two persons seeks some special privilege, the other takes it ill, who would have been contented of himself.-V. g.]<\/p>\n they: Mar 9:33-36, Pro 13:10, Mat 20:24, Luk 22:24, Rom 12:10, Phi 2:3, Jam 4:5 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Gen 50:17 – servants Luk 22:25 – General<\/p>\n Chapter 3.<\/p>\n Greatness in the Kingdom<\/p>\n “And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimus, the son of Timus, sat by the highway-side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.”-Mar 10:41-48.<\/p>\n The Attitude of the Jews.<\/p>\n “And when the ten heard it,” i.e. heard the request James and John had made for the two chief places in the Kingdom, “they began to be moved with indignation concerning James and John” (Mar 10:41). How they heard it we are not told. Perhaps they overheard it, though that is scarcely likely. James and John were not eager to put their wish into precise and definite terms, even to their Master Himself. They had to be pressed to do it. I do not think they could have been brought to do it at all, if the other ten disciples had been standing by listening to them. The probability is they guessed that the two brothers were asking something for themselves. For when the two with their mother came into the presence of Jesus they took up the attitude of suppliants. They came, says Matthew, “worshipping Him.” And when the other disciples saw James and John on their knees before the Master, they inferred that they were begging for something, and perhaps begging for something to the detriment of others. So when the whole incident was over they began to cross-examine the two brothers as to the subject of this private interview of theirs, and it was not long before they had wormed the ugly secret out of them. Then the ten “began to be moved with indignation against James and John.” And no wonder. From their own point of view, it was a mean and rather despicable action of which James and John had been guilty.<\/p>\n Their Own Ambitions.<\/p>\n What a light this sentence throws upon the temper of the disciples! Why were they so angry over the action of these two disciples? Possibly because there was not a man of them who did not want the chief place himself. Christina Rossetti has a beautiful little poem, which she entitles “The Lowest Place”:<\/p>\n “Give me the lowest place; not that I dare<\/p>\n Ask for that lowest place, but Thou hast died<\/p>\n That I might live and share the glory by Thy side.<\/p>\n Give me the lowest place; or if for me<\/p>\n That lowest place too high, make one more low,<\/p>\n Where I may sit and see, my God, and love Thee so.”<\/p>\n But these disciples were in no mood for the lowest place. They wanted the highest. Ambitiousness was not the fault of James and John alone, it was the fault of the entire twelve; they were always quarrelling amongst themselves as to who should be greatest. It is a curious thing that the faults we most keenly resent in other people are just the faults to which we are specially prone ourselves. We have always, as the authors of Guesses at Truth say, “a sharp eye for a rival.” It takes a conceited man to spot conceit in another; it takes a passionate man to detect bad temper in another; it takes a jealous man to discover jealousy in another. And so these ambitious disciples were quick to discover the ambitiousness of James and John, and were correspondingly irritated by it.<\/p>\n -And the Anger it bred.<\/p>\n “They began to be moved with indignation concerning James and John,” and so one fault begat another. That is one of the most terrible characteristics of sin-it breeds. Sin never stands isolated and alone. A man cannot commit an act of sin and have done with it, so to speak. It brings with it a whole train of attendant sins. It often involves others in its lamentable and disastrous consequences. It is the latter result we see illustrated here. The selfish request of the brothers stirred up anger and bitterness in the hearts of the ten. It disturbed the kindly relationship hitherto existing. It bred the ugly feelings of jealousy and hate. It undid the work of the Lord.<\/p>\n The Lord’s Intervention.<\/p>\n But Jesus did not allow the mischief to go far. “The ten began to be moved with indignation concerning James and John.” But He did not allow them to get beyond the beginning. He did not wait till the indignation had developed into a heated altercation. Words might have been spoken and deeds done that would have created a breach beyond the possibility of healing, if Jesus had allowed the quarrel to develop. He nipped it in the very bud. At the first signs of indignation and anger upon the faces of the ten He called them to Him, and began to instruct them once again in the laws of greatness in His Kingdom.<\/p>\n He deals with them all.