Reading: Matthew 23:8-12
Matthew 23:11 – “The greatest among you must be a servant.”
In the second half of this week’s gospel lesson, Jesus stresses the equality we share as children of God. Each and every one of us is created by God, made as God intends us to be. God loves us all exactly the same. There is nothing we can do or not do to change that reality.
The rabbis in Jesus’ day were much like Jesus. They gathered to themselves a group of disciples, and they taught them their interpretation of the scriptures. Most young Jewish boys wanted to be a rabbi when they grew up, like many today who want to grow up and play in the NFL or NBA or… The thinning out process was much the same. Many dreamed of being a rabbi but very, very few ever made the grade. Speaking into this hierarchical system, Jesus reminds his disciples that they have “only one teacher.” He is not speaking of himself, but of God. Jesus is reminding them of the supremacy of God. This is also what he is getting at as he tells the disciples not to call anyone else “Father.” He is not talking literally here. Because God’s love and mercy never fail, God will always be elevated above all earthly figures.
Verses 11 and 12 connect back to verses 1-7, where Jesus addressed the words, actions, and behaviors of the religious leaders of his day. In verse 11 we read, “The greatest among you must be a servant.” Jesus is not saying that people can’t be “great.” He is saying that even the great must be servants too. A servant focuses on loving God and neighbor. They serve without regard for themselves. Jesus modeled this. He is our example of humble service. Jesus calls us to walk in his footsteps. When we do serve others in humility, we too will be exalted by God, just as Jesus was exalted. May it be so.
Prayer: Lord God, open our eyes to see the people and the opportunities that you bring our way today. Eyes opened to see, move our hearts to action. Put into action, use us to serve others, sharing your love and our love with them. Amen.
