The Path to Greatness

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for woman.” (Mark 10:35-45 ESV).

 

As the disciples learned more and more about Jesus, it was slowly dawning on them that they were in the presence of a king. So, a couple of them decided to make a bold request. They quietly approached Jesus to ask if they could serve as prime ministers in his kingdom.

 

When the other disciples got wind of this, they were totally put off, probably because they wished they had asked first. We can almost hear them squabbling, "Why should James and John get a higher position than us? Who do they think they are?"

 

Notice that Jesus doesn't seem nearly as bothered by what they ask for. He corrects James and John by saying, in effect, "Your request is not something for me to answer. The Father decides who sits in the places of honor." Then Jesus adds, "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all."

 

Jesus would love to give every one of us a seat of honor in his kingdom. He wants success for us all. We learn that it isn't wrong for us to want to succeed. But success in God's eyes is far different from the world's ideas of success. It means living like the One who "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."