The One Year Bible Club with Teaching
Commentary by Nick Boork
March 2
Mark 10:32-52
Commentary by Nick Boork
March 2
Mark 10:32-52
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March 2 - Mark 10:32-52
Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: 33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; 34 and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.” 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” 50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. 51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
OKAY, HERE'S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Let's look at how to become great in the kingdom of God. James and John came to Jesus with a special request. They asked that Jesus would appoint them to sit one on the right hand and the other on the left hand of His throne when He came into his kingdom. Why were they making this request? Because they were trying to monopolize their own power and position in the coming kingdom of God. James and John wanted control over the other apostles and thus everyone else too.
First, Jesus responded by saying they had no idea what they were asking for. Second, Jesus said it's not mine to give but it belongs to those for whom it was created. This kind of selfish ambition for power and position has no place in the kingdom of God, Heaven or the Church. Satan coveted the position of the Son of God Jesus Christ in heaven. The Bible reveals this was the secret motive of Lucifer in Isaiah chapter 14:12-15
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.
This is why Lucifer aka Satan lost his position in heaven! He tried to exalt himself and overthrow the throne of God but was defeated. Once on the earth Satan also tried to tempt Jesus to worship him:
Luke 4:7-8 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
Jesus resisted the Devil’s offer and worshiped his Father God alone. Today some, much like James and John, desire power, position and control within the church. According to the Bible in James Chapter 3 this kind of selfish ambition is inspired by the Devil. One of the qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3:6 to become a leader in the church is that a candidate cannot be a new believer because they can become easily lifted up in pride because of their position. Listen to how this verse reads in the amplified:
He must not be a new convert, or he may [develop a beclouded and stupid state of mind] as the result of pride [be blinded by conceit, and] fall into the condemnation that the devil [once] did. 1 Timothy 3:6 Amplified
Contrary to this, Jesus used the dissension caused by James and John request for special positioning in the Kingdom of God to teach the apostles God's way to become great. He said, the way the world exercises authority over others is by demanding they conform based on their position as leaders. Jesus said this is not the way it's supposed to work in my kingdom in my church. No, Jesus said if you want to be great you have to make yourself a servant to everyone. Then Jesus called their attention to Himself as the ultimate example of humble service saying even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for others.
WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?
If you’re called to leadership throw yourself into your ministry by serving others but beware of the subtle temptation to be lifted up in pride and exalt yourself over others because of your position.
Remember, follow Jesus example of humble service because the way to become great in the eyes of God is serving others as Jesus Christ came and served humanity ultimately giving his life as a sacrifice to provide salvation for you and me.
Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: 33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; 34 and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.” 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” 50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. 51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
OKAY, HERE'S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Let's look at how to become great in the kingdom of God. James and John came to Jesus with a special request. They asked that Jesus would appoint them to sit one on the right hand and the other on the left hand of His throne when He came into his kingdom. Why were they making this request? Because they were trying to monopolize their own power and position in the coming kingdom of God. James and John wanted control over the other apostles and thus everyone else too.
First, Jesus responded by saying they had no idea what they were asking for. Second, Jesus said it's not mine to give but it belongs to those for whom it was created. This kind of selfish ambition for power and position has no place in the kingdom of God, Heaven or the Church. Satan coveted the position of the Son of God Jesus Christ in heaven. The Bible reveals this was the secret motive of Lucifer in Isaiah chapter 14:12-15
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.
This is why Lucifer aka Satan lost his position in heaven! He tried to exalt himself and overthrow the throne of God but was defeated. Once on the earth Satan also tried to tempt Jesus to worship him:
Luke 4:7-8 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
Jesus resisted the Devil’s offer and worshiped his Father God alone. Today some, much like James and John, desire power, position and control within the church. According to the Bible in James Chapter 3 this kind of selfish ambition is inspired by the Devil. One of the qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3:6 to become a leader in the church is that a candidate cannot be a new believer because they can become easily lifted up in pride because of their position. Listen to how this verse reads in the amplified:
He must not be a new convert, or he may [develop a beclouded and stupid state of mind] as the result of pride [be blinded by conceit, and] fall into the condemnation that the devil [once] did. 1 Timothy 3:6 Amplified
Contrary to this, Jesus used the dissension caused by James and John request for special positioning in the Kingdom of God to teach the apostles God's way to become great. He said, the way the world exercises authority over others is by demanding they conform based on their position as leaders. Jesus said this is not the way it's supposed to work in my kingdom in my church. No, Jesus said if you want to be great you have to make yourself a servant to everyone. Then Jesus called their attention to Himself as the ultimate example of humble service saying even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for others.
WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?
If you’re called to leadership throw yourself into your ministry by serving others but beware of the subtle temptation to be lifted up in pride and exalt yourself over others because of your position.
Remember, follow Jesus example of humble service because the way to become great in the eyes of God is serving others as Jesus Christ came and served humanity ultimately giving his life as a sacrifice to provide salvation for you and me.
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll