Jesus' Idea of Leadership and Service

Mark 10: 35-45 (October 18, 2009)

1) The Text

35James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” 37And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39They replied, “We are able.” Then 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; 40but 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.”

41When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. 42So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

2) The Context

This passage serves as the third major prophecy concerning Christ's passion, and is linked to teaching on the true nature of discipleship. Earlier (in 9:33-34) the disciples have argued about which of them is the greatest. Now two members of the inner circle ask a favor of Jesus: they seek positions of special dignity at the messianic banquet in heaven at the end of time (v. 37). Jesus answers: you do not know the implications of what you ask. In the Old Testament, one’s “cup” (v. 38) is one’s lot assigned by God, be it blessing or condemnation. Here, Jesus is speaking of his suffering and death. To be baptized with Jesus’ baptism is to share fully in God’s ways. James and John confidently answer yes (v. 39) and accept all the consequences. Only the Father knows whom he has called to special places in the kingdom.

Jesus tells all the disciples: pagan authority depends on power and force (v. 42) but for disciples, it is different (v. 43): to be “great” now and in the kingdom (“become”, v. 43 and “be”, v. 44) one must serve others; to be “first”, one must serve even more humbly, as a “slave”. Jesus, the “Son of Man” (v. 45), in his voluntary abasement, is the example: he gave even his life for the freedom of others, gaining their release from punishment and death for their sins.

3) Interpretation

One of the reasons why the story of Jesus is so powerful is that it is so human and so simple. It is a story of human venality and ambition, of trial and error, weakness and strength. It is a story with which most of us can identify.

When the evangelist Mark was writing this Gospel, the early Church was having a lot of trouble with its leaders who were at first very dedicated and self-sacrificing, but whose human weaknesses were now beginning to show. One of the ways in which Mark responded to this situation was by portraying the disciples in all of their human weakness in his Gospel story. The lesson was this: if there was such human weakness amongst the disciples of Jesus, should you be surprised to find the same weakness in our present leadership - and within yourself? Then, if this weakness is ever present, we need to learn to lean more on Jesus than on our own weak selves.

When Matthew tells the story of the ambition of James and John, he has their mother approach Jesus. But Mark, in telling the story in today's Gospel, is not so refined. He has these two most favored people doing their own dirty work. They themselves come and ask Jesus to give them power - to allow them to rule with him when he, as they assumed he would, took over the government. The reaction of the other disciples is one of great indignation. Being themselves most ambitious, they very much resented the two who tried to get an inside track on them in the political race. This is a very human story that is still being acted out where human beings work together. It is to be found in the army, the government, business, the home and even in the Church. The higher up one goes in all of these institutions, the more subtle and the more ruthless the protagonists tend to get.

Jesus responds to the two brothers by telling them that they do not know what they are asking for. They are asking for a shortcut but there are no shortcuts to God's favor. Earlier he had spoken about how he would be handed over to the authorities - interestingly, the religious authorities - who will condemn him to death and hand him over to the pagans who will mock him and put him to death. The two disciples conveniently bypass this stage and want to enter and share Jesus' power when he enters into glory, when the suffering has been done.

Jesus brings them back to the realization that kingship or authority is not about wearing a crown but about carrying a cross. This often forgotten message, learned by Moses when he, the chosen one of God, had to bear with such criticism and condemnation from the people, is still being learned today by parents, politicians and managers.

Then Jesus really got to the point. What is leadership all about? It is not about self-glorification, but about the service of, and the empowerment of others. It is not for lording it over others but for standing under others. For Jesus that is not a theoretical teaching; he himself lived it. "For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

In connecting this to prayer, be careful when you come before the Lord in prayer, that you are not there to glorify yourself instead of also understanding what God seeks from you. Prayer can also be part of our seeking for success in the world and we can be seeking for success in prayer itself.

Meditation, however, is a form of prayer that prescinds success. It is a way of prayer in which one never succeeds but through which one becomes aware that success is not what life is all about. It is a way of prayer by which one becomes at home with one's own imperfect reality and is thereby empowered to share that weakness in the service of others.

4) Thought Exercise

How can we change our individual practices to better reflect Jesus’ definition of service?

How can our church in our outreach mission better reflect Jesus’ definition of service?