<\/p>\n He called them all to Him; not James and John alone, nor the ten alone, but the two brothers and the ten. For they were all in the same condemnation. They were all of them still in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity. They were all guilty of the same selfish ambitiousness. They all cherished the same material notions of greatness. So He calls them all to Him, and propounds to them once again the law of greatness in the Kingdom of God. I say “once again” advisedly. For, if you will turn back to chapter ix. Mar 10:34, you will see He had already given the same lesson once before. The disciples were amazingly slow scholars. It had to be “line upon line and precept upon precept” with them. But, happily, the Master was as patient as the scholars were slow. With amazing condescension He would repeat and repeat the lessons He had to teach. I can understand, as I read the Gospels, why Peter should say that “the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation” (2Pe 3:15). So He repeated the old lesson on the law of greatness. In His Kingdom greatness comes to him who stoops to serve. “Ye know,” He says, “that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it is not so among you; but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister; and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all” (Mar 10:43-44). The King is the type of greatness in the world; the slave is the type of greatness in the Kingdom.<\/p>\n The World and the Kingdom.<\/p>\n It was the former kind of greatness James and John had asked for. It was the former kind of greatness the ten were keen about. Their idea of greatness was to occupy a high place, and to have multitudes beneath them, serving them. It was a Herod’s pomp or a Pilate’s state they coveted. But the ideals of the Lord’s Kingdom are totally different. It is not the man who has most people serving him, but the man who himself serves the most people, who is greatest there. These disciples by their very self-seeking were really destroying their chances of high place. For not to the man who exalted himself above his fellows, but to the man who stooped to serve them would the chief place go.<\/p>\n Greatness by Service.<\/p>\n Have we learned the lesson? Greatness out in the world is often a matter of the accident of birth. High place is for some hereditary, going to those who have never occupied a servile position, but have always been served. I do not know that Jesus means here to criticise this arrangement. There are advantages in hereditary rank, and it seems almost inevitable that it should be marked by a certain amount of parade and state. All that Jesus is doing here is to say that greatness in His Kingdom is of an entirely different kind, and is won by different methods. Greatness in the eternal Kingdom is not a matter of rank or birth or favour; it is a matter of service. It cannot be inherited; it must be deserved. It cannot be bestowed as a favour; it must be won. And the mark of the great man in the Kingdom is not that he has multitudes of people waiting upon his beck and nod, but that he himself is everybody’s minister and servant. We recognise this in the case of others; but the vital question is, Do we act upon that truth ourselves? Do we seek the real kind of greatness? It is strange how keen some are about earthly rank and station. But what do these things matter, after all? The only thing that matters is position in the eternal Kingdom. And that goes not to rank or station; it is not reached by favour or scheming. You must win it and deserve it-by service.<\/p>\n Do we seek it thus?<\/p>\n “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom,” I hear the Lord say. That is the invitation I want one day to receive. Who are the happy people who get it? The people who have spent themselves in service. “I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in; naked, and ye clothed Me; I was sick, and ye visited Me; I was in prison, and ye came unto Me” (Mat 25:35-36). Are we busy in this holy service? Do we visit the sick, and feed the hungry, and befriend the stranger? Earthly rank is beyond the reach of most of us. But we may all of us, if we will, become great in the eternal Kingdom. The motto of our Prince of Wales is Ich dien-I serve. That motto indicates the way to princely rank in the Kingdom of God. “Whosoever would be first shall be servant of all.”<\/p>\n The Example of Christ.<\/p>\n Our Lord enforces His teaching by an appeal to His own example. “For verily the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mar 10:45). Let us look at the first statement. “The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.” There are two ideas here. (1) There is, first of all, the appeal to example. Jesus Himself had none of the marks of external rank and power. He was not born in the purple; He was born in a stable. He had not a multitude of servants to wait on Him; He was Himself a working carpenter. Jesus was not a Master; He was in the midst of men as one that served. He did not lord it over them; He ministered unto them. He was at everybody’s beck and call. Take a sentence like this, “He had not leisure so much as to eat,” and let its meaning sink into your minds. For what does it imply? It means that Jesus was so absolutely at the service of the needy and the sick that He had no time to think of Himself. Martha and Mary could send for Him; the Roman centurion could claim Him; Jairus could command Him; the Caananitish woman could lay hands on Him; and a multitude of others, halt and blind and dumb and leprous, could make their appeal to Him, and none in vain. Jesus was everybody’s servant. He lived not to be ministered unto, but to minister. And in the very reminder there is an appeal. The disciples must be content to be what He was, “If I then, the Lord and the Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet” (Joh 13:14).