How does one become a successful pianist? One must learn from great teachers, practice constantly, develop a heart for the piano and fully invest one’s life energy into succeeding at piano.
How does one become a successful Olympic athlete? One must learn from great teachers, practice constantly, develop a heart for one’s event and invest one’s life energy into succeeding in that event.
How does one become successful in business? Pretty much the same pattern: learn from great teachers, practice constantly, develop a heart for the business and invest one’s life energy into succeeding in business. We could continue in a similar vein for a variety of human endeavors.
One human endeavor stands above all others: living a successful life, one that satisfies both God and oneself. How does one succeed in life? One must learn from the Master, practice the Master’s way of living constantly, develop a heart for the Master’s way of life and fully invest one’s life energy into succeeding at life.
In the section of Scripture covered by this week’s lesson, Jesus makes clear that successful kingdom living includes service. Life in God’s kingdom follows Jesus’ example. Life in God’s kingdom adopts Jesus’ attitude. Life in God’s kingdom places a high value on serving others.
Follow the right model (Mark 10:32-34)
Verse 32 states that Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem. Jesus’ Galilean ministry had ended months before. Jesus had ministered to people as he made his way toward Jerusalem. By the end of chapter 10, Jesus will be just six days from his horrific death and eight days from his glorious resurrection.
Both events superlatively demonstrate Jesus’ great service to mankind. Jesus’ ministry prior to his passion also speaks volumes about Jesus’ service to mankind. So that no doubt would remain, Jesus stated his purpose in the climactic verse 45.
Jesus’ intentional travel to Jerusalem terrified the disciples. Jerusalem was the location of the temple and the figurative dwelling place of the Great King. The disciples should have been excited as they anticipated a great experience of worship in God’s presence. Instead, the disciples dreaded Jerusalem, sensing things could not possibly go well for Jesus there.
The Twelve were the specially called group of disciples who followed Jesus. There were several other disciples, including many women. Jesus took aside the Twelve, however, and delivered his third passion prediction. The reactions of the Twelve are not recorded, but one can perhaps understand their discomfort at hearing Jesus speak about the ominous events that lay ahead.
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All three of Jesus’ passion predictions mention the same details. They are stated in clear language and deliver revelations about the Lord to his trusted disciples. The Twelve had developed far enough in their discipleship and service of their Lord that they had earned the privilege to receive this level of information. Soon their self-discipline would be challenged as they would be forced to handle this revelation in light of the rapidly approaching events.
Verse 33 twice uses a word translated as “betray” or “hand over.” In a civil sense, the word describes a procedure in criminal legalities similar to “binding over” for prosecution. When legal authorities do this action, translators use the term “hand over” in translation. When such a friend or relative assists the process, the concept of betrayal attaches to the act and is so rendered in English. Since we already know the disciple Judas handed Jesus over to the Jewish authorities, we translate the word as “betrayed.” This betrayal often is reflected in the renderings of the present verse, even though Judas’ betrayal had not yet happened.
Nevertheless, what about the second occurrence of the word rendered “hand over?” Actually the Jewish authorities paralleled Judas’ betrayal of Jesus when they in turn handed Jesus over to the Roman authorities. Unwittingly they betrayed their God when they handed Jesus over to the Gentiles.
At any rate, at this point in the story, the disciples likely only thought of Jesus being “handed over” which was bad enough news to bear. Only later would they realize that Jesus had been telling them he would be betrayed by a close associate.
Despite the gravity of its message, the passion prediction also served to confirm to the disciples they were following the right person. Such reassurances may hardly seem welcome when one considers the content of the passion prediction. Yet the passion prediction serves to show God’s followers that God’s ways and purposes are different than human ways and purposes. Serving God includes dealing with sobering realities.
God’s way of handling humanity’s deadly spiritual plight involved leaving heaven, mixing with his beloved people, wading into harm’s way, ignoring his own personal safety and giving up his life so his people could be saved. This is our Lord in action. This is the way our Lord solves problems. This is how our Lord serves his people.
Thus Jesus’ passion prediction was both a trust to guide later understanding and an affirmation of the level of discipleship his followers so far had attained. For the modern follower of Christ, the same level of trust can be attained with its own special revelations, realizations and trusts. God still is very active in building his kingdom in our world, adding followers and developing servants. The level of development and trust gained by the Twelve, therefore, helps the modern follower to understand how the Lord works in a follower’s life.
Forget about honors (Mark 10:35-41)
The episode that begins in verse 35 shows how out of touch with Jesus’ teaching the disciples were. Jesus clearly stated he would be killed. The disciples, who had visions of glory spinning through their heads as they approached Jerusalem, misunderstood his warnings. James and John thought they realized the coming of an important moment as they requested positions of preference and honor in Jesus’ coming kingdom. Jesus’ considerate answer indicated James and John actually would get what they sought, though in far different terms than they expected.
