Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 22:25-26

"And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles have lordship over them; and they that have authority over them are called Benefactors. But ye [shall] not [be] so: but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve." — Luke 22:25-26 (ASV)

And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

You know, brethren, that it always will be so. If a man tries to be great in the church, somehow or other his brethren generally think very little of him; but he who is willing to serve—whose one ambition it is to devote himself to the glory of his Master and for the general good—that man usually has a great deal more honour than he would have expected to receive. The way to be great in the church is to be of service to all around us, to be meek and lowly, and to be willing to serve others. We have good reason for serving our brethren when we remember the humble position that our Lord himself assumed.

And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

Let every respect be given to the elder, and let those whom God honours be honoured among us; but let no one honour himself, or seek honour for himself. After all, in Christ's kingdom, the way to ascend is to descend. Did not the Master act thus? He descended so that he might ascend and fill all things; and so must his disciples do.

Less, and less, and less, and less, we must become; and so we shall really be, in his sight, more, and more, and more, and more.