<\/p>\n The Way to His Kingdom.<\/p>\n (2) There is, secondly, the suggestion that it was through ministry that Christ Himself was seeking His Kingdom. For let us never forget Christ was a King; and the establishment of a Kingdom was, from one point of view, the object of His coming. Yet it was not by “lording” it over men that He proposed to establish His Kingdom, but rather by serving them. It was, indeed, in His power to use the other method. He might have established an earthly kingdom, had He so wished. He might have rivalled the Roman procurator, or Herod, or even great Csar, in the matter of pomp and state, had He so willed. But He chose the path of service. And by that path He has entered upon a Kingdom such as no Herod or Csar ever knew. For that is what has given Christ His empire. He rules in innumerable hearts, because He loved men and served men to the uttermost. The cross was the last service love could render. To serve the race He loved Christ did not shrink from that last and uttermost sacrifice. And the cross has given Him His Kingdom. You remember how Paul couples the two things together. He became “obedient unto death, yea, the death of the cross. Wherefore also God highly exalted Him, and gave unto Him the name which is above every name” (Php 2:8-9). That is it. He became “servant of all,” and He is now the first of all. And that is the way to greatness for the disciple as well as the Master. There is no other path for us to the throne and the Kingdom, save the path He trod. No cross, no crown. But if we suffer with Him and serve with Him, we shall also be glorified together.<\/p>\n The Ransom.<\/p>\n And now I pass on to dwell for a moment on the last clause in this great verse. “The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mar 10:45). “A ransom for many.” “This great saying,” remarks Dr David Smith, “has a priceless value.” “It is only a metaphor,” he says further, “but it expresses a truth which is the very heart of the Gospel, and without which there is no Gospel at all.” Let us examine the saying, to discover if we can what is the truth which constitutes the Gospel which it expresses. All hangs on the meaning we attach to that word “ransom.” What idea would the word “ransom” suggest to the disciples who heard Christ use it? Dr A. B. Bruce suggests that it would at once bring to their minds the half-shekel which every adult Jew paid into the Temple Treasury at Passion time, “a ransom for his soul unto the Lord.” But Dr David Smith contends, and Dr Morison agrees with him, that it would inevitably suggest to the minds of the disciples another idea as well, viz. the price of deliverance paid for the redemption of captives. But, whichever explanation we prefer, the essential point remains the same. Our Lord represents His life as laid down in order to win redemption for many. It is a life given “instead of” many. And that life so given is the redemption price that sets the many free. Christ thinks of men as bond-slaves under sin; exposed to the doom and penalty of sin. And by His own death somehow or other He delivers men from this doom; He opens the way for a new relation to God, so that men are no longer criminals, but sons of God and heirs of eternal life.<\/p>\n The Doctrine and the Gospels.<\/p>\n It is said that there is no suggestion of a doctrine of the Atonement in the Gospels; that the doctrine of the Atonement as we know it is the result of apostolic and especially Pauline philosophising about the death of Jesus. It is true that in the Gospels you get no elaborated and articulated doctrine of the cross. That is not surprising. Christ had to die before the meaning of His death could be understood and explained. But, unless you wipe out sayings like these, it is simply untrue to say that Atonement is an invention of the Apostles. All that Paul says, and all that Peter says, and all that John says, is implied in a saying like this. For if the passage means anything at all, it means vicarious suffering. When John said, “Unto Him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by His blood” (Rev 1:5), he is only repeating what Jesus Himself says here. When Peter said, “redeemed, not with corruptible things, as silver or gold… but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot” (1Pe 1:18-19), he is only repeating what Jesus Himself says here. And when Paul says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” (Gal 3:13), he is only repeating what Jesus Himself says here. He bought our freedom and our life by the sacrifice of His own. That was the object of His coming. People speculate as to whether Christ would have come into our world, had there been no sin. I do not know. All that I do know is, that it was to deliver us from sin that He actually came. “The Son of Man came to give His life a ransom for many.” And He paid the ransom. He offered the one full and perfect oblation and sacrifice. He set men free from the law of sin and death. And that is the Gospel. There is no Gospel for a sinning world without it. But what a Gospel this is,<\/p>\n “Bearing shame and scoffing rude,<\/p>\n In my place condemned He stood,<\/p>\n Sealed my pardon with His blood,<\/p>\n Hallelujah.”