GREATNESS IS DOWN, NOT UP
33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:33-37
The disciples had not yet learned to live in the realm of the kingdom of God as Jesus did. They were still very much a part of this world system with its understanding of power as force and control. In complete contrast to the yoke of Jesus, they contended for top political place in a kingdom that already had its hierarchy in place which Jesus had no intention of overthrowing.
By contrast, the kingdom of God drew its power from everything opposite to what they understood. Leadership and greatness flows from servant-hood. Power lies in gentleness and humility and love overcomes fear, light drives out darkness and government begins on the inside, in one’s heart first, by submitting to and embracing the rule of God over one’s life first.
By engaging in the on-going power struggle, the disciples were feeding the old selfish, greedy nature that reflected the darkness still in their own souls. It was obvious that they needed the transformation of the new heart but that experience for them lay beyond the cross and resurrection when they could finally “see” for themselves what God’s reign in the hearts really meant.
Jesus continued, patiently to sow the seed of truth because the Holy Spirit’s role in their hearts was to bring that truth to life in the on-going experiences of their lives. He would remind them of Jesus’ words and open the eyes of their hearts to see what they could not see now. Jesus did not despair of their “getting it “. He continued to lay the foundation of the real yet unseen kingdom in them into which they would finally be catapulted on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit would put all the pieces of the puzzle together.
Their lack of understanding meant loss for Jesus at this point. He would have to endure the cross experience without their understanding or support. He knew that but it did not faze Him because He was fully confident of the Holy Spirit’s partnership in the ultimate success of His mission.