Matthew 20:17-28
Greatness through Service
Read the passage
17As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside and said,
18“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death
19and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on the third day He will be raised to life.”
20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him.
21“What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.”
22“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” the brothers answered.
23“You will indeed drink My cup,” Jesus said. “But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.”
24When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.
25But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.
26It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
27and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—
28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
As Jesus goes up to Jerusalem, he takes the twelve aside and tells them that the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, condemned, mocked, flogged, crucified, and raised on the third day. The prediction is plain, but the disciples do not yet understand what kind of kingdom he is bringing.
The mother of James and John asks that her sons sit at Jesus' right and left in his kingdom. Jesus asks whether they are able to share his cup. They say yes. Jesus says they will indeed drink His cup, but the seats belong to those for whom His Father has prepared them.
When the other ten hear about the request, they are indignant. Jesus gathers them and contrasts his kingdom with the rulers of the Gentiles, who lord their authority over others. Among his disciples, greatness must take the form of service, and the one who would be first must become a servant.
Jesus grounds the teaching in himself: the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. His death is more than an example of generosity: He gives His life to ransom others. The disciples need His saving service before they can imitate His humility.
The passage does not make domination holy. Serving another person never requires accepting abuse, abandoning wise boundaries, or giving a controlling leader unlimited access. Christian leadership is accountable, protective, and willing to bear cost for the good of others.
How We Know
Mark records the suffering prediction, the request of James and John, and the same saying about the Son of Man giving His life as a ransom. First Timothy names Christ as the mediator who gave Himself as a ransom. Together these passages clarify that His service includes a saving death, not only an example of humble leadership.
Questions
1 How does Jesus redefine greatness while speaking of his death?
AnswerJesus joins his coming suffering to a different definition of greatness: his followers are called to serve rather than rule through status or force.
2 What request for honor follows Jesus’ prediction of suffering?
AnswerThe mother of James and John requests the places at His right and left for them. The other ten are indignant. Jesus answers their concern for rank by calling them to serve.
3 What does receiving Jesus' service change about our use of authority?
AnswerWe depend on the Lord who gives His life for us. That leaves no room to use His name to dominate others; authority among His disciples must serve.
4 Which ordinary task could relieve another person’s burden?
AnswerEach person can take responsibility for one unglamorous task, then ask whether the way it was done relieved another person’s burden or merely made the servant feel important.
What This Means for Us
Jesus is going to give His life as a ransom while His disciples are concerned about seats of honor. We can be just as slow to understand the Lord we follow. His saving service exposes our desire to be noticed and preferred.
Thank Him for doing what no act of service from us could accomplish: giving His life to rescue sinners. Then take a responsibility that helps someone else without using it to claim superiority. Serving in His name means seeking their good, not earning a place above them. It never authorizes a leader to demand abuse or unlimited access.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for giving Your life as a ransom for many. Free us from the hunger for rank and recognition. Make our service a grateful response to Your mercy and a real good to those we serve. Amen.