<\/p>\n “The Son of Man came… to give His life a ransom for many.”<\/p>\n 1<\/p>\n The other apostles were displeased with James and John. It evidently was because of their desire to be seated above the others in places of authority.<\/p>\n Mar 10:41-45. When the ten heard it See on Mat 20:24-28. A ransom for many Even for as many souls as needed such a ransom, 2Co 5:15.<\/p>\n Mar 10:41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. 43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. <\/p>\n In recent days on an Internet forum a couple of topics have left me appalled with pastors that frequent the board. There have been discussions relating to pastoral\/congregation relations as well as money issues.<\/p>\n The crux is that the pastors are very dissatisfied with their pay, their status and their relationship with their church. Much of the frustration is in my mind due to the above passage. The men are not satisfied to be a minister or a servant, but wish to be seen as above such positions.<\/p>\n The attitude with the congregations seems to be one of “you owe me” or “you do not treat me right” or “I am so abused.” There seems little content that relates to “I want to minister to these sheep Lord.” Little that relates to “You have called me to be among these folks.”<\/p>\n To serve, you cannot be approaching the ministry in this fashion and be successful. To serve is to put one’s own into subjection to the many. To serve you cannot be top dog, you need to be one of the group. Yes, the pastor should be a leader of the group, but it must be done as a servant, not as a ruling class.<\/p>\n Christ gave His life that we might live and serve and minister, not so that we could find a position of authority and power. If we serve and minister we will be what He wants us to be, indeed we will be what these men seek but will not find in this life.<\/p>\n The ten were being encouraged to find that humble position of servant-hood, not to be upset with James and John for having aspired higher than they ought to have aspired. No, pastors are not aspiring to sit beside the Lord in particular, but they are desiring to be more than they are or should be. All should be servants and as Christ told James and John, let God seat those that have been chosen to sit in the places of prominence.<\/p>\n I do not mean to pick on pastors, but desire to point out that they of all people ought to be the example to those to which they would minister. The men on the forum often bristle at the encouragement to be the example to their “erring” flock. The reaction to this encouragement usually runs along the line that the people are wrong and ought to know better. Well, yes, they ought to know better, but if they do not, then it is the pastor’s place to teach them and to be their example, but this would leave them with nothing to complain about. <\/p>\n I would also be quick to agree that the people ought to know better. Common sense would cure many of the problems, but our social\/educational system has not equipped our current society with common sense, much less a dose of logic which they also need. However, with the given situation, a pastor needs to take the bull by the horns and be an example before his congregation and patiently teach them of their responsibilities to one another. If they know these principles, then It would seem they would know how to relate properly to the one leading them by example.<\/p>\n Now to the text that the above hopefully has been based. <\/p>\n The term “displeased” is a little mild in light of the Greek which has the thought of “indignant” or “be greatly afflicted” or “much displeased.” To be called “not to bright” would displease a person, to be called a stupid blithering idiot without a brain” would make one indignant.<\/p>\n Vine mentions of the word, “”to grieve,” primarily meant “to feel a violent irritation, physically;” it was used, too, of the fermenting of wine; hence, metaphorically, “to show signs of grief, to be displeased, to be grieved, vexed;” it is translated “sore displeased” in Mat 21:15, AV; “much displeased,” in Mar 10:14; the RV always renders it “to be moved with, or to have indignation,” as the AV elsewhere, Mat 20:24; Mat 26:8; Mar 14:4; Luk 13:14.”<\/p>\n James and John really ticked the ten off and they wanted to let the Lord know of their displeasure.<\/p>\n Now what Christ did not do and what He did not say is of prime importance here for own lives.<\/p>\n The ten were ticked off with James, John and Christ did not agree with their displeasure, nor did He come down on the two. He merely explained how they should live their lives as to this topic of discussion. If you would be first, then be last.