Jostling for position - Living by the Word - Mark 10:35-45 - Column

Christian Century, Oct 5, 1994 by Martin B. Copenhaver

WHEN JESUS first predicts his passion (Mark 8:31), the disciples "just don't get it." Simon Peter strongly rebukes Jesus. Jesus makes a second prediction (9:31), and the Twelve jostle for position, arguing with one another over who is the greatest. When Jesus responds, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all," we can imagine the disciples beginning to argue over who is the last!

And now, after the third and most detailed prediction of the passion, James and John approach Jesus on the sly and say, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." It is an annoying and self-serving ploy, akin to the question, "Will you do me a favor?" Jesus sidesteps this ill-disguised trap by responding with a question: "What do you want?" They respond, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."

Jesus has just laid before the disciples an unflinching account of what lies ahead--the condemnation, the mockery, the spitting, the flogging, the death--and these two seem to have heard none of it. Jesus did not promise them a triumphant parade when they arrived in Jerusalem, but a lynch mob. It goes without saying that when James and John made their request they did not envision that the ones who would end up on Jesus' right and left hand would be hanging on crosses.

Of course, it is easy to hear the invitation as so obviously attractive that any fool would want to sign on. "Come and board the glory train!" We hear what is promised and skip like a flat stone over what is required. Most of us would give up Easter if we could also do without Good Friday.

To be sure, those of us who have received the good news also receive the glorious invitation, "Come and board the glory train!" But we need to be continually reminded that before the glory train reaches its final destination, it will make a few stops at places we would rather avoid but cannot--places like the upper room, the garden of Gethsemane and Golgotha. The glory train is a local; it makes all the stops. There is no express route. And so the journey of discipleship is not so immediately attractive that any fool would want to sign on. In many ways it is so fearsome that you have to be a special kind of fool--what Paul calls "a fool for Christ"--to get on board.

When the ten become angry with James and John for making this request Jesus realizes that they are all still confused about the nature of God's realm. So he does a little remedial work with them. Leaving for a moment the ultimate self-giving of passion and martyrdom, he speaks of other ways in which self-giving is the coin of God's realm. Once again expectations are reversed: the way to be great is to be a servant, even as Jesus came as a servant.

The lesson bears repeating because we are continually trying to straighten up the order of things that Jesus turned topsy-turvy. In one New England church I served, some of the older members could remember a time when wealthy families would send their servants to help cook church suppers alongside those who did not have servants to send. By the time I came to the church these stories were repeated with some amusement, but similar confusions continued. According to the bylaws of the church the deacons were charged with spiritual leadership of the congregation. At one of the deacons meetings, someone complained that instead of being true to this high and momentous charge, deacons spent too much of their time delivering food to the homeless shelter and washing dishes after communion. How could they tend to important spiritual matters when they were occupied with such mundane tasks? "I feel like a glorified butler," one of the deacons complained.

So together we looked at the Book of Acts, where the word deacon first appears. There we discovered that the apostles commissioned the first deacons so that there would be someone to take food to the widows! They were indeed butlers, charged with the mundane task of delivering food, and also glorified because that simple act was an important expression of Christ's self-giving love. In this realm, everything is turned upside down, and many of our usual assumptions begin to shake loose. To lead is to be a servant. The place of greatest honor is not at the head table but in the kitchen. The greatest reward is not a gold watch but a dish towel.

In our day we have a renewed opportunity to grasp this teaching. Most of us remember a time when the culture at large honored the Christian church as a place of special prominence. Today, of course, much of that has changed. Once again the church finds itself on the sidelines of the culture. Many decry these changes. But when the chruch is not invited to the banquet, there is another possibility. We can stop looking for the world to give us the places of honor and get back to our rightful place--in the kitchen.