‘The greatest among you will be your servant.’
(Matthew 23:11)
Matthew 23:1-12
(Year A: Advent-4)
pic: http://www.mooreselectric.com/about/servant-leadership
In the scriptures, to
exalt is a term applied, typically, to God. Occasionally, it is applied to
human beings. Then it is in the context of honour, authority, prestige. This is a discourse between Jesus and the
‘crowds’ as well as ‘his disciples’ (note that Jesus spoke ‘to the crowds and
to his disciples’ because the latter, specifically, needed and need to take
note of what he was about to say). Jesus warns about those who exalt themselves
before God has a chance to exalt them!
In fact, in a pithy saying he says that those who initiate the first
move get demoted from their assumed position of greatness while those who wait
patiently on God’s wisdom experience an uplifting to a position of
responsibility and service (uplifting comes with a high price).
There is an irony in
this passage read every so often in churches. It is this – those reading the
passage may be tempted to do exactly what this passage says they should not do.
What does the passage say?
‘.. you must be careful
to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not
practice what they preach.’ (v. 3)
Sounds harsh? Wait for
the next verse:
‘They tie up heavy,
cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves
are not willing to lift a finger to move them.’ (v. 4)
Has that every happened
in the course of the last 2,000 years including recent decades? Preachers and
listeners will decide on that question. And not to mince his words, Jesus goes
on to say:
‘they love the place of
honour at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues’
These statements are
not going to warrant a Nobel prize in diplomacy! Little wonder that Jesus was
not popular among certain religious leaders of his time. In fact, it all ended
in tragedy. He was crucified for his actions and statements. With poignancy,
Jesus spells out some things that might just sound a little awkward, if not
ironic, for today’s listeners:
‘do not call anyone on
earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.’ (v. 9)
‘Nor are you to be
called instructors [Teacher], for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.’ (v.
10).
Oh we like to hear the
word ‘Doctor’ applied to us!
But, here is the rub:
‘The greatest among you
will be your servant.’ (v. 11)
Servant leadership is
the way.
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