What is surprising is that two of Jesus’ most advanced followers so thoroughly misunderstood Jesus. They had Jesus’ message about his passion so close at hand. They also had affirmation of their standing with him in that he has entrusted them with an important key to understanding his life and service to humanity.
There has been much speculation on what James and John and the others expected Jesus to do when he arrived in Jerusalem. None of this speculation is certain. What is clear though is that Jesus’ closest followers did not yet understand that God’s way includes sacrifice, suffering and service. If God does these things, should not his followers? In fact, God’s true followers will be recognized by their own parallel Christ-like sacrifice, suffering and service.
Verses 38 and 39 speak of a “cup” and a “baptism.” Their applications to specific lives can vary from person to person, but we have interpretive help in verse 45, which explains that Jesus came to serve, not to be served. Jesus’ passion predictions and Jesus’ response to the requests of James and John must be understood in light of verse 45.
Jesus had service in mind. Jesus was (and remains) confident in his absolute authority as the de facto ruler of the universe. He felt no need to establish an earthly kingdom that would proclaim in some way that he was the unchallenged ruler of the universe. His followers would easily figure that out when they realized the magnificent Almighty God had come to earth in a moment of time to serve selflessly humanity’s great need: reconciliation with God.
The words “cup” and “baptism” therefore are metaphors for suffering. For Jesus, suffering meant the four actions in verse 34: being mocked, being spat upon, being flogged and being killed. These four actions describe Jesus’ treatment at his crucifixion. For the disciples, the metaphors certainly meant suffering and in some cases included martyrdom. James would one day experience martyrdom and become the first of the apostles to be executed for his faith.
As we read the interchange between Jesus and the Zebedee brothers, we know they had no clue about what they would be getting into. Yet, their sincerity of devotion to Jesus would survive their present misunderstanding and to their credit (and to their true personal glory in God’s Kingdom) they would remain true to Jesus and unwaveringly stand firm in their faithfulness to Christ as withering suffering came their way.
Verse 40 speaks of positions of authority and honor. In a kingdom that must assert its power, positions of authority and honor are desirable commodities that easily cause jealousy and resentment. Hence the reaction of the other 10 disciples in verse 41. But in God’s kingdom, which places a high premium on service, the position of honor goes to the one being served. Everyone who enters God’s kingdom occupies such a position as they are brought into the kingdom. Then as they adopt the kingdom’s attitudes and character, they surrender their positions of honor to serve their Lord and endeavor to draw others into his kingdom. Thus, positions of honor are not fought over in God’s kingdom. They are surrendered just as Jesus surrendered his position of honor to serve mankind.
Focus on others (Mark 10:42-45)
Jesus further explained the kingdom’s view of honor in verses 42-44. If by positions of honor James, John and the other disciples were looking for places of greatness in God’s kingdom, then they must understand the standard of greatness in God’s kingdom. Greatness is seen in terms of service. The greater the service, the greater the greatness.
Who then is greater than Jesus? Jesus served the greatest need of all people when he died on a cross to provide salvation and was raised to new life to proclaim the great promise of eternal life in God’s personal presence. As God and Creator, Jesus already could claim greatness, but as the Suffering Servant, Jesus claimed greatness again for himself and has forever won over the hearts of his followers.
Human views of authority and greatness invariably include “lording” over others (see verse 42). This is not the way of God’s kingdom. Jesus, who is Lord, does not rule in such a way that he must find ways to assert his power over people and force them to acknowledge his position over them. His preferred method is to serve people and thereby receive their heartfelt acclaim for his position in their lives. This of course will not work for all people, for many will choose not to follow the Lord if they are not forced to do so.
Philippians 2:9-11 states: “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” The time is coming when Jesus’ true position as Lord will be evident to all and all will acknowledge him as Lord.
Yet being forced to admit the obvious does not distinguish those who willingly serve the Lord from those who unwillingly admit Jesus is Lord. So the sorting is done prior to the coming day when all things are made plain. Until then, Jesus rules by serving, endeavoring to win over hearts. Those whose hearts are won over, also serve to practice the high character of the one who has transformed their lives.
A progression of thought regarding service and greatness in God’s kingdom is seen in the selection of terms in verses 43 and 44. In verse 43, the word for “servant” is the word that has provided the English word “deacon.” It refers to service or ministry. The word could be translated as “servant” or as “minister.” The word appears twice again in verse 45 as Jesus interpreted his own “ministry” to mankind.
In verse 44, the word for “slave” or “bond servant” is used. Jesus strongly communicated that service in God’s kingdom was nothing like an act of community service at one’s own convenience. Service in God’s kingdom takes on the character of a bond servant who continually serves the will of one’s master, with no thought for himself or herself. Those who serve selflessly occupy the real positions of glory in God’s kingdom.
In this passage, Jesus has turned the popular concept of being successful on its head. Real success is to serve the Lord willingly with no thought for oneself. Real satisfaction in life will come as one serves a Lord who in turn provides for all needs in life.
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