Mark 10:32-52

Ok.  Now for the second blog so I stay on my schedule.

South's SOAP for the Day
S-Read Mark 10:32-52.
O-It isn’t about who is the greatest. It’s about serving others.
A-Place yourself below another today and serve them.
P-Pray for humility.

Today's passage is a continuation of the "on the way" journey that Jesus and his disciples are on.  A few days ago, in our reading, they were in Capernaum, a town northwest of the Sea of Galilee.  In yesterday's passage we found them somewhere in Judea, the larger territory south of Galilee.  By the end of today, Jesus will be in Jericho, and tomorrow, Jesus enters Jerusalem.  There has been much that we have seen and heard about through the Mark's gospel so far....and so much yet to learn.

As Jesus and his disciples are on the way to Jerusalem, Mark gives us a barometer, so to speak, of the emotional status of the entourage on the way.  Jesus is leading the way, full of resolve to head to Jerusalem.  His disciples were astonished, while the rest of the crowd was afraid.

What were the disciples astonished about?  Was it that Jesus was heading to Jerusalem?  Were they wondering how he could be so bold?  Or, maybe their astonishment was fueled by their excitement that as he heads into Jerusalem, his Messiahship will will revealed?  Even more than this, what do the rest of the crowd know?  Jesus has told his disciples not to talk about the things he's shared with them about what is to come.  The crowd shouldn't know anything.  Why are they afraid?  Maybe they see the intensity and resolve in the eyes of Jesus.  Mark doesn't give us any more info.

As they are headed on the way, Jesus pulls the twelve aside and shares what is about to happen for the third time.  There is more description this time--condemned to death by the Jewish leaders, then handed over to the Gentiles to be mocked, spit upon, flogged, and killed.  There is no statement to the disciples to keep this to themselves this time.

No sooner than Jesus is done telling them what will happen, Mark tells us that James and John, two of the inner three disciples, come up to Jesus to ask a question.  They start buttering him up by saying, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”  Immediately, we should know its not good.  They haven't heard a thing Jesus has told them.  James and John proceed to ask Jesus to let them sit on the right hand and the left hand of him, in the places of honor.

What do you think Jesus is thinking at this point?  If it were me, the cynic in me would have said, "I thought the teaching with the children would stick.  These guys are dense!"  Or maybe, "Did they not see the face of the rich man as he walked away?  Did they not listen to me when I said, you must lose yourself to have life?"

Yet, Jesus doesn't seem to chastise them at this point.  He questions them a bit to see what is really underneath the surface of their request,  “You don’t know what you are asking.  Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”  These two, along with all the other disciples have heard Jesus say three times now, I'm going to Jerusalem to be killed.  This last time he described what specifically was going to happen.  They have heard all this, yet they've asked to sit at the right and the left.  Do they realize that that question puts them second and third in this journey "on the way" to the cross?  What Jesus is going to endure isn't just a simple sprinkling of death.  As Garland states in his commentary, Jesus is going to be immersed (baptized) into death.

I wonder if at this point the disciples really get it still.  Do they really want the places of honor, or are they finally getting the depth of this following that Jesus has been calling them to.  Their response of "we can" seems to hint at the fact that they get what it means to follow.  The future will show that they do get it, giving their lives to live out the way of the Kingdom.

And again, in this moment, Jesus teaches them again.  “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”  Its not Jesus call.  He is not in control.  He is living his life in the way that the Father wants him to live, living out the Kingdom as the good news, the good news that will go to the cross.

When the other disciples hear what James and John have done, they are angry.  Are they mad that these two beat them to the punch in asking Jesus for the good seats?  Are they mad that they haven't let this argument that started along the road a few stories ago die?  Mark doesn't tell us.  Rather, he does tell us that Jesus pulls them together to do a little more teaching and instructing.

You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many

Lets try and read between the lines here.  Rulers in the Gentile realm lord their position over everyone else.  This is a perspective that the Jewish leaders have taken on.  The desired place is the top for stature and power.  Jesus tells his disciples, "not so with you."  The kingdom is not shaped in this way.  Rather, to be a part of the kingdom, to earn eternal life (as the rich man wanted), if you want to be great you become servants.  Jesus takes it one step further, saying if you want to be first, you must be a slave of all.

Then Jesus caps it all with his statement that he, the Son of man, the Messiah, the King of the Jews, didn't come to rule or be served.  Rather, he came to serve and give his life as a ransom.  This is the only gospel where Jesus gives a definitive why concerning his death on the cross.

Mark doesn't give us any insight on how the disciples respond to this.  He continues to take us on the journey to Jerusalem.  Jesus and his disciples have now gotten to Jericho.  They are now only 15 miles from Jerusalem.  Its one last climb up the mountain to the City of David.

Mark tells us that a crowd has gathered again as they ready to leave the city.  The idea of the crowd here, as I read this passage for the third or fourth time today, is multiplied by the time of year.  Jews are heading to Jerusalem for Passover--the time when Israel gathers to offer sacrifices for their sins in accordance and remembering back to the passover in Exodus.  Put your minds in this mix.  You already are planning to go to Jerusalem.  You maybe have heard of this Jesus by now.  He's been healing his way around Galilee the last three years.  He's drawn the attention of the Pharisees.  He's drawn lots of attention from everywhere.  Some probably have put two and two together and are wondering if he is the one, the Messiah.  Think of the crowd following him into the city with anticipation of what might happen.  We will see in a few days that the crowd gets it and cries out "Hosanna!"

In all of this commotion, Mark tells us of one last healing, which as normal, follows a moment when the disciples didn't fully get what Jesus was telling them.  This time a blind man named Bartimaeus shouts out to Jesus when he hears he is close.  Mark tells us that many told him to be quiet.  He's blind.  He embarrasses them.  What would Jesus want with him.  He's on his way to Jerusalem.  This doesn't stop him.  He yells louder, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Jesus hears him.  Jesus hears him say, "Son of David".  This is the only time this name is used in Mark. Son of David connects Jesus with being a descendant of David, the great King of Israel.  The messiah will come from his lineage.  The disciples don't get it, but this blind man in Jericho does.

Jesus asks what he wants from him.  Bartimaeus answers, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

Then, through no touch, no prayer, no anything.  Jesus states, "Your faith has healed you.”

Bartimaeus can now see.  He leaves his cloak behind and follows Jesus on the way.

Do we fully get who Jesus is?  Do we hear him calling us to be servants?  Do we hear him calling us to become slaves to the lowly, like little children?  What do you need to change to get it?  What do you need to let go of to be all in and follow on the way?

God, may we follow.  May these next two weeks as we journey with your son to the cross, may we be changed for your glory.  May we live lives that look like your son.