The Son of Man Also Came Not to Be Served But to Serve
A Reflection On Mark 10:32-45
At that time, Jesus took his twelve disciples, and he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise.”
And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant of James and John.
And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:32-45
As we approach Holy Week, this Sunday’s Gospel highlights the journey ahead. It reminds us of the importance of understanding Christ’s sacrifice while also presenting the apostles’ confusion—revealing our own, at times, about who Christ is. Yet, despite this confusion, we see Christ constantly planting seeds of truth, which take root in their hearts when the time is right.
We are told that Jesus calls His twelve disciples together and begins to tell them all that is to happen. He states plainly:
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and spit upon Him, and scourge Him, and kill Him; and after three days He will rise.”
Yet, in response to the request of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, we see that there is still confusion about what Christ meant by these words. It seems as though they tuned out after Christ said, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,” for their request is:
“Grant us to sit, one at Your right hand and one at Your left, in Your glory.”
This request reveals that they still misunderstand what is to come. They believe that Christ will liberate the Jews from the Romans and establish an earthly rule. Their misunderstanding reminds us that even those closest to Jesus can struggle to grasp His true mission. We, therefore, are not alone in our confusion and struggle.
Christ has plainly told them what is to come through His passion and resurrection. Rather than chastising them, He responds with a question:
“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
To share in the cup that Christ drinks is to share in His passion—something none of the apostles are yet capable of doing. Likewise, the reference to baptism points toward His coming death and resurrection.
Yet James and John still do not fully grasp His meaning and reply:
“We are able.”
Seeing both their zeal and their misunderstanding, Christ plants another seed, saying:
“The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
In this, Christ reveals that James, John, and indeed all the apostles will eventually share in His passion. Though in Mark’s Gospel they flee at the time of His suffering, they later return and continue their ministry after His resurrection. Now is not their time; it is the time for the Son of Man to offer His life for the life of the world. Yet their time will come, and for this reason Christ plants these seeds.
The same is true for us. Often, we do not understand what we are called to do, despite our zeal. Yet Christ plants seeds in us through His people—seeds that, in time, come to maturity and reveal what we were not yet ready to receive.
The other apostles become indignant toward James and John after hearing this exchange. Christ uses this moment as another opportunity to teach, “You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” By showing that He came to serve, He reveals our calling as Christians: to imitate Him through humble service.
Christ continually acts as a servant. This is further revealed when He makes clear that it is not His place to grant positions of honor, for such authority belongs to the Father, with whom He shares the same divine essence. Here, we see an image of perfect love between the Father and the Son: the Son serves and places all authority in the Father, while the Father, out of love for us, sends the Son. In turn, the Son calls us to a life of loving service rooted in Him.
The depth of Christ’s loving service is most fully revealed in His passion. God, the Creator of all, has no need to serve us—yet out of love, He takes flesh and offers His life for ours.
Therefore, we are called to take to heart who Jesus is: the suffering servant and Savior. He does not call us to lord knowledge, faith, or authority over others. Rather, He calls us to love and serve one another as He loves and serves us.
This is the heart of Holy Week, revealed in the Gospel: that God so loves us that He continues to serve us—even unto the grave—regardless of how unworthy we may feel, so that we may be raised to new life in His presence.
To receive the gifts He offers, we are simply called to follow Him. Practically, this means seeking His presence in every moment of our lives, receiving His love, and extending that same love to others. Though the apostles were not yet ready to fully embrace this reality, we see in their witness that all but one—Judas—would eventually take up their cross when the time came.
Let us, then, take to heart the seeds of love our Lord continually offers us. Let us strive to become aware of His presence in every moment and interaction. Let us pray for softened hearts, that we may receive the truth He plants within us. And above all, let us commit ourselves to loving and serving one another, just as our Lord so humbly serves us.
Now, as we approach Holy Week, may we take seriously the culmination of our Lenten journey and all that we experience in the days ahead. May our hearts be prepared to receive the light of the resurrection. For through His passion and resurrection, we come to see that our Lord truly came not to be served, but to serve.
Thus, in His saving love, let us follow after Him—receiving His gifts and sharing them with all whom we encounter.
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