10 

The Greatness of Humility
(Mark 10:35–45) 

James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (10:35–45)

Pride is the seminal sin that rules all fallen hearts. The Bible repeatedly emphasizes that God hates pride and honors humility. Proverbs 8:13 declares, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil,” and then names pride as the first example of evil. Heading a list of seven things God hates are “haughty [proud] eyes” (Prov. 6:16–17). Isaiah wrote

Psalm 31:23 adds that “The Lord … fully recompenses the proud doer,” and Proverbs 16:5 that “everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; assuredly, he will not be unpunished.” The apostle John cautions that “all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world” (1 John 2:16).

Because of the danger of pride, the Bible commands that it be avoided. In Romans 12:16 Paul wrote, “Do not be haughty in mind.” In Psalm 75:5 God commanded, “Do not speak with insolent pride.”

Scripture also records the devastating consequences of pride. The proud forfeit any relationship with God, who “regards the lowly, but the haughty He knows from afar” (Ps. 138:6). Proverbs 11:2 notes, “When pride comes, then comes dishonor.” The proud “cry out, but [God] does not answer because of the pride of evil men” (Job 35:12). According to Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling” (cf. 15:25; 18:12). In a similar vein, Proverbs 29:23 notes that “A man’s pride will bring him low.” Moses warned Israel,

But Israel failed to heed Moses’ warning. “As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore they forgot Me” (Hos. 13:6). In her Magnificat, Mary said that God “has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart” (Luke 1:51). Both James (James 4:6) and Peter (1 Peter 5:5) declare that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (cf. Prov. 3:34).

Illustrations of pride include the wicked in general (Rom. 1:30) and false teachers in particular (1 Tim. 6:3–4), Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32:25), Pharaoh (Neh. 9:10), Israel (Hos. 5:5), Babylon (Jer. 50:29), Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:30; 5:20), Belshazzar (Dan. 5:22–23), Edom (Obad. 3), and above all, Satan (Isa. 14:12–14; Ezek. 28:17; 1 Tim. 3:6).

Summarizing the biblical teaching regarding pride, Proverbs 21:4 states, “Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin.

On the other hand, humility is a virtue that God honors and blesses and the Bible commands. “What does the Lord require of you,” asks Micah 6:8 rhetorically, “but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” In Ephesians 4:1–2 Paul commanded that believers “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which [they] have been called, with all humility.” To the Philippians he wrote, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3), and gave similar instructions in Colossians 3:12: “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Peter also stressed the importance of humility. In 1 Peter 3:8 he wrote, “All of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit,” while in 5:5–6 he added, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.”

Among the many blessings bestowed on the humble are honor (Prov. 15:33; 18:12; 22:4; 29:23; Luke 1:52; James 4:10), strength (Ps. 10:17), instruction (Ps. 25:9), prosperity (Ps. 37:11), deliverance (Ps. 76:9), wisdom (Prov. 11:2), and fellowship with God (Isa. 66:2).

Humility always marks the godly. Abraham described himself as “but dust and ashes” (Gen. 18:27); Isaac was willing to allow himself to be offered as a sacrifice to God (Gen. 22:1–18); Jacob declared himself to be “unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness,” which God had shown to him (Gen. 32:10). “Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth” (Num. 12:3). Gideon said to God, “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house” (Judg. 6:15). David’s prayer of praise to God displayed his humility:

John the Baptist “was preaching, and saying, ‘After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals’” (Mark 1:7). Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32:26), Manasseh (2 Chron. 33:12), Josiah (2 Chron. 34:27), Job (Job 40:4; 42:6), Isaiah (Isa. 6:5), a centurion (Matt. 8:8), a Syrophoenician woman (Matt. 15:27), Peter (Luke 5:8), and Paul (Acts 20:19) are other notable examples of humility.

Paradoxically, the supreme example of humility is the one most worthy to be exalted—the Lord Jesus Christ. In Matthew 11:29 He described Himself as “gentle and humble in heart.” He modeled humility by washing the disciples’ feet (John 13:14–15). But the most profound illustration of Christ’s humility is His incarnation and sacrificial death:

Pride is the defining sin of humanity and the source of all other sins. All temptations are based upon self-gratification, which is an expression of pride and self-love. The disciples, although they were redeemed and the Holy Spirit was with them so that they loved Jesus and believed in His kingdom, still struggled with pride. They were, after all, common men of humble origins. The thought of being elevated to a position of honor far beyond anything they or anyone else in their nation had achieved was very intoxicating to them.

