October 22,
2000
Nineteenth Sunday after
Pentecost
LECTIONARY
READINGS
from the Revised Common Lectionary
Isaiah 53:4-12
Psalm
91:9-16
Hebrews 5:1-10
Mark 10:35-45
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the texts at the Vanderbilt Divinity On-Line Library ]
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Years ago, I spent a week with friends who owned a large and lovely mid 19th century home in New England. When I arrived, they greeted me and showed me to me room which we reached by a large mahogany staircase. The landing of the staircase boasted a beautiful stained glass of a patriarchal figure who seemed to oversee the household.
I was truly amazed.
Directly across from the bedroom which was mine for the week, there was a narrow and steep staircase.
"Where does that lead?" I asked.
"It goes down to the kitchen," he replied, "You're staying in what used to be the servant's quarters."
Later that evening I journeyed down the tiny servant's staircase to the kitchen and thought about the servants who went up and down those stairs more than a hundred years before. As I lay reflecting that night, I thought how the "great ones" must have used the great staircase with the mahogany railings and the stained glass patriarch keeping watch over his household. And I thought about the "small ones" who must have used the small staircase -- descending early in the morning and ascending late at night when everyone else was at rest.
Corny as it might seem, I also wondered, "Which staircase would Jesus have used?"
***
In our gospel lesson, Jesus talks about servants and "great ones," and then turns the concepts inside out. The "great ones" are the those who serve. And the "greatest one" is the one who is servant to everybody else. The one who is lowest is actually the highest one of all -- the servant who is the first one down the tiny staircase in the morning and the last one to ascend in the evening.
This issue of being a servant is difficult for us to get hold of in our time -- especially in the western world. Though we still have maids, gardeners, cooks and child care workers, we don't use the term "servants" any more. Most people who work in the homes of our more wealthy families would likely be offended if they were referred to as servants. The ugly background of slavery in our history has contributed to the idea that being a servant is a bad thing. No one I know fosters in their children the desire to grow up and become a servant.
For Jesus and his followers, however, the concept of servant was well understood and a part of their social fabric. The biblical story includes the fact of slavery from beginning to end.
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In Genesis, the curse which falls on Canaan is that of being a servant, "Cursed be Canaan; lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers."
Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers for about twenty ounces of silver -- or somewhere around $100 in our terms. (They didn't think much of him! The law spelled out a fine of about $150 for someone whose servant was gored by an ox!
People could wind up in servitude to others through financial misfortune, or even voluntarily as Jacob did when he served Laban in order to marry Rachel.
Slavery and servanthood was a part of everyday life for Jesus and his followers. The analogy of servant and master is used over and over again.
The letter to Philemon in the New Testament is based on St. Paul's appeal to a slaveholder to treat a runaway slave (Onesimus) with compassion and indeed to perhaps give Onesimus to Paul as a servant.
Jesus' words to his disciples in Mark 10:44 are stunning: "...whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all."
***
There is another dimension to the concept of servanthood or slavery in the bible. The image of a servant and master is used to portray the relationship between God and persons. To be a servant of the Lord was high praise. The word for servant in both the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament is the word for "slave." To be a servant or slave of the Lord in biblical terms is to enjoy the closest relationship with God. It is not always easy to be a servant of the Lord, but it does carry an intimacy with God that comes no other way. The Apostle Paul, who calls himself the "slave" of Christ speaks of an intimacy that even goes to sharing the sufferings of Christ. "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death..." [Phil. 3:10]
The concept of being a servant of God is a thread that runs through the scriptures and is a quality of every biblical leader.
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And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. [Deut. 34:5]
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And it came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died... [Joshua 24:29]
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"I have found David My servant; With My holy oil I have anointed him." [Ps.89:20]
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And the LORD said, "Even as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a sign and token against Egypt... [Is.20:3]
Even the whole nation of Israel is
called a "servant" to indicate the intimacy which exists between God and
the People of God. "But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I
have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend, You whom I have taken from
the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts, And said to
you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you." [Is.
41:8-9]
When all seems lost for the nation of Israel, God makes a promise that redemption will finally come through a servant. "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations." [Is. 42:1]
There is a very powerful concept that is a drumbeat throughout the biblical drama.
God's redemptive purpose and divine intent for all people can only be carried out through those who voluntarily surrender themselves to servanthood!
This takes us to another important theme in the biblical concept of the "servant of the Lord."
***
It is very clear from our gospel reading that James and John did not get the servant idea at all. They come to Jesus asking him to do them a favor. You have experienced this-- right? Someone comes along and says, "Would you do me a favor?" You haven't a clue what they might ask - they just want you to do something for them. James and John come to Jesus asking him to to whatever they ask!
Notice that Jesus doesn't say, "Sure guys. Anything for you." His answer might help in times when you are on the receiving end of a similar request. "What is it you want me to do for you?"
Helpful. Yes? Someone asks a favor without saying what it is they want and you answer. "What is it you want me to do? (Implying - "Then I can tell you whether I will do it or not."
