Upside Down Living and Leading

Scripture — Mark 10:35-45 (NRSV)

James 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.” And he said to them, “What is it 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.” But 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?” They 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; 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.”

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So 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. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Devotion

I’ve always loved the story of Jesus’s interaction with his disciples in Mark 10:35-45. Now you might think this a bit strange, given that the disciples don’t come off so well in this story, especially James and John. But that’s part of what I love. I can relate to following Jesus, but messing up easily. And I am both grateful and amazed that the New Testament shows the early Christian “heroes” so honestly, telling the truth even when it portrays the disciples as dim-witted and self-absorbed.

It’s important to note that immediately before Mark 10:35-45, Jesus foretold his condemnation, torture, and death, followed by his resurrection. Yet, two of his faithful disciples, James and John, came to Jesus on the heels of his prophecy, asking, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you” (10:36). Now, this would be an inappropriate thing to ask of any teacher, not to mention one who had just spoken of his imminent death. Nevertheless, Jesus responded calmly, asking what they wanted. Their request was stunning, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory” (10:37). It seems that James and John might have heard what Jesus said about his resurrection, but they seem to have neglected the part about his death completely. The inappropriateness of their requests is astounding.

Jesus continued to respond calmly, telling James and John that they had no idea what they were really asking. Were they willing to drink the cup Jesus was about to drink, the cup of judgment representing his death on the cross? When they answered affirmatively, Jesus added that he did not have the authority to enthrone them at his right and left hands (10:40).

Now, another surprising thing about this conversation between James and John and Jesus is that it happened within the hearing of the other disciples of Jesus. In front of their peers, James and John asked to be ranked the highest of all. What nerve! It isn’t surprising that the other disciples became angry with James and John, though their anger showed their own spiritual immaturity.

Considering the messy interaction happening with his disciples, Jesus seized an opportunity to teach them. He began, “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” (10:42). Yes, the disciples were well aware of the tyranny of Roman rulers. Jesus continued, “But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all” (10:43-44). With these words, Jesus turned the world of the disciples upside down. The way up to greatness is the way down to servanthood. The way to being on top is the way of humble, slave-like service to others. In saying this, Jesus showed that the selfish aspirations of James and John and the jealous response of the other disciples were inconsistent with him and his kingdom.

Then Jesus added something that was not only disconcerting but actually shocking to all of his disciples: “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (10:45). Surely the followers of Jesus were familiar with the vision of the Son of Man, a vision of a human figure to whom God gave “dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him” (Dan 7:13-14). But Jesus reveals that the Son of Man, whom Jesus often identified with, came “not to be served but to serve.” Indeed, his service would be sacrificial in the extreme, as the Son of Man would give his life for others.

Jesus brought up the Son of Man not to shock his disciples, however. He spoke of his serving, dying mission as the Son of Man in order to show his disciples what it would mean for them to follow him and why they should do it. Even as Jesus Christ was the servant of others, so it should be with his disciples. Even as Jesus Christ would act like a slave by becoming human and giving up his life (see Phil 2:7-8), so it should be with those who follow him. Jesus provided the ultimate example of upside-down living and leading. He embodied the kind of humility and self-sacrifice he asked of his followers.

If we wish to follow Jesus faithfully, then we will learn how to imitate his humble, serving, and sacrificial way of life. Doing so – which involves a lifetime of learning and growing – will enable us to seek the good for others, even when it is costly for us. Since our Lord, as the Son of Man, came “not to be served but to serve,” so it will be with us as we grow in him. His model of sacrifice teaches us. His example inspires us. And his Spirit at work within us enables us to do what, left to our own devices, we could never do, namely, living and leading for the good of others.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: The Serving Son of Man.