Unfortunately, their privileged understanding of spiritual truth (Matt. 13:11) did not result in humility. Instead, it stirred up their pride. The principle the Lord had given them in verse 31, “Many who are first will be last, and the last first,” meant that they were all equal. Yet the disciples still perceived themselves as superior to each other, as this incident reveals. Peter’s statement, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You” (10:28; cf. Matt. 19:27), further exposed the collective pride of the Twelve. They had denied themselves, left all behind, and followed Jesus into the unknown. Now they wanted to know what was in it for them. Consequently, they found the Lord’s teaching regarding His death (e.g., 8:31; 9:31; 10:32–34) troubling and did not want to discuss it (cf. 9:32).

This incident, manifesting apostolic pride, is similar to the earlier one in Mark 9:33–37 and the later one in Luke 22:24–27. In the other two incidents, the disciples argued over who was the greatest among them; here James and John assumed that that they were the great ones and acted accordingly. The incident and the lesson Jesus subsequently taught the Twelve reveals two disparate paths to greatness: self-promotion, and self-denial. One is godly, the other sinful. One characterizes the kingdom of God, the other the kingdom of the world.

SELF-PROMOTION

James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. (10:35–42)

This section reveals three characteristics of self-promotion: it is motivated by selfish ambition, unveiled in arrogant overconfidence, and makes for ugly competitiveness.

SELF-PROMOTION IS MOTIVATED BY SELFISH AMBITION

James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” (10:35–37)

As befits the nickname “Sons of Thunder” given them by Jesus (Mark 3:17), James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, were brash, bold men. Luke 9:51–56 records an incident that reveals their passionate, fiery personalities:

Along with another set of brothers, Peter and Andrew, James and John made up the innermost circle of the Twelve, those closest to Jesus. Peter, James, and John alone had the privilege of being with Jesus at some of the key events of His ministry, including the transfiguration (Matt. 17:1), the raising of Jairus’s daughter (Luke 8:51), and His agonizing time of prayer inside the garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:33). Their privileged position caused James and John to view themselves as superior to the eight disciples in the other two groups, if not Peter and Andrew as well.

They also believed they had a personal advantage over the rest of the apostles in their quest for honor and glory. According to Matthew’s account of this incident, James and John were accompanied by their mother when they approached Jesus. A comparison of Matthew’s, Mark’s, and John’s accounts of the crucifixion reveals four women who were specifically mentioned: Jesus’ mother, Mary, Mary the wife of Clopas (and mother of James the son of Alphaeus and his brother Joseph; cf. Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40), Mary Magdalene, and a fourth described only as “His mother’s sister” (John 19:25). By process of elimination, she must have been Salome (Mark 15:40), the mother of the sons of Zebedee (Matt. 27:56) and the sister of Mary the mother of Jesus, and hence His aunt. James and John boldly played the family card by bringing her along (Matt. 20:20), thinking to leverage the request they were about to make to Jesus. She did not ask anything for herself; she would find fulfillment through her sons and the honor they would bring to the family.

So James and John, with their mother, brashly came up to Jesus and before making their request said to Him (Matt. 20:21), “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” Like a child trying to manipulate a parent, they asked the Lord to grant their request before telling Him what it was. He, of course, refused to grant them the carte blanche approval they sought. Instead, He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” Echoing their mother’s initial request, they said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” Their request reflects the common practice of ancient rulers to elevate their highest ranking, most intimate family members and associates to the places of honor on either side of them.

This shockingly prideful request showed that, for all the time they had been with Him, the two had not learned humility, even after observing Jesus, the flawless model of it. James and John also deliberately depreciated the other apostles as being beneath them and unworthy of the honor they deserved. They were manipulative, consumed by a strong, self-promoting ambition, the expression of which revealed the ugly condition of their hearts (cf. Mark 7:21–22).

