Have you considered what it means to be great? You see, typically in defining greatness, the focus is on athletic teams or specific athletes who excel at their sport. And when we’ve determined that there just isn’t anyone better, we consider them the G.O.A.T. Who or what determines the greatest of all time? Is it the astounding statistics that have propelled an athlete or team to the top? Is it simply the number of championships won? (e.g., Berra’s 10 world series championships, Jordan’s six NBA titles, Brady’s seven Super Bowls or Nicklaus’ 18 golf majors). I mean, really, who’s better than these athletes?
We aren’t the only ones concerned with greatness. As a matter of fact, while passing through Galilee toward Capernaum over two centuries ago, this very question—who is the greatest—was the topic of conversation between the 12 followers of Jesus. Although the disciples didn’t have any record of statistics or championships to use as their guide, they used the culture of their day. In biblical times, boasting was both appropriate and necessary for one’s standing within the community. But is this the way of a follower of Jesus? In last month’s issue of the Diakonos, we were challenged to be consistent in our walk with Jesus, as a loyal follower. Jesus called his disciples to surrender, submit and follow Him regardless of the cost (Mk. 8:34-38). This month, we’ll consider the humility necessary to follow Jesus and truly be great in God’s eyes (Mk. 9:30-37).
The Gospel of Mark
Recall: Mark’s Gospel catalogs the life of Jesus as the Son of God (1:1), all the while reporting Jesus’ expectations of those who follow him. The central section (8:22-10:52) of Mark features Jesus’ movement from Galilee to Jerusalem. In other words, He is “on the way” to the cross and basically identifying those who will follow Him regardless of where His journey ends.
Mark 9:30-37 – A Humble Follower
As Mark continues the story “on the way” to Jerusalem, Jesus predicts His death a second time. Jesus’ mission is still certain: He will be handed over to those who hate Him, and they will kill Him (9:31). The disciples did not understand this prediction and were afraid to ask (v. 32). Potentially they understood enough about Jesus’ death and they did not want to hear that a conquering Messiah would suffer and die; how can this be? Or perhaps they did not ask because they were preoccupied with which one of them was the greatest. An agenda that was centered on themselves and not concerned with humbly following Jesus.
While walking on the dusty road toward Capernaum and talking about His upcoming passion, Mark reports that the disciples were arguing about who would be the greatest (v. 34). Jesus asked them the content of the argument (v. 33); however, He did not ask for information or insight. Rather, He asked in order to teach them about the meaning of being great. The argument, however, was not unusual during Jesus’ day. The disciples were preoccupied with their rank among one another in culture.
Jesus once again takes the opportunity to respond by teaching his disciples. Jesus sat with His disciples; school is now in session! It is here that Jesus gave a reversal of all human ideas of greatness and rank; the “G.O.A.T.” must be the very last one and servant of all. The disciples’ thoughts were focused on the period of glory, when questions of rank seemed appropriate. Jesus, however, re-directed their thinking toward His insistence that the way to glory leads through suffering and death. When Jesus directed his disciples’ attention toward being “servant of all (v. 35),” He was asking them to engage in an activity that society considered acceptable only for servants. In order for anyone to be first (great), he/she must assume the position of last (least, insignificant) and an assistant under someone.
Jesus illustrates his point by placing a child into his arms (v. 36). This IS counter-cultural; but why? The child had to do explicitly with status, not with any character traits supposedly typical of children. The child represented the lowest order in the social scale, the one who is under the authority and care of others; simply put—the insignificant. In this passage, there was no call to become like a child, but rather the injunction “to receive” a child, to reverse the conventional value-scale by placing importance to the unimportant. To receive or welcome a little child meant that someone broke the social norms, lowering himself to accept one of lower status and thereby risking his own position of power and prestige within the community. This is exactly what the disciples were preoccupied with, their own status before others.
A Challenge for Followers of Jesus
Therefore, believers, should preoccupy themselves with welcoming and caring for the insignificant ones just as Jesus did (cf. 2:16-17). There should be no seeking of positions of advantage, because Jesus’ expectation is that followers have a servant-attitude with a heart of humility and sincerity. Welcome others as a representative of Jesus (v. 37), and by doing this, we are also doing it as a representative of God (v. 37). This is a significant contrast to the self-exalting pride that caused the disciples to argue with one another in the first place.
Similar to last month, my hope is to offer a sober reminder that following Jesus must be a priority. Following Jesus is not about being the G.O.A.T. as our culture expresses it in sports. Jesus is not at all concerned with the follower promoting himself to a position of greatness through a self-exalting pride. Rather, He desires that the believer humbly serve the insignificant even if it reverses the conventional value-scale of the community. Only in this way will someone achieve greatness in the eyes of the Savior.
by Wayne Slusser, Ph.D., Dean of Baptist Bible Seminary
