When James and John pushed themselves forward to have the highest places of honour next to Jesus (Mark 10:35-37), there was a backlash from the other disciples.  Why should they be disadvantaged?  What right did James and John have to ask for special honour and authority?  Certainly, Jesus had often taken Peter and James and John to witness special events - although the 'James' of that trio may have not been the brother of John (Matthew 17:1).  We know that Peter was excluded from the brothers' request to Jesus.  Peter was known to be outspoken and so may have voiced the group's anger at the underhand way that James and John got Jesus on His own to secure a private deal.  But their reaction displayed a heart problem for all of them: they all wanted to be in Jesus' honours list.

They were all rebuked.  Jesus explained that His kingdom does not operate by worldly standards.  They thought that the greatest power and glory would go to the most important people - like senior business managers who have many employees, and generals who command many troops – both being paid much more than the average.  It is still the way of the world, reinforced by salary and benefits packages that are proportional to the person's commercial value.  But Jesus cuts right across such thinking, "Not so with you!"  Greatness in God's kingdom is assessed by how many you serve, not the number you command.

Jesus had already demonstrated that servant leadership.  It was the principle that would lead Him to the Cross, serving the needs of sinners by His blooded sacrifice.  It was prophesied in Isaiah 53:11, "After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities."  The message did get through, eventually, after they received the Holy Spirit.  Servanthood was the motivation of the Apostle Paul (Acts 26:16;  Romans 1:9;  2 Timothy 1:3), and later Peter himself (1 Peter 4:10).  John too, in writing his gospel, showed that He had understood that the privilege of servanthood was not superiority but suffering: "Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also." (John 15:20).  James would have understood that: he was the first apostle to be executed (Acts 12:2).

Just as Christ's purpose was to serve and give Himself for us, so He expects that we will live like that towards others.  We may nod in theological agreement, but when the call to serve is inconvenient or at the wrong time, what principle guides our lifestyle decisions?  The repeated use of 'must' in v44 should grab our attention.  Why 'must' the great be servants, and the honoured become a slave to everybody?  Because Jesus said so; and proved His own Word by being a servant Himself, to die for us (Philippians 2:8).