Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Mark 10:41 - 10:45
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar_10:41-45
41Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. 42Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Mar_10:41 "Hearing this" This showed James and John waited until they were alone with Jesus. It also shows the humanness of the Apostles. These were not "super saints," just men called, equipped, and used by God. The others became indignant, not because of the inappropriateness of James' and John's request, but the fact they got to ask first. These chosen Apostles still exhibited selfishness and sin.
Mar_10:42 Jesus again addresses their ambition and misunderstanding of the Kingdom.
Mar_10:43
NASB "But it is not this way among you"
NKJV "Yet it shall not be so among you"
NRSV "But it is not so among you"
TEV "This, however, is not the way it is among you"
NJB "Among you this is not to happen"
These translations reflect a Greek manuscript variant. In some manuscripts ( à , B, C*, D, L, W) the Present tense is used (cf. NASB, NRSV, TEV), which is also found in the parallel in Mat_20:26. However, in other manuscripts (A and C3) the future tense is found (cf. NKJV and implied in NJB).
▣ "'whoever wishes to be great'" Jesus does not discourage greatness or ambition, but defines true greatness as service and humility (cf. Mat_20:26; Mar_9:35).
▣ "servant" This is the term diakonos, which later becomes the office/function of deacon. All believers are called to serve (cf. Eph_4:11-12).
Mar_10:44 This helps explain Mar_10:31.
▣ "slave" This is the term doulos, which referred to a domestic servant.
Mar_10:45 "'the Son of Man'" See note at Mar_8:38 c.
▣ "'did not come to be served, but to serve'" This is the true definition of greatness. Jesus models the life of the Kingdom for us to emulate (cf. 1Pe_2:21). This truth was taught symbolically in Jesus' washing the disciples' feet in the Upper Room the night He was betrayed (cf. Joh_13:14-15).
This truth is always difficult for church leadership. But without it there is no servant church.
▣ "'to give His life'" This is the summary verse of Mark's Gospel. Jesus always refers to His death as His gift or His glory. It denotes the vicarious, substitutionary atonement (i.e., sin offering, cf. 2Co_5:21) of Christ (cf. Gen_3:15; Isa_52:13 to Isa_53:12).
▣ "'ransom'" This is literally "to buy back" or "to pay a price" (cf. Mat_20:28; Tit_2:14; 1Pe_1:18). It reflects the OT term used of slaves and prisoners of war being bought back, often by a near kin (go'el). Jesus unites in Himself the love and justice of God the Father. Sin costs a life—God provided one!
hyperlink
▣ "for" This is the Greek preposition anti. Sometimes it is joined to the noun "ransom" (lutron = antilutron, cf. 1Ti_2:6). It can mean "instead of," "on behalf of," or "in the place of." The relationship between the prepositions anti and huper must be determined by the context (cf. 2Co_5:14; Heb_10:12; 1Pe_2:21; 1Pe_3:18; 1Jn_3:16). All of these have the connotation of Jesus' vicarious, substitutionary atonement. He died in our place, bore our sin (cf. Isa_53:4-6).
▣ "many" The term many has been used by some commentators to limit Christ's atonement to "the elect." The terms "many" and "all" are synonymous in two key passages that deal with redemption. Compare Isa_53:11-12, "many" with Isa_53:6, "all." This parallelism is clearly seen in Rom_5:18, "all" and Rom_5:19, "many." Jesus paid the price for all, but only those who respond by repentance and faith to the wooing of the Spirit are redeemed.
Mar_10:45 is the theological heart of the Gospel. It came in response to personal ambition. Human ambition must be given back to God as a gift (cf. Rom_12:1-2). Christians must emulate Christ's self-giving (cf. 1Jn_3:16).