<\/p>\n Christ also did not discuss the rightness nor the correctness of James and John’s request. By explaining the principle in, essence, He told them the two were not going to get their request, but told them of how they could gain prominence in the kingdom – would that imply that he knew that the ten or at least some of them had the same dreams of grandeur that James and John had but just had not verbalized them?<\/p>\n Now as you come to that situation where someone in the congregation has made an absurd request and others come to you as their pastor and are upset, how are you going to handle it? Are you going to tell the others of the incorrectness of the other person’s request? Applying the Lord’s approach you would not. How would you handle the upset folks? Explain the proper procedures or whatever is the correct method of handling things and neither comment on the one nor the others wrongs for indeed the others are wrong to be upset most likely.<\/p>\n Many problems within churches or groups run along the line of the pastor agreeing with one party or the other instead of attempting to remain neutral and teaching the acceptable answer to problems. Not to say you need to be a middle of the roader, but you need to ignore the sides and declare the truth – yes, when possible.<\/p>\n It is also of note that Christ took the initiative in solving the problem. He took care of those in the wrong, and then took care of the other group as soon as possible. Letting things fester is never a good principle of problem solving. Nor is secrecy a good problem solving principle. The text also mentions that the ten “began” to be displeased, thus the implication that the Lord intervened before the problem was out of hand.<\/p>\n Years ago three people fell into some spiritual problems in a church. The leadership took steps to correct the problem which was to ask the folks to leave the church quietly which they did. The leaders made none of this known to the congregation. As time went on the congregation heard that the problem folks had left the church. The congregation then wanted to know if that was true, and the leaders kept their mouths closed on the situation which caused festering and ultimately many left the church due to the leaders secrecy and disciplining of church members without input from the congregation. <\/p>\n Right or wrong the leaders acted, which is always good, but their secret activity was not a wise choice of action. The church organization of your particular church may dictate how problems are approached, but quickness, openness and Biblical should be the hallmarks.<\/p>\n The term translated “minister” in verse forty-three is the Greek word from which we bet our idea of deacon – one that ministers to the people, a rather clear indication that those wanting to be first will be the ministers, not the power brokers in the church.<\/p>\n Now, apply that one to your own congregation. We all know who the power club has as its members and they will not be the power-houses of the Lord’s kingdom. Imagine those that think they are something when they find their way into the Lord’s presence and what He is going to tell them as to position.<\/p>\n Personally I have never sought power, figured if the Lord wanted me powerful that He would prepare me for it and invest me with it. He hasn’t and I’m not. We should not look for power, or look for ways to gain power or position, we should simply look to the Lord for His guidance in the ministry that He has called us too and do the very best job that we can for Him as we walk through this life with Him.<\/p>\n In verse forty-four we find the word “servant” which is the word for slave or one that has placed themselves under another’s command for life. This backs up what has already been mentioned – live your life in submission to Him and He will make of you what He will rather than what you might will.<\/p>\n Now, isn’t the Christian life an easy life. Place yourself in His control, and follow His directions, and reap the benefits that are yours through His grace to you personally. This eliminates all the struggling, the clawing and the trying of becoming something that you cannot due to the way HE HAS SET IT UP.<\/p>\n Verse forty-five is the crux of our study together. It is about HIM not you, it is about His work, not yours and it is about His outcome not yours. “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” <\/p>\n He came to minister to many. This is not a discussion about who He gave Himself for, it is about the fact that He came to redeem many. Whether a few elect or all the world, the point is that EVEN HE WAS TO MINISTER – if Almighty God came among men to minister, why would any man\/woman be so arrogant as to think that he\/she should be any better than Jesus Christ our Lord and His ministry to us? Heaven forbid any Christian think themselves at the forefront of any congregation! How audacious of one that would assume they are the power of a congregation or the chiefest among men!<\/p>\n NOW, the next time you have someone in your congregation that seems to want to become boss or the power of the group, please show them this text and share my thoughts with them for they are in for a little training from the Lord I would guess and personally, I would not want to be walking in their flip-flops for one moment!