Mark 10:42-45

10:42 Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 10:43 But it is not this way among you. Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 10:44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave ¹  of all. 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom ²  for many.”

Proverbs 13:10

13:10 With pride ³  comes only ⁴  contention,

but wisdom is with the well-advised. ⁵ 

Jeremiah 45:5

45:5 Are you looking for great things for yourself? Do not look for such things. For I, the Lord, affirm ⁶  that I am about to bring disaster on all humanity. ⁷  But I will allow you to escape with your life ⁸  wherever you go.”’”

Matthew 20:25-28

20:25 But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 20:26 It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 20:27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave ⁹  – 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom ¹⁰  for many.”

Luke 14:10-11

14:10 But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host ¹¹  approaches he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up here to a better place.’ ¹²  Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you. 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but ¹³  the one who humbles ¹⁴  himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:14

18:14 I tell you that this man went down to his home justified ¹⁵  rather than the Pharisee. ¹⁶  For everyone who exalts ¹⁷  himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

James 4:6

4:6 But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” ¹⁸ 

¹ tn Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v. 1). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

² sn The Greek word for ransom (λύτρον, lutron) is found here and in Matt 20:28 and refers to the payment of a price in order to purchase the freedom of a slave. The idea of Jesus as the “ransom” is that he paid the price with his own life by standing in humanity’s place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that was deserved for sin.

³ sn The parallelism suggests pride here means contempt for the opinions of others. The wise listen to advice rather than argue out of stubborn pride.

⁴ tn The particle רַק (raq, “only”) modifies the noun “contention” – only contention can come from such a person.

⁵ tn The Niphal of יָעַץ (ya’ats, “to advise; to counsel”) means “to consult together; to take counsel.” It means being well-advised, receiving advice or consultation (cf. NCV “those who take advice are wise”).

⁶ tn Heb “oracle of the Lord.”

⁷ sn Compare Jer 25:31, 33. The reference here to universal judgment also forms a nice transition to the judgments on the nations that follow in Jer 46-51 which may be another reason for the placement of this chapter here, out of its normal chronological order (see also the study note on v. 1).

⁸ tn Heb “I will give you your life for a spoil.” For this idiom see the translator’s note on 21:9 and compare the usage in 21:9; 38:2; 39:18.

⁹ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.

¹⁰ sn The Greek word for ransom (λύτρον, lutron) is found here and in Mark 10:45 and refers to the payment of a price in order to purchase the freedom of a slave. The idea of Jesus as the “ransom” is that he paid the price with his own life by standing in our place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that we deserved for sin.

¹¹ tn Grk “the one who invited you.”

¹² tn Grk “Go up higher.” This means to move to a more important place.

¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context, which involves the reversal of expected roles.

¹⁴ sn The point of the statement the one who humbles himself will be exalted is humility and the reversal imagery used to underline it is common: Luke 1:52-53; 6:21; 10:15; 18:14.

¹⁵ sn The prayer that was heard and honored was the one given with humility; in a surprising reversal it was the tax collector who went down to his home justified.

¹⁶ tn Grk “the other”; the referent (the Pharisee, v. 10) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁷ sn Everyone who exalts himself. See Luke 14:11. Jesus often called for humility and condemned those who sought honor.

¹⁸ sn A quotation from Prov 3:34.