They left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it. 31 He was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him. 33 They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” 34 But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest. 35 Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” 36 Taking a child he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”
Jesus is about to make his last journey through Galilee to Jerusalem. When Jesus made the first prediction of his passion Peter rebuked him (Mk. 8:31). The disciples could not accept what Jesus was saying to them because of their expectations of a Messiah that would be a conquering hero.
Jesus had previously asserted the primacy of Peter among the disciples, “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it (Mt. 16:18). The disciples, in their lack of understanding of what Jesus was saying to them, were discussing who among them was the greatest disciple. James and John took it a step further and asked Jesus if they could sit on his right and left in the Kingdom of God (Mk. 10:37). Jesus instructed them on the model those in authority in the church should follow (Lk. 22:24-30). A child was an example of someone who is helpless and cannot give a reward for being helped. The greatest in the community should help those who cannot help themselves out of love for Christ. Whoever helps a child in the name of Jesus helps Jesus and whoever helps Jesus helps God who sent Jesus. The leaders should be servants as he is and not impose demands on others. Ambition and pride should have no place in the church.
Almighty God, help us to strive for humility and understanding so that we may serve you in accordance with your will. Grant us the grace to be free from ambition and pride as we keep our eyes fixed on your heavenly kingdom. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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