<\/p>\n I have thought through some of the power brokers that we have run across in our lives and wonder at how they have walked through their lives so incorrectly and think themselves so great. Those that have judged us as unspiritual, those that have counted us as the lesser of all and those that have found us lacking in so many areas, yet they themselves were totally lacking in their own limited lives.<\/p>\n Honestly, I sit here typing this and must laugh at the audacity of this type of person in light of this passage. As you deal with this sort of person do your laughing on the QT and then try to share truth with them in a way that they can grow to know Christ’s best for them as a bond-servant, not as a power broker.<\/p>\n We could take many pages to discuss the term ransomed, but The Net Bible covers it well when the note mentions “refers to the payment of a price in order to purchase the freedom of a slave. The idea of Jesus as the “ransom” is that he paid the price with his own life by standing in humanity’s place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that was deserved for sin.”<\/p>\n We are not our own folks, we have been purchased, we are not free to do as we please we are His and we need to realize this position and live as if we understand it. This is why the power brokers above are so off base in their lives – they think they belong to themselves to build and carry on in a life of their design and choosing when in fact, they are walking in a way that is foreign to the Lord’s will and design.<\/p>\n The jealous reaction of the other disciples shows that selfish ambition also motivated them. [Note: Cf. Cole, p. 170.] <\/span> Jesus had to repeat His teaching about greatness because the disciples had not learned its lesson (Mar 9:33-37). [Note: See Santos, pp. 23-25.] <\/span><\/p>\n Rule and authority in the kingdom come by faithful and humble service in the present age. [Note: See idem, "The Paradox of Authority and Servanthood in the Gospel of Mark," Bibliotheca Sacra 154:616 (October-December 1997):452-60.] <\/span> The disciples needed to concentrate on present service rather than future honor. The godless world focuses on the benefits of position. Disciples of Jesus should concentrate on qualifying for honor. The godless even exercise authority prematurely by lording it over others. Disciples should voluntarily place themselves under others to help them. A slave (Gr. doulos<\/span>) was one who sacrificed his or her rights to serve others (cf. Luk 22:24-30).<\/p>\n Notice that Jesus did not rebuke the disciples for wanting to be great in the kingdom. This ambition is good. He corrected them for focusing on self-centered goals rather than on altruistic goals, and He clarified the method for obtaining greatness.<\/p>\n "Here is the paradox of the Kingdom of God. Instead of being lords, its great ones become servants, and its chiefs the bond-servants of all." [Note: Gould, p. 202.] <\/span><\/p>\n CHAPTER 10:41-45 (Mar 10:41-45)<\/p>\n THE LAW OF GREATNESS<\/p>\n “And when the ten heard it, they began to be moved with indignation concerning James and John. And Jesus called them to Him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it is not so among you: but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all. For verily the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mar 10:41-45 (R.V.)<\/p>\n WHEN the ten heard that James and John had asked for the chief places in the kingdom, they proved, by their indignation, that they also nourished the same ambitious desires which they condemned. But Jesus called them to Him, for it was not there that angry passions had broken out. And happy are they who hear and obey His summons to approach, when, removed from His purifying gaze by carelessness or willfulness, ambition and anger begin to excite their hearts.<\/p>\n Now Jesus addressed them as being aware of their hidden emulation. And His treatment of it is remarkable. He neither condemns, nor praises it, but simply teaches them what Christian greatness means, and the conditions on which it may be won.<\/p>\n The greatness of the world is measured by authority and lordliness. Even there it is an uncertain test; for the most real power is often wielded by some anonymous thinker, or by some crafty intriguer, content with the substance of authority while his puppet enjoys the trappings. Something of this may perhaps be detected in the words, “They which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them.” And it is certain that “their great ones exercise authority over them.” But the Divine greatness is a meek and gentle influence. To minister to the Church is better than to command it, and whoever desires to be the chief must become the servant of all. Thus shall whatever is vainglorious and egoistic in our ambition defeat itself; the more one struggles to be great the more he is disqualified: even benefits rendered to others with this object will not really be service done for them but for self; nor will any calculated assumption of humility help one to become indeed the least, being but a subtle assertion that he is great, and like the last place in an ecclesiastical procession, when occupied in a self-conscious spirit. And thus it comes to pass that the Church knows very indistinctly who are its greatest sons. As the gift of two mites by the widow was greater than that of large sums by the rich, so a small service done in the spirit of perfect self-effacement, — a service which thought neither of its merit nor of its reward, but only of a brother’s need, shall be more in the day of reckoning than sacrifices which are celebrated by the historians and sung by the poets of the Church. For it may avail nothing to give all my goods to feed the poor, and my body to be burned; while a cup of cold water, rendered by a loyal hand, shall in no wise lose its reward.