Mark 9:35

35 and having sat down he called the twelve, and he saith to them, `If any doth will to be first, he shall be last of all, and minister of all.'

Mark 9:35 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 9:35

And he sat down
As their master, as one having authority; and in order to examine into this matter, and pass judgment upon it:

and called the twelve;
all the disciples, who though they might not be all engaged in this dispute, nor equally criminal, yet were all, possessed of the same notion; and therefore Christ calls them all unto him, what he had to say, being pertinent unto them all:

and saith unto them, if any man desire to be first;
to have the pre-eminence, and be in the chief place in the kingdom of the Messiah,

the same shall be last of all, and servant of all:
his pride and vanity shall be checked; his ambitious views shall be frustrated; instead of being first, he shall be last; and instead of having superior reverence and respect, he shall be debased, and treated with neglect and contempt; and instead of being the master over others, shall be the servant of all. Some copies read, "let him be"; and so the Persic version, "let him be last, and minister to every one"; and the Ethiopic thus, "let him subject himself to all, and be servant to all"; for the only way to preferment in Christ's kingdom, or in the Gospel dispensation, is humility and meekness, and performing the lowest services to all, with diligence and cheerfulness.

Mark 9:35 In-Context

33 And he came to Capernaum, and being in the house, he was questioning them, `What were ye reasoning in the way among yourselves?'

34 and they were silent, for with one another they did reason in the way who is greater;

35 and having sat down he called the twelve, and he saith to them, `If any doth will to be first, he shall be last of all, and minister of all.'

36 And having taken a child, he set him in the midst of them, and having taken him in his arms, said to them,

37 `Whoever may receive one of such children in my name, doth receive me, and whoever may receive me, doth not receive me, but Him who sent me.'