Matthew 20:27

27 Whoever wants 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.''

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Matthew 20:27 In-Context

25 So Jesus got them together to settle things down. He said, "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads.

26 It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant.

27 Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.

28 That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served - and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage."

29 As they were leaving Jericho, a huge crowd followed.