<\/p>\n Thus Jesus throws open to all men a competition which has no charms for flesh and blood. And as He spoke of the entry upon His service, bearing a cross, as being the following of Himself, so He teaches us, that the greatness of lowliness, to which we are called, is His own greatness. “For verily the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister.” Not here, not in this tarnished and faded world, would He Who was from everlasting with the Father have sought His own ease or honor. But the physician came to them that were sick, and the good Shepherd followed His lost sheep until He found it. Now this comparison proves that we also are to carry forward the same restoring work, or else we might infer that, because He came to minister to us, we may accept ministration with a good heart. It is not so. We are the light and the salt of the earth, and must suffer with Him that we may also be glorified together.<\/p>\n But He added another memorable phrase. He came “to give His life a ransom in exchange for many.” It is not a question, therefore, of the inspiring example of His life. Something has been forfeited which must be redeemed, and Christ has paid the price. Nor is this done only on behalf of many, but in exchange for them.<\/p>\n So then the crucifixion is not a sad incident in a great career; it is the mark towards which Jesus moved, the power by which He redeemed the world.<\/p>\n Surely, we recognize here the echo of the prophet’s words, “Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin . . . by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many, and He shall bear their iniquities” (Isa 53:10-11).<\/p>\n The elaborated doctrine of the atonement may not perhaps be here, much less the subtleties of theologians who have, to their own satisfaction, known the mind of the Almighty to perfection. But it is beyond reasonable controversy that in this verse Jesus declared that His sufferings were vicarious, and endured in the sinners’ stead.<\/p>\n And when the ten heard [it,] they began to be much displeased with James and John. 41. began to be much displeased ] “hadden endignacioun,” Wyclif. The sons of Zebedee had been in a better social position than most of their brethren, and this attempt to secure a pre-eminence of honour kindled a storm of … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 10:41”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24616","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24616"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24616\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
LEGITIMATE AMBITION ILLUSTRATED<\/strong><\/p>\n
But our blessed Lord gently corrected the errors of his Disciples; he shewed them, that they were altogether wrong in indulging such a desire after earthly distinctions; and that, if they would affect superiority at all, the only ambition that became them was to excel in works and labours of love. This, which we may call legitimate ambition<\/em>, he illustrated in a way,<\/p>\n
[Kings are rarely content with the measure of power with which they are invested by the laws, but are for the most part desirous of extending their prerogative; and not uncommonly they imagine, that they themselves are exalted, in proportion to the degree of power that they are able to exert. Nor does it in general suffice them to govern their own subjects: they too often wish to interfere with other potentates, and to controul the acts of other sovereigns. The subjugation of other states, is in their eyes a source of enviable aggrandisement: and the greater success they have in prosecuting their ambitious projects, the more restless they become; till at last universal empire is scarce sufficient to satiate their desires. A fear of losing their own possessions, imposes indeed on many a salutary restraint: but where no such ground of fear exists, the tyrannical dispositions of men know no bounds. What the human heart is capable of, may be seen in Nebuchadnezzar; who ordered all the wise men in his dominions to be put to death, because they could not tell him a dream of his, which he himself had forgotten; and again commanded all who would not fall down and worship a golden image which he had set up, to be cast into a fiery furnace: in a word, all people, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him; whom he would, he slew; and whom he would, be kept alive [Note: Dan 2:12-13<\/span>; Dan 3:2-7<\/span>; Dan 5:19<\/span>.].<\/p>\n
