THE PART TO TRUE GREATNESS ( Mark 9:30-37)

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

May the peace and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all !

Today, we meditate on the Gospel of  Mark 9:30-37. It challenges our understanding of greatness, true discipleship, and vision of  the Kingdom of God.

The previous episode in Mark’s Gospel (Mark 9:14-29) presents Jesus descending from the mountain of Transfiguration and encountering a desperate father whose son is possessed by a violent spirit. The disciples had attempted to drive out the demon but failed. When Jesus intervenes, He casts out the spirit, and later, in private, the disciples ask why they could not do it. Jesus responds: “This kind can only come out through prayer” (Mark 9:29).

This lesson on faith and dependence on God leads directly into the next teaching moment, as Jesus once again prepares His disciples for what lies ahead.

The Second Passion Prediction: A Journey Toward the Cross (Mark 9:30-32)

Jesus and His disciples travel through Galilee, but this time He does not want anyone to know (v. 30). Why? Because many were unable to understood who He really was and often saw in Him a political messiah.  As they journeyed, Jesus made a stunning revelation to His disciples about his upcoming Passion:

“The Son of Man is being delivered (paradidotai) into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And when He is killed, after three days He will rise.” (v. 31).

The Greek verb paradidotai means “to be handed over” or “betrayed”. What is striking is that Jesus speaks in the present tense, as if His betrayal is already happening! This reveals His complete submission to the Father’s will. His Passion is not an accident; it is part of the divine plan of salvation.

Yet, despite this profound revelation, the disciples do not understand and are afraid to ask (v. 32). Their hearts are still clouded by human expectations of a Messianic triumph rather than a suffering Messiah. Their misunderstanding sets the stage for what happens next.

A Shocking Argument: Who is the Greatest? (Mark 9:33-34)

Upon arriving in Capernaum, Jesus asks a simple yet piercing question: “What were you discussing on the way?” (v. 33)

Silence. The disciples are ashamed because, along the journey, they were arguing about who was the greatest (v. 34). How tragic and ironic! Jesus had just spoken of His suffering and death, yet they were preoccupied with status and power.

The contrast is staggering. Jesus speaks of self-giving love, while the disciples are concerned about self-promotion. This reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of discipleship.

The Kingdom’s Measure of Greatness (Mark 9:35-37)

Sitting down, a sign that He is about to give a solemn teaching, Jesus declares: “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” (v. 35)

This radical statement overturns worldly notions of greatness. The Greek word for servant, refers to one who waits on others. Jesus is not merely calling for humility but for an active, self-giving service. True greatness in the Kingdom is not about power, but serving others in love.

To illustrate, Jesus takes a child and places him in their midst. Then, embracing the child, He says:

“Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” (v. 37)

A Child as the Model of Discipleship

In the ancient world, children were considered weak, dependent, and socially insignificant. Jesus’ act of embracing a child is not sentimental, it is profoundly countercultural.

In Greek, the word paidion means a little child, one who is completely dependent on others. By placing a child at the center, Jesus is teaching that true discipleship is about welcoming the lowly, the forgotten, the weak—those who can offer nothing in return.

To receive a child in His name means to serve without seeking recognition, status, or reward. It is an invitation to embrace the way of the cross, the way of humility, love, and sacrificial service.

The Path to True Greatness

True Leadership is Service : Our  world is obsessed with power, success, and prestige. Jesus calls His followers to a different standard: the way of the servant. Greatness is not found in how many people serve us, but in how many we serve.

The Call to Humility : The disciples’ argument mirrors our own struggles. How often do we seek recognition rather than the hidden path of humble service? Jesus reminds us that in the Kingdom of God, the last shall be first.

Welcoming the Little Ones : Who are the “children” in our midst today? They are the poor, the marginalized, the forgotten. To welcome them is to welcome Christ Himself. Every act of love toward the least among us is an act of love toward God.

The Cross is the Only Way : The way of the cross is the way of true greatness. Jesus does not call us to dominate but to give, not to rule but to serve. This is the path that leads to eternal glory.

Becoming Great in God’s Eyes : Let us examine our own hearts. Are we still caught up in competition and self-promotion, or are we embracing the way of humility and service? Let us ask the Holy Spirit to transform our minds, so that we may truly become last of all and servant of all, following in the footsteps of Christ.

For in the Kingdom of God, the greatest is the one who loves the most. Amen.