SELF-PROMOTION IS MANIFESTED IN ARROGANT OVERCONFIDENCE

But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” (Mark 10:38–40)

Warning the ignorant brothers of the magnitude and folly of their request, Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” The cup (cf. Matt. 26:39; John 18:11) and baptism (cf. Luke 12:50) are references to the Lord’s suffering. To drink the cup is an Old Testament idiom meaning to fully experience something, in this case God’s wrath (cf. Pss. 11:6; 75:8; Isa. 51:17, 22; Jer. 25:15–17; 49:12). Christ’s point is that reward and honor in the kingdom are relative to the degree of earthly suffering endured.

Displaying the same overconfidence that Peter would when he adamantly insisted that he would not deny Jesus (both in the upper room [Luke 22:33; John 13:37], and in Gethsemane [Matt. 26:33; Mark 14:31]), James and John insisted, “We are able.” Their answer revealed that they did not understand the ramifications of what they were asking. When the moment of crisis came, their overconfidence was exposed, and they fled along with the rest of the apostles (Matt. 26:56). Jesus went on to tell them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” James would be the first of the Twelve to be martyred, executed by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:2); John would be the last, near the end of the first century during the reign of Emperor Trajan. They would suffer, but the Father (Matt. 20:23) will sovereignly decide the places of honor in the kingdom. Jesus’ acknowledgment, it “is not Mine to give,” affirms His submission to the Father during the incarnation.

SELF-PROMOTION MAKES FOR UGLY COMPETIVENESS

Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. (10:41–42)

After they made their pitch, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. The rest of the apostles were furious, not because James’s and John’s blatant manifestation of pride offended their spiritual sensibilities but because the two approached Jesus first. The Twelve’s selfish competitiveness survived until the very end; even on the solemn occasion of the Last Supper, “there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest” (Luke 22:24).

Seizing on this sinful attitude, Jesus called the Twelve together and told them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. The apostles were influenced by the prevailing leadership style of the world, which saw the rulers of the Gentiles lord their exalted position over their subjects. Rulers were and still are ambitious, autocratic, self-promoting, confident, arrogant, prideful, dictatorial, and domineering.

The world has always been filled with ambitious, overconfident, competitive self-promoters, who know no limits to their ambition. Many reach the heights of power. Driven by corrupt, proud hearts, they seek power at the expense of others. Ambition, overconfidence, and competitiveness mark the worldly pursuit of greatness by self-promotion.

SELF-DENIAL

But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (10:43–45)

Continuing His lesson, Jesus contrasted the worldly, self-promoting path to greatness with true greatness in God’s kingdom. He told the apostles, “But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.” Paradoxically, the path to greatness in the kingdom lies in humble self-denial; in being a servant and a slave of all.

The desire to be honored in the kingdom is a noble desire. Paul wrote, “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him” (2 Cor. 5:9). To that end he “discipline[d his] body and [made] it [his] slave, so that, after [he had] preached to others, [he would] not be disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27). Nearing the end of his life, he penned,

The apostle John cautioned believers, “Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward” (2 John 8). “Behold, I am coming quickly,” Jesus declared, “and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done” (Rev. 22:12).

But the road to that greatness in the kingdom lies in selfless service. Diakonos (servant) literally refers to those who waited on tables (it is so used in John 2:5, 9). Doulos, though frequently translated “servant” in English Bibles, actually means slave (cf. John MacArthur, Slave [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010]). The Lord’s point is that believers are to consider everyone their master, and themselves slaves to serve all.

The perfect example of such humble service is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. Unlike the world’s leaders, He did not come to be served, but to serve; not merely to be Lord and Master but also to be a slave of His Father and do His will (John 4:34; 17:4), and to serve sinners by the sacrifice of Himself. As noted earlier, the most profound illustration of Christ’s humble service and obedience to the Father is His death (Phil. 2:5–8), when He gave His life a ransom (lutron; the price paid for the release of a slave) for many. Having made the greatest sacrifice, Jesus received the greatest honor:

In His vicarious, substitutionary death on behalf of sinners, He gave His life to pay to God in full the price of sin for all the people who would ever be saved throughout history. Christ’s death propitiated God’s wrath and fulfilled the demands of His justice for the elect, the redeemed. The one sacrifice of the Son of Man paid the ransom for the many who believe (Rom. 5:12–21; 1 Tim. 2:6; 1 Peter 2:24).