ONLY THE HUMBLE SHALL BE EXALTED.
-MARK
10:35-45.-MAY 22.-
Golden Text: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister.”
SEVERAL weeks
intervened between the incidents of the last lesson and the present one. In
that time the Lord had crossed over Jordan in answer to the request of Mary and
Martha that he should come and heal their brother Lazarus, who was sick. Jesus
arrived intentionally too late for this, but awakened Lazarus from sleep, and
thereby aroused a great storm of opposition, especially amongst the scribes and
Pharisees, who sought to put him to death. Knowing that his time was not yet
come, he retired into a mountain of northern Judea, but at the time of this
lesson he with his twelve apostles was en route for Jerusalem. He had
just explained to them more particularly the ignominy, shame and death which he
would experience, and repeated his assurance of his resurrection. The rich young
ruler had just visited him, and gone away sorrowful upon learning the terms of
discipleship. Jesus had just said, How hardly shall they who have riches enter
into the Kingdom; the apostles had inquired what they should have since they
had left all, and Jesus assured them that they should have a hundred fold more
in this present time, with persecution, and in the world to come everlasting
life.
The context says that Jesus was walking in advance of the twelve, who were
discussing matters amongst themselves, overawed by the stupendous things which
the Lord had declared to be imminent. The courage of
our Lord in the narrow way fills us with admiration. What a strong character
was his! He had no thought of turning back; he was intent upon accomplishing
his Father’s will-upon sacrificing himself in the interest of others. A noble
pattern the apostles saw before them-greatness in humility, victory through
service.
A GOODLY HERITAGE DESIRED.
It was at this time that James and John approached the Lord in a private
manner. Matthew tells us that their mother Salome was with them and really
made the request for them in their names. Salome is supposed to have been the
sister of Mary, the aunt of Jesus, in which event James and John were his full
cousins. Realizing that matters were drawing to a crisis they sought of the
Lord an assurance that they two might be very close to him in the Kingdom, one
on his right hand and one on his left, the two positions of chiefest favor.
Our Lord did not reprove them, for doubtless he read in their hearts a
great love and loyalty toward himself; and the desire for the positions
indicated not merely the desire for the honors and authority implied, but
specially because this would bring them closer to himself. Had the Lord seen
in their hearts an evil form of ambition, undoubtedly he would have reproved it
on the spot. His answer, however, was so framed as to impress these brothers
and all of his followers since with what is implied in joint-heirship with the
Lord in the Kingdom. Very forceful is the expression, “Ye know not what ye
ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I drink of, and be baptized with the
baptism that I am baptized with?”
The cup signifies experiences-as, for instance, when our Lord said, “The
cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11.) Our
Lord wished his disciples to see clearly that the Father had poured for him a
special cup of experiences, and had required of him special baptism into death,
as conditions precedent to his glory and Kingdom; and that whoever would become
his associates in the Kingdom must become also his associates in the sufferings
of this present time-in the ignominy and whatever experiences the Father might
see best to permit as tests of faith and devotion and character. Our Lord did
not refer to the Memorial Supper cup, but to the experiences which it
symbolized, even as he did not refer to water baptism, but to the baptism into
death which is symbolized by the water immersion.
How heart-searching was this question! It meant, Are ye willing? because
it would be impossible for the disciples to have known their own ability except
in the sense of having confidence in God that he would give the ability to
those who had their wills thoroughly subjected to his. This is illustrated in
the symbolical baptism, in which one no more buries himself than he raises
himself. We merely surrender our wills, our all, to the Lord, and he by his
Word and grace works in us to will and ultimately to do his good
pleasure-expecting from us only the possibilities, and assisting us to these
with grace sufficient for us, for every time of need.
“MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU.”
That these two noble apostles were not inspired by selfish ambitions in
this request is evidenced by their prompt reply to the Lord’s searching
question and later on evidenced by their faithfulness even unto death. They
said, “We are able”-that is, “We are willing. God helping us, we will
sacrifice everything to follow in your footsteps; we will count nothing dear
unto us; we will lay aside every weight and every sinful besetment; we will run
with patience the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and
finisher of our faith.” This we may assume to be a larger statement of their
devotion.
Our Lord’s love and sympathy went out to them afresh as he answered them,
guaranteeing that with such willingness of heart they should indeed have the
experiences necessary to fit them for a place in the Kingdom. What a comfort
this is to even the weakest of the Lord’s followers who are sincere.
The Lord looketh at the heart, and if he sees there full devotion to
himself, he is pleased to grant to such his blessing, his aid, saying, “I will
never leave thee nor forsake thee.” “My grace is sufficient for thee-my
strength is made perfect in weakness.” We, too, are desirous of sharing the
Kingdom with our Lord, yet not from love of exaltation above others, but from a
desire to have this evidence that we please our Father and our Lord Jesus-to
have this closeness of relationship to him, and to have the privilege of
participation with our dear Redeemer in the great work of blessing all the
families of the earth in due time. It is well that we should have the Lord’s answer clearly
before our minds, and know that unless we partake of his cup and are immersed
into his death, we can have no share in his Kingdom of glory. Let us then
count all things else as loss and as dross to obtain this necessary
experience. As it comes to us let us not be fearful, nor think strange of the
fiery trials that shall try us, as though some strange thing had happened unto
us. On the contrary, even hereunto were we called, that we might now suffer
with the Lord and by and by be glorified together with him.
As for the particular place to be occupied in the Kingdom by the
sons of Zebedee or by us, our Lord pointed out that the assigning of such
positions was in the Father’s hands-the choicest positions shall be given to
those for whom they have been prepared by the Father. Not that we are to
understand that the Father prepared the places in advance by any arbitrary
divisions, but rather that the Father’s pre-arranged plan is that each of the
followers of Jesus shall have positions of honor in the Kingdom proportionate
to the zeal of their faithfulness in the present time-for none shall have any
part in the Kingdom who do not now prove faithful.
