Matthew 20:27

27 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave;

Matthew 20:27 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 20:27

And whosoever will be chief among you
Or first, or have the pre-eminence, the first place in the kingdom of the Messiah,

let him be your servant;
or, as in Mark, shall be servant of
all:
not only a minister, but a servant; not a servant of some only, but of all. This was verified in the Apostle Paul, who became a servant to all men, though he was free, that he might gain some to Christ; and by so doing was the chief, though he reckoned himself the least of the apostles, yea, less than the least of all saints. The Jews have a saying somewhat like this, that ^F8

``everyone that makes himself (dbek) , as a servant, for the words of the law in this world, shall be made free in the world to come.''

---

FOOTNOTES:

F8 T. Bab. Bava Metzia, fol. 35. 2.

Matthew 20:27 In-Context

25 But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.

26 It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant,

27 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave;

28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him.