But the very reverse of this should be the practice of Gods people
[We say not that a Christian may not be a king: (would to God that all the kings upon earth were Christians!) nor do we think it wrong for them to maintain the power assigned them by the laws: for they are invested with power by God himself, in order that they may exercise it for their peoples good. Nor do we conceive that Christians of an inferior order should decline all offices of trust and power; or that power should not be exercised over the Church of God: for every society must be governed by laws: and it is desirable that the execution of the laws should be entrusted to those who will most consult the glory of God. But this we say, that no man should affect power under an idea that happiness consists in the possession of it, or that he himself is elevated and ennobled by it; nor indeed for any other end, than as it may be instrumental to the advancing of Gods honour, and the happiness of mankind. The Christians must be the very reverse of that which we have seen to be the habit of the world. What worldly men affect<\/em>, he must despise:<\/em> and what they exact<\/em> of others, he must, of his own mind and will, cheerfully render<\/em> to all around him. Instead of wishing to enslave others, he must willingly make himself, so to speak, a slave to others; and account it his highest honour to render services even to the least and meanest of mankind: he must be the minister of all<\/em>, the servant<\/em> of all [Note: imports a servant who was also his masters property.].]<\/p>\n
[He was, in a sense that none other can be, the Son of Man: he was, as the Jews themselves understood that name to mean, the Son of God, even God himself [Note: Luk 22:69-70<\/span>.]. Yet he, though being in the form of God, and counting it not robbery to be equal with God, made himself of no reputation, and took upon himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of sinful men: and, instead of appearing in outward pomp and splendour, and having the great men of the earth in his retinue, he came to minister unto his own rebellious creatures: yea, he waited upon them continually, going about through all the towns and villages to do good to their bodies and their souls. On his own immediate Disciples too he waited, condescending even to wash their feet. Nor did he only spend his life in the service of mankind, but at last laid down his life for them, to ransom<\/em> their souls from death and hell. No sacrifice was too great for him to make for their welfare, no suffering too heavy for him to endure. He bare their infirmities and sorrows by tender sympathy, and he bare also their sins in his own body on the tree; enduring in his own person the curse due to them, that they through him might inherit eternal blessedness [Note: 2Co 5:21<\/span>.].]<\/p>\n
[As to the ends and purposes of his humiliation, he must for ever stand alone: for no man can redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom<\/em> for him [Note: Psa 49:7<\/span>.]. But we may bear one anothers burthens; and we ought to do so; for this is the law imposed on us by Christ himself [Note: Gal 6:2<\/span>.]: we may consider all our faculties, and time, and wealth, and influence as talents committed to our care, to be improved for God and for the benefit of our fellow-creatures: we may value them all, only as means of doing good: we may make the good of others to be the great business and end of our lives, and study by all possible means to promote the comfort of their bodies, and the salvation of their souls. We may cheerfully submit to sacrifice our ease, our reputation, our liberty, yea, our very lives, in their service: yes; we may, and we ought to, lay down our lives for the brethren, if by such a sacrifice we may promote their eternal interests [Note: 1Jn 3:16<\/span>.]. Here, I say, is scope for our ambition: nor can we possibly be too ardent in such a career as that. We must not indeed labour even in such a way for the honour that cometh of man: to be aspiring after eminence with a view to mans applause, would vitiate all the actions that we could ever perform, and deprive us of all hope of acceptance with God: but, if we abound in works and labours of love for the honour of God and the good of man, then, the more numerous and self-denying those labours are, the more exalted shall we be in the estimation of God himself; and if we would possess the most distinguished place in his kingdom, this<\/em> is the legitimate and the only method to obtain it. We know that the Apostle Paul was not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles: and the reason was, that he laboured more abundantly than they all, and rendered both to God and man the greatest measure of difficult and self-denying services [Note: 2Co 11:5<\/span>; 2Co 11:22-28<\/span>.]. In a word, he most resembled his Divine Master: and in proportion as we also resemble Christ, will be our real dignity and honour.]<\/p>\n
1.<\/p>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\nFuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Gospel According to St. Mark: A Devotional Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"