Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many

 Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed.  And as they followed they were afraid.  Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:  "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again."

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask."  And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory."  But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask.  Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"  They said to Him, "We are able."  So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared."  And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.  But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are 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."

- Mark 10:32-45

Yesterday we read that as Jesus was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."  Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack:  Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."  But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words.  But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at then and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time -- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions -- and in the age to come, eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed.  And as they followed they were afraid.  Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:  "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again."   This is the third time Christ has predicted His Passion to the disciples.  My study bible says that these predictions are intended to encourage and strengthen them for the terrifying events they were going to face.  It also confirms that He goes to his death of His own will and choosing.  Each warning has come with more details of what is going to happen.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask."  And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory."  But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask.  Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"  They said to Him, "We are able."  So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared."  And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.  But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are 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."  My study bible says that the question for temporal power and glory is unfitting for a disciple -- and that it shows an earthly misunderstanding of the Kingdom of God.  Here Christ calls His Crucifixion a cup, and His death a baptism.  The Cross is a cup because He will drink it willingly (Hebrews 12:2).  His death is a baptism in that He will be completely immersed in death, yet it will cleanse the world (Romans 6:3-6).  When Jesus tells John and James that they will both "drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized,"  He speaks of their lives of persecution and martyrdom after Pentecost.  Acts 12:2 tells us that James was the first apostle to be killed (when Herod began persecuting the Church).  John lived a life of exile and persecution to great old age (see Revelation 1:9).  And once again, Jesus begins to teach about what humility is and means in practice, especially for those who would be leaders in His Church.  He tells them that the positions they seek are not His to give arbitrarily; they will be given to those for whom God has prepared them.  With regard to the "highest places" given to human beings, the tradition from the time of the early Church depicts the Virgin Mary (most blessed among women - Luke 1:28) and John the Baptist (greatest born of women - Matthew 11:11) holding such honor. 

Once again, as He has done throughout Mark's Gospel from the time of His first prediction of His coming Passion, death, and Resurrection, Jesus emphasizes humility to His disciples as the chief virtue that leads to all the rest for them.  Even with regard to the use of His own power and authority (bestowing the places of honor on His right and His left), Jesus tells the disciples that these are not His to give; it will depend upon the Father's preparation.  It is interesting that as He makes His third prediction of His betrayal, Passion, death, and Resurrection, Jesus tells the disciples that He will be delivered to the Gentiles.  And then, when He once more begins to teach them about power, authority, and humility, He mentions the Gentiles in reference to the use of power:  "You know that those who are 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."   Certainly the rulers of the state, the emperors and kings of His time, can be put into this category that Jesus defines by saying they "lord it over them."   By this time Jesus is no doubt aware that His Church will go among the Gentiles, and be established among "the nations."   To lord it over another is to have absolute power and possession over them.  Jesus contrasts this idea of leadership with the idea that those among them who desire to become great must be their servant.   The impact of this address in the plural you -- that whoever would be their leader must be also their servant -- seems to be extraordinary.  Note that He doesn't address those who would be leaders, but rather those who would accept a leader and what quality such a leader must have.  And then He does address directly whoever would desire to be first:  "And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all."   Such a person must make an effort so as to be render themselves the slave of all.  Quite an incredible teaching to hear, either way!  But Jesus has a way with words that conveys His messages with distinct flavor.  We who are in the Church must seek to make sure we understand what our leaders are to be.  But for those who seek such leadership, the task is presented even more arduously in terms of the effort required in the true mastery of leadership.  Each one of us should take His teachings to heart in terms of how we live our lives and set our goals.  It is, as He says, His own life that sets the standard for all the rest of us:  "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 is with His help and God's work in us, our participation in His baptism and cup, that we learn His way and make the changes He asks of us.  This itself is the great gift that changes our lives and makes leaders of any of us.