Meditating again on this great passage… Mark 10:42-45

I came upon this quote…
“[The present tense verb is used in verse 42: "It is not this way among you "(The NAS has it right)... implies] to fail in being a servant is not simply to fall short of an ideal condition but to stand outside of an existing condition that corresponds to the kingdom of God.
At no place do the ethics of the kingdom of God clash more vigorously with the ethics of the world than in the ematters of power and service. The ideas that Jesus presents regarding rule and service are combined in a way that finds no obvious precedent in either the OT or Jewish tradition.  In a decisive reversal of values, Jesus speaks of greatness in service rather than greatness of power, prestige, and authority.  The preeminant virtue of God’s kingdom is not power, not even freedom, but service.  Ironically, greatness belongs to the one who is not great, the diakonos, the ordinary Greek word for waiting on tables.  The preeminence of service in the kingdom of God grows out of Jesus’ teaching on love for one’s neighbor, for service is love made tangible.”
(James R. Edwards, Pillar NT Commentary)

There is the paradox.  Thank God for the paradoxes of the kingdom!

Here is Edwards’ continued commentary…

Pursuing the point still further, Jesus declares that ” ‘whoever want to be first must be a slave of all.’” The pronouncement is, of course, and oxymoron, for a slave (Gk. doulos), who was inferior even to a servant (Gk diakonos), was in ancient society the last and least of all. The idea of a slave being first is as absurdly paradoxical as a camel going through the eye of a needle – and it probably likewise induced smiles and shaking heads from Jesus’ audience.  The desire for power and dominance focuses attention on self and this kills love, for love by nature is focused on others.

Here is where I was truly convicted…

The implications of diakonos and doulos for the Twelve, as well as for ministers and leaders in the church of every generation, are inexhaustible. the Christian fellowship does not exist for their sake, but they for it,  Nor is the apostle or Christian leader above the congregation, but part of it. The congregation does not belong to him; rather, he belongs to it.…