Matthew 20:27

27 And he that will be first among you shall be your servant.

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 princes of the Gentiles lord it over them; and that they that are the greater, exercise power upon them.
26 It shall not be so among you: but whosoever is the greater among you, let him be your minister.
27 And he that will be first among you shall be your servant.
28 Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a redemption for many.
29 And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.