Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” ~Mark 9:35
“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” ~Mark 9:35
Severin of Gabala, a theologian and bishop of the church in Gabala (now Syria) wrote in 400 A.D. “He Who wrapped the heavens and clouds wrapped around Himself a towel. He who pours water into rivers, put water into a basin, and He before Whom every knee bends in Heaven, and on Earth, and under the Earth knelt to wash the feet of His disciples.”
“The disciples must have been stunned at this act of humility and condescension—that Jesus, their Lord and Master, should wash the feet of His disciples. Washing feet was more properly their work, but no one had volunteered for the job.” Author unknown
This action was part of the continuing teaching of Jesus. In Matthew 20:27-28, He said, “Whoever wants to be first among you must be your servent, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” [Many is clarified as being all in 1 Timothy 2:6 and Hebrews 2:9].
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” ~Philippians 2:5-11
Doesn’t that make you want to remove your shoes and fall face flat to the ground in worship? Those words send chills. And we are to follow His example, always putting others first. Help us, Lord!
