Who Is Great in God’s Kingdom?!
Mark 10:43, 44, & 45 But so shall it not be among you [1]
Or “so let it not be” . . . “it ought not to be so among you”; such a lordly spirit does not become you; this is heathenish. . ..
From the pen of the Rev. Dr. John Gill, a learned English-Baptist Pastor Teacher of a bygone era. (His writings are in the Public Domain.)
But whosoever will be great among you shall be Your minister . . .
This was just the reverse of what the two disciples were seeking for; they were indeed for being ministers but then they were for being prime ministers of state; and would have had all the rest subject to them and attendants on them to be sent out and employed as they should think fit: whereas the only way to preferment and greatness in Christ's kingdom, or rather Gospel church state, is to labour, in the work, of the ministry more abundantly than others; to take great pains and endure great hardships in order to bring great glory to God, and do great good to the souls of men. . . .
Mark 10:44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest . . .
Is desirous of the highest place and the greatest honour. . . .
Shall be servant of all . . .
For the ministers of the Gospel are not only the servants of Christ Jesus, but also of the churches for his sake; and in serving them, they serve Christ: not that they are to be the servants of men and to take their instructions from them and act according to rules prescribed by them; or seek to please men for then they would not be the servants of Christ: but they become servants to all that they may win souls to Christ, and increase his churches, and enlarge his interest; and such as are most useful this way are the chiefest in the Gospel church state; they are honoured by Christ and esteemed by his people. . . .
Mark 10:45 For even the son of man . . .
That is, Christ himself; a name by which he frequently goes both in the Old and New Testament to the arguments before produced, Christ adds his own example, to teach his disciples humility and lowliness of mind and to check their ambitious views and desires. . ..
Came not to be ministered unto . . .
Not but that he was ministered unto even by the angels of God; who ministered to him in the wilderness, after he had been tempted by Satan; and he was also ministered unto by some women out of their substance; but these show the low estate he was in to stand in need of such ministrations: here the sense is that he did not appear as an earthly prince, with a fine equipage, a large retinue and attendance. . . .
But to minister . . .
To be a servant, as he is in his mediatorial office and capacity: he was sent, and came as the servant of the Lord; and he ministered, in his prophetic office, the Gospel unto men; and went about in the form of a servant, doing good, ministering medicine both to the souls end bodies of men: but the great work he came about, was the work of man's redemption; which he willingly and cheerfully undertook, diligently and faithfully prosecuted, and has completely finished; to which respect is had in the next clause. . . .
And to give his life a ransom for many . . .
Even for all the elect of God, to redeem them from sin, Satan, and the law; and secure them from the wrath of God, and eternal death; and this he has done, by laying down his life as the ransom price for them. . ..
[1] John Gill, “Mark 10: 43, 44, & 45,” John Gill’s Exposition of the Old & New Testament, Vol. 7 (London: Mathews & Leigh, 1809; reprint, Paris, AR.: The Baptist Standard Bearer, 1989), 460-461 (page citations are to the reprint edition).