The greatest is the servant of all

(Mark 9:34-35)

It will be very tempting to approach Mark’s gospel lesson this week as an opportunity to preach against privilege and economic status. The systems of injustice that insist on pervading our society make easy to jump the bandwagon of prophetic discourse against wealth. I get it. I understand. These systems are real, and they are out there. However, I don’t think this is what Jesus is talking about here.

First and foremost, Jesus had prestigious friends and supporters who were essential to his ministry. Already in Mark – the first gospel to be written – we are introduced to Joseph of Arimathea (Mark 15:43), who had enough clout to be granted with permission by Pilate to take the body of Jesus down from the cross to be properly buried. The Romans normally kept the crucified hanging in the cross for days to rotten before throwing them in the burning pile. In the other gospels, we learn of Nicodemus, who caters Jesus with a king’s burial in spices and essential oils (John 19:39). We learn of Mary, sister of Lazarus, who is wealthy enough to use outrageously expensive perfume to anoint Jesus’ feet (John 12:1-6). We also become aware of a certain community leader from whom Jesus accepts an invitation to a town-wide meal, only to teach folks about inviting the poor, the cripple, the lame, and the blind, next time they throw a party (Luke 14: 7-15).

So, this should be enough evidence to say that Jesus was not against the wealthy, but he had issues about wealth being used to serve oneself and not the neighbor, and by extension, God (Matthew 6:24). But, I am getting precisely to the point that I think we should avoid this coming Sunday.

Jesus’ teaching about greatness has nothing to do with money in this lesson. We know the disciples all came from ordinary walks of life and what prompts Jesus instruction was a dispute amongst them. So, it is very unlikely that they were arguing about who was the richest.

Actually, what is going on here is more on the theme explored last Sunday. Jesus again tells them that the expected Messiah is to be betrayed and killed before rising from the dead. It is about “followship,” not glory, but the cross.  Who then is the greatest among us?

PS: Few mirror Mark’s model of “followship” more than Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the pastor for the German Confessing Church who was deviant of the “Deutsche Christen” in the 30s and 40s under Hitler.  Bonhoeffer had to make choices that I pray none of us will ever face: to align himself with the German Church of the Nazi regime, stay safely away of what was happening, or to proclaim Jesus Christ, not the Furer, as Lord. Bonhoeffer chose door number 3, and for that, he was imprisoned and executed. His writings remain. The image above shows Pastor Bonhoeffer and his confirmation class, and it is a tribute to him.

Jeremiah 11:18-20; Psalm 54; James 3:13–4:3, 7-8a; Mark 9:30-37