Being Last

 

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK

BEING LAST

Mark 9:33-35

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?"  34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." 

NIV

As if he didn’t know. We have to believe the only reason Jesus asked them what they were arguing about on the road, was that he wanted them to be honest with Him. However, Matthew records they actually asked him who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. We would have to think this is the same moment in time, but why then is there an apparent contradiction? Maybe this is not the same time in their lives with Jesus, because Matthew puts this at the time of the tax collector and Peter fishing so as to get a coin to pay the tax at the command of Jesus. Mark does not say that here, nor about other things that Jesus taught. Still, Mark does make mention about the children next and that is what Jesus talks about as recorded by Matthew. Nevertheless, let us consider how Mark puts this so that we can glean some truth here. What can we think about or discuss among ourselves that Jesus is not aware of? He knew what they were arguing about and simply wanted them to be honest with him about their discussion. His response, his teaching about whoever wants to be first, must be the very last, and be the servant of all, makes it clear that he knew of their argument about which of them would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. We also have this situation about the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee asking about her sons sitting on the right and left of Jesus when he becomes king. Our humanist nature wants to be recognized, to be exalted or lifted up, to be shown some appreciation for being better than others. We are not by nature humble people, looking to serve others rather than being served. Of course, we would not make it a point to say we want to be served, as that would really look rather selfish and we do want people to think highly of us, to see us as a “Good Christian”, which does smack a little of being prideful. In addition, we have been trained all our lives to be first, to win the race, the contest. We watch sports, not to see the loser, but to root for the winner. We have been told to be all we can be, to make a success of ourselves, to win the prize. So then how do we move from the nature that wants to be served and wants to be first to one that wants to serve and wants to be last? It has to come down to see the fact that we are all sinners saved by grace and that we all are to serve one another and there is no greatest, except of course Jesus, but then he made it a point to tell us that he did not come to be served but to serve. He, being the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, served us all, but laying down his life so that we may have life. We have to take on the nature of Christ, putting the old nature on the cross, as we noticed before. We should not worry about who is first and who is last, but that we are all going there together if we are in Christ. But in the meantime, we should still have the attitude of being a servant, both to Christ and to men, in other words, being last.