The Pecking Order
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Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time
32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”
The Request of James and John
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said.
“Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptised with the baptism I am baptised with?”39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptised with the baptism I am baptised with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Introductory Illustration: During the 2002 World Cup Finals: Manager Mick McCarthy & Roy Keane & a players meeting was called to discuss Keane’s outburst. Compare that with Jesus calling a meeting with all twelve disciples after James & John asked to be something special in kingdom.
This key passage in Mark's gospel, is a turning point in the account Mark is writing. It is the last scene in the drama of Jesus Christ as recorded by Mark. After this is Palm Sunday and the road to Jerusalem and five days later the road to Calvary.
The scene is set – Jesus is heading for Jerusalem and heading for the cross.
Mark creates a tension in his account. Mark10:32 The drama builds - the disciples follow with terror, Jesus predicts what will happen when they get to Jerusalem Mark 10:33 - He will be arrested, mocked, spat on and flogged. He will be crucified, he will die and he will rise again. This is the third prediction by Jesus his own death. See also; Mark 8v31; Mark 9v31, Mark 10v33.
Note Mark's writing style e.g. in 10v34 there are 4 quick verbs “who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him.” This dramatises the humiliation and pain and sufferings of Jesus one after the other and each worsens until he is finally killed.
Then there follows an incident which demonstrates that they didn’t understand the meaning of Jesus’ words and how it would affect their lives.
Mark 10V35 James and John sons of Zebedee ask – In your kingdom can we be left and right hand men. Like ministers of state or Cabinet members. You see their dad owned a fishing business etc… they were a bit better off than the others… they deserved more privileges.
Then 10v41 follows, the other disciples wanted their piece of the action, they wanted to be Cabinet members in the new kingdom too, they wanted to be part of the ruling elite, this was men jostling in the pecking order.
[Illustration] When I was a young boy I used to love visiting my Grandad on his poultry farm in Ireland. One day I went out with him at feeding time and he asked me if I had ever noticed how hens feed. I said I had, they peck the meal off the ground & that’s all there is to it. “No” replies Granda, have you ever heard of the pecking order.? Watch as I scatter the meal on in front of the hens. What they have is a pecking order – the top hen gets the 1st peckings and the 2nd hen the next and so on until the last, and the weakest hen gets to clear up the leftovers. If the last were to try and muscle in (and she often does) the others peck her and may even injure her. That’s where our phrase ‘pecking order’ comes from. [KB in accountants business meetings at coffee times before meetings £5 watch Capri- Pecking order.]
In our Gospel reading for today we read about two disciples who are trying to get ahead in the ‘pecking order’ but they soon find out that the kingdom where they want to be left & right hand men to the Lord is an upside down kingdom, where the first are last, share the leaders serve, where to advance involves being broken and often suffering. That is not the kind of kingdom James and John had in mind. They had ambition in their hearts – they wanted the op job in the new kingdom.
Jesus called a meeting. Mick McCarthy called a meeting of the Irish football squad during the World Cup 2002. There was dissension in the squad. Roy Keane’s verbal outburst. The outcome of that meeting was that Kean was sent home. Our Lord is having to deal with these disciples’ outburst. Jesus says (10v43) this is not the way it should be among you - ‘not so with you.’ That is the way of the world. 10v43 If you want to be great in this kingdom you must be the servant of the rest (the first must be a slave of all).
If you are sitting in a room full of friends – notice the pecking order being sorted out – then ask God how can you serve the rest. Remember Jesus served us all when he gave his life for us.
Finally, one of the clear messages coming from the gospel of Mark states how Christ’s death was taking the place of many who deserved that death.
Why did he have to die? He could have been a good man who lived a good long life, teaching the truth to a ripe old age and die a natural death.
NO! Christ had to die in our place – the death our sins deserved – he who knew no sin became sin for us – he died my death.
Illustration - The ransom – the price paid to liberate a slave (or in a Pawnbrokers, the price paid to acquire an article). The ransom cleaned the slate – redeemed. Jesus Christ’s death was the ransom.
1 Peter 1:18 For you know what was paid to set you free, 1v19 It was the sacrifice of Christ….like a lamb without defect (i.e. sinless).
2 Corinthians 9:15 ‘Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!’
Cover Photo Jason Swain Photography https://jasonswain.co.uk/
