Mark 10:44 — Community Reflections

MARK 10:44 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.”

And whoever wants to be first must be slave of all — the intensification of verse 43: not merely servant (diakonos, one who serves) but slave (doulos, one who is owned, without rights, entirely at another's disposal). The first in the kingdom is the one who has placed themselves entirely at the disposal of all — no status, no privilege, no exception. The standard is absolute: slave of all means all without qualification.

Church Fathers on Mark 10:44

The other Apostles are indignant at seeing James and John seeking for honour; wherefore it is said, 'And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.' For being influenced by human feelings, they were moved with envy; and their first displeasure arose from their seeing that they were not taken up by the Lord; before that time they were not displeased, because they saw that they themselves were honoured before other men. At this time the…
Theophylact · 11th century

In which He teaches, that he is the greater, who is the less, and that he becomes the lord, who is servant of all: vain, therefore, was it both for the one party to seek for immoderate things, and the other to be annoyed at their desiring greater things, since we are to arrive at the height of virtue not by power but by humility.
Bede · 8th century

Read all 4 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

Publish a reflection on this verse

No reflections on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!