Charles Spurgeon Commentary Mark 10:42-45

"And Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it is not so among you: but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister; and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all. For the Son of man also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." — Mark 10:42-45 (ASV)

But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Christ instituted bishops, that is, overseers; but never prelates.

He never had any idea of setting some men in his church over the heads of others; instead, he put all his servants on an equal footing. They are to exercise no lordship over one another, nor to seek it, for the truest honour in the church of God is found in service.

He who serves most is the greatest. He who will occupy the lowest office, he who will bear patiently to be the most imposed upon, he who is most ready to be despised, and to be the servant of all, shall be the chiefest of all.

The way to rise in the kingdom of heaven is to descend, for so it was with our Lord himself. May God give to all of us the humble and lowly spirit that will make us willing to be the least of all!