Who is the greatest?
I was studying through Luke 22 this morning and came to v. 24 which says, "And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be the greatest." At first, I was just stunned that they would sit there in the presence of Christ and pridefully argue with eachother about their own greatness. Then, as I chewed on it a bit, my heart was deeply convicted.
This time, in Luke 22:24, the context is at the Passover supper when Jesus brought to their attention that one of them would betray Him. They sat right in His presence and argued with one another over who was greatest. Sadly, this isn't the first time the disciples have argued over who was greatest among them. We read of it also in Luke 9:46, "An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest." The context here is just after Jesus was transfigured and He teaches them that being greatest means being least. We also see a similar theme in Mark 9:33-34, just after Jesus had told them that He would be delivered over, killed, and resurrected. They walked to meet with Jesus, who was in the house at Capernaum, and as they walked, they discussed who was the greatest among them. As they entered the house, He began questioning them, asking what they had been discussing as they walked. In this instance, they were rightly ashamed of the fact that they had been discussing which of them was the greatest -- and they kept quiet. However, Jesus knew their hearts and taught them that they must be servant of all in order to achieve greatness. It is duly noted that He did not condemn their desire to achieve greatness. He corrected their view on how it would be acheived.
I admit that I tend to be a bit hard on the disciples, thinking how on earth could they be so self-centered in the presence of Christ? How could they listen to Him and walk with Him, yet be concerned about their own personal greatness? How could they hear Him predict his death and resurrection, and immediately think about how awesome they were? Hello! You're looking in the face of God, guys! He's the only great one!
In truth, all of us do this on a daily basis, don't we? I confess that I see this in myself and am deeply grieved that my heart leans this way. In the presence of Christ, I daily think about how other people need to work on certain areas of sin in their lives. I think about how they continue in the same sin, because that particular sin may stand out to me. All along, though, I myself am struggling with a long list of sins that are equally displeasing to my God. The fact that my mind focuses on the sin of others proves that my wicked heart thinks that I am greater than my sister or brother. My thoughts about their sin are truly arguments within my heart over whether I am greater than they in the sight of God. Don't we all do this?
Should I really be so hard on the disciples? The disciples really missed the boat on a number of occasions, but don't I do the same thing? Don't you? The fact that the disciples could sit at the passover table with Jesus in their midst and argue over who was greatest among them is shocking to me. But shouldn't it be equally shocking that I sit in the "privacy" of my home, which is in the presence of God, and argue in my mind over who is greatest. Woe to me! Woe to you! You do it too.
Lord, please change my wicked heart and help me follow Your teaching -- that to achieve greatness, I must be the servant of all and the least among my brethren.
"And He said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called Benefactors. But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.' " Luke 22:25-27
"Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, 'If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.' " Mark 9:35
This time, in Luke 22:24, the context is at the Passover supper when Jesus brought to their attention that one of them would betray Him. They sat right in His presence and argued with one another over who was greatest. Sadly, this isn't the first time the disciples have argued over who was greatest among them. We read of it also in Luke 9:46, "An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest." The context here is just after Jesus was transfigured and He teaches them that being greatest means being least. We also see a similar theme in Mark 9:33-34, just after Jesus had told them that He would be delivered over, killed, and resurrected. They walked to meet with Jesus, who was in the house at Capernaum, and as they walked, they discussed who was the greatest among them. As they entered the house, He began questioning them, asking what they had been discussing as they walked. In this instance, they were rightly ashamed of the fact that they had been discussing which of them was the greatest -- and they kept quiet. However, Jesus knew their hearts and taught them that they must be servant of all in order to achieve greatness. It is duly noted that He did not condemn their desire to achieve greatness. He corrected their view on how it would be acheived.
I admit that I tend to be a bit hard on the disciples, thinking how on earth could they be so self-centered in the presence of Christ? How could they listen to Him and walk with Him, yet be concerned about their own personal greatness? How could they hear Him predict his death and resurrection, and immediately think about how awesome they were? Hello! You're looking in the face of God, guys! He's the only great one!
In truth, all of us do this on a daily basis, don't we? I confess that I see this in myself and am deeply grieved that my heart leans this way. In the presence of Christ, I daily think about how other people need to work on certain areas of sin in their lives. I think about how they continue in the same sin, because that particular sin may stand out to me. All along, though, I myself am struggling with a long list of sins that are equally displeasing to my God. The fact that my mind focuses on the sin of others proves that my wicked heart thinks that I am greater than my sister or brother. My thoughts about their sin are truly arguments within my heart over whether I am greater than they in the sight of God. Don't we all do this?
Should I really be so hard on the disciples? The disciples really missed the boat on a number of occasions, but don't I do the same thing? Don't you? The fact that the disciples could sit at the passover table with Jesus in their midst and argue over who was greatest among them is shocking to me. But shouldn't it be equally shocking that I sit in the "privacy" of my home, which is in the presence of God, and argue in my mind over who is greatest. Woe to me! Woe to you! You do it too.
Lord, please change my wicked heart and help me follow Your teaching -- that to achieve greatness, I must be the servant of all and the least among my brethren.
"And He said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called Benefactors. But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.' " Luke 22:25-27
"Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, 'If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.' " Mark 9:35
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