THE MEEKEST AND MOST ZEALOUS.
It is not for us to decide the zeal and faithfulness of the apostles-to
say which two would better fill these positions of chiefest honor. The Father
will make no mistake. It will not surprise us, however, should we find the
Apostle Paul in one of these two positions. His faithful, loving zeal and
loyalty seem to shine out conspicuously even amongst those who were also
faithful and loyal. It is not for us to have any ambitious feelings respecting
this matter, except that we desire always to serve the Lord and be pleasing to
him, and eventually to be as close to him as possible. When we remember that
the closer we come to him in the present trials and experiences and suffering
with faithfulness the closer we will be to him in the future, it explains to us
the meaning of the Apostle’s words when speaking of his severe trials: he called
them light afflictions but for a moment, working out a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory.-2 Cor. 4:17.
We recall that there had been, a little while before, some rivalry amongst
the apostles as to which should be greatest in the Kingdom. At that time Jesus
took a little child as an exemplification of candor and guilelessness, and
assured them that unless they became as little children-simple-hearted, honest,
candid, they could in no wise have any part in his Kingdom. Now, when the ten
other disciples learned the special mission of Salome and the request made by
and for James and John, they were indignant at them. Possibly some of them,
Judas included, were very anxious for the authority and power and dignity of
the throne, but without the very special love and longing to be near the Master
himself which seem to have influenced James and John in their request. But
Jesus set matters straight with them all, and turned their displeasure into an
opportunity for another good lesson, by the assurance that the chief positions
in the Kingdom would be given along the lines of meritorious service, and that
thus each one of them would have his opportunity to strive for the chief
position by striving to render service to the others.
Amongst the Gentiles the rulers are lords, who do
no serving but are served, but among the followers of Jesus the rule is to be
reversed; he who would serve most was to be esteemed most highly. What a
beauty there is in the divine order of things! how thoroughly all who are right
minded can sympathize with the principles here laid down! How reasonable they
are and how contrary to the spirit of the world. Truly, the Lord’s followers
will in this sense of the word be a peculiar people in their zeal for good
works-for serving one another and for doing good unto all men as they have
opportunity. The Apostle Peter emphasizes this point (I Pet. 5:6),
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt
you in due time.” “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, and he that
exalteth himself shall be abased.”-Luke 14:11.
OUR LORD SERVANT OF ALL.
The Lord did not have one standard for his followers and another standard
for himself. Consequently, when they heard him say, Whosoever of you will be
chief shall be servant of all, they could promptly recognize that this was the
course that he had pursued-that he had been servant to them all; and it was on
account of the services that he was continually rendering them that they
delighted to serve him, to acknowledge him their Master and to walk in his
steps. Indeed they had seen only a small fragment of the Lord’s sacrificing
and of its far-reaching influence as a service to others. We can see this as
we recognize the fact that our Lord was about to die, not merely for his
disciples, not merely for the Jews, but to be a propitiation for the sins of
the whole world, that the whole world eventually might have a blessing-a
blessed opportunity for coming to life eternal through the merit of his
service. Our Lord called this to their attention, saying, “For verily the Son
of man came not to be ministered unto [served] but to minister [serve], and to
give his life a ransom for many.” This is one of the very explicit statements
of Scripture respecting the object of our Lord’s death-that it was not for his
own sins that he died, that on the contrary it was for ours, and that in thus
dying he gave himself a ransom price-a corresponding price for the sins of the
whole world.
No other lesson requires to be so carefully learned by the Lord’s people
as this lesson of humility. It has to do with the very humblest of the flock,
as well as with those who are teachers and elders and pilgrims, etc.; but the
degree of force that seems to come with the besetment or temptation seems to
multiply in proportion to the position and attainments of the individual.
Pride and ambition may be in those who have no official position in the Church,
often asserted in fault-finding and criticism which, to the hearers, is
intended to imply superior wisdom or ability on the part of the critic-that his
wisdom and ability only wait for opportunity to manifest his greatness above
his fellows. We are not objecting to a kindly brotherly word of criticism
given privately and with a view to helpfulness, but merely to the kind which
vaunteth itself and seeks to do injury to the reputation of another occupying a
preferred position.
“BE NOT MANY OF YOU TEACHERS.”
As the Apostle intimates, however, this besetment bears chiefly upon those
who have some talent, some ability, and whom their fellows have to some extent
honored as teachers. Little men, like little ships with broad sails, are in
great danger of being capsized if too strong a wind of popularity play upon
them. Not only so, but we believe that even the most humble, the most
faithful, the most zealous to be servants of the cause, have continual need to
be on their guard lest their good intentions should be used of the Adversary as
a trap for their ensnarement. Let us remember the Apostle’s words, “Be not many
of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that a man [who is a teacher] shall
receive greater condemnation”-he is exposed to greater trials and temptations
as a result. This must not hinder any who have talents from using them, but it
should make each one very careful that he does not think more highly of himself
than he ought to think, but to think soberly. If the judgment of the majority
of the congregation does not recognize his adaptation to the service of a teacher,
he should humbly accept its conclusion as correct, no matter how highly he had
thought of himself previously. And even if the majority should conclude that
he is worthy of a position as a teacher in Zion, he should tread very softly
before the Lord, very humbly, realizing that those who in any degree attempt to
impart instruction in spiritual things to others are to that extent acting as
representatives and mouthpieces of the Lord himself, the Head of the body; and
all should keep in mind the Lord’s words in this Golden Text and his own
exemplification of the matter-that he who serves most and not he who lords it
most should have the chief respect of the Lord’s people.