The First Shall Be Last of All - Mark 9:35

Mark wrote how Jesus and His disciples, “came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that you disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest”, and in chapter nine and verse thirty-five of his book, Mark shared how Jesus' disciples, “if a man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all” where we read:

And he sat down, and called the twelve, and said unto them,

If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

The verse reads, “And he sat down, and called the twelve, and said unto them, ...” Mark began with the words, “and he sat down” which means “and Jesus was seated”, “and called the twelve” or “and beckoned and summoned His twelve disciples”, “and said unto them” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed to His twelve disciples”. Mark shared how Jesus responded to the “twelve disciples'” silence by being “seated”, summoning them to come to Him and teaching them the following idea.

The verse continues, “... If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.” Mark added the words, “If any man desire” which means “whether any person whether male or female has in mind, intends, is resolved, determined and wishes” “to be first” or “to exist as the principal and chief in influence and honor”, “the same shall be last of all” which means “that selfsame person will exist as the lowest in rank, grade of worth and the uttermost end”, “and servant of all” or “and the one who executes the commands of, attends to and ministers to each, every, the whole and all people”. Mark shared how Jesus declared “if” a person wants to be the “chief in influence and honor”, that person should be the “minister and attendant” to everyone.

When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus dealt with His disciples who were “disputing” which one of them “should be the greatest”. Jesus saw this as a teaching moment, and He presented the God-like idea that if they desire to be “the greatest”, the pathway was to “minister to and serve” everyone. In other words, “the greatest” would be “the servant” of everybody. God sent His Son Jesus to “serve” everyone in the world by dying on the cross for their sins, and when they put their “faith and trust” in Him, they become the “children of God” and are promised everlasting life with God. (See John 1:12 and John 3:16)

Next time Mark shares how Jesus, “took a child, and set him in the midst of them”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".