In this case, Jesus simply tells James and John they don't know what they're asking. They want the top two positions in Jesus' kingdom. They are thinking in terms of First and Second Vice President of the Glorious Kingdom of God. They conceive of power, fame and perhaps even fortune. All the models available in the world around them point to these good things for those who rule kingdoms. The rest of the disciples become angry with James and John - not because they want to become servants so badly - but likely because they would prefer those honored positions themselves.
For certain they are not thinking of becoming partners in "Molly Maids" or "Housekeepers Incorporated." Jesus asks them in effect if they can stay the course with him and endure what he will endure. Without knowing what they are saying yes to, they are told that they will indeed be bound up with Jesus' destiny. They will discover later what being great in the kingdom of God is all about.
The reading from Isaiah opens up a whole new world of understanding about being a servant of God and what the greatest servant of all will do. This is not the Servant of God who become ruler of all - but a servant who endures profound suffering. There are a series of what some scholars call "Servant Songs" in Isaiah. The Servant who is God's Messiah is a servant who bears the pain and anguish, the sin and rebellion of the whole people of God. The words are striking. Listen once again:
"Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
[Is. 53:4-6]
Here's the part James and John could not possibly understand. The suffering servant will bring healing and redemption to all who trust in God. The way is painful and difficult, but it is a way that leads to life.
Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the LORD shall prosper. [Is. 53:10]
***
The way of the Suffering Servant is the way of liberation and life. The way of pain and passion is the way to redemption and healing. The lowest road becomes the highest road. The tiny servant's staircase which leads to the servant's quarters will finally give way to the magnificent flight of steps where the One who is Lord of all watches over the household of God!
There are no words that can express the concept of servanthood better than these words of Jesus to his not quite understanding disciples whose hearts were in the right place, but whose heads were having difficulty.
"...whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." [Mark 10:43-45]
Discussion and Reflection on the Texts
Connections in the Text
The texts today all revolve around the theme of the servant, suffering and redemption. The Messianic Servant is the one who has "borne our infirmities and carried our diseases." However, the Servant is not honored or revered for his work, but is instead reviled and rejected. There is a certain "hiddenness" in the ministry of the Servant - the glory of God's redemptive plan has yet to be revealed. Hebrews points to the characteristic of the Servant (Son) that lies at the heart of Messiah's ability to redeem. Through "obedience" and "submission" the Son is able to become "the source of eternal salvation..." This salvation is for those who, "obey him."
In the gospel, this all comes together. Jesus continues his teaching of the servant concept through the incident with James and John jockeying for position in the kingdom. Finally, it is in following the One Servant that we discover the secret of participating in God's redemptive plan.
Isaiah 53:4-12
Beginning with Isaiah 49 the book begins a series of promises about the future restoration of Israel and indeed the redemption of all persons who will heed the holy call of God. The Servant of God is the people of God. "You are my servant, O Israel..." With the text for today in Isaiah 53, the concept of God's Servant is personalized and seen by Christians to reflect the ministry of Jesus Christ. The themes of suffering and servanthood are foundation qualities in Jesus' ministry.
Verses 7-9 describe the plight of the rejected servant. It is in these verses that Christians see the unjust trial and crucifixion of Jesus. And yet,
In suffering comes the knowledge of God (v.11) and through suffering comes righteousness and redemption for those who could not bear the weight of their own sin. The righteous servant is able to "make many righteous."
The final though in the lesson for this week is
that greatness and strength lie in servanthood. Paul expresses this
in his statement that, "... God's foolishness is wiser than human
wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human
strength.
[1 Cor. 1:25]
Paul's experience expands on the theme that God's ways are not our ways.
The cross is "foolishness" to the Greeks, but to those who are being
saved, it is the "power of God for salvation." Isaiah
expresses this in 55:8-9, "...my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Mark 10:35-45
This passage revisits a theme from chapter nine where Jesus' disciples had been arguing about who is the greatest on their journey toward Capernaum. Jesus had just been explaining to them that he would be arrested, tried and crucified in Jerusalem. Their reaction? An argument about which of them was the greatest! (Not encouraging for the coming kingdom!)
It would seem they didn't learn. Or perhaps James and John learned too well. They are all preparing for an appearance in Jerusalem. The disciples don't hear the part about crucifixion. They anticipate the glorious coming of the rule of God and Jesus as the Messianic ruler who would restore the glory of Israel. (You remember that this theme persisted all the way into Jesus post-resurrection ministry in Acts 1:6. "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?"
James and John did not learn from Jesus inquiry into their jostling for position in chapter nine. Or -- perhaps they learned only what they wanted to and now spring the request on Jesus for the number two and three spots in the new administration that would soon be upon them.
Jesus' answer is sobering. "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized..." This may be one of the key lessons in the passage. Our becoming followers of Jesus Christ is not a "snap job." There is no sudden or instant maturity in our spiritual lives. Yes -- James and John will share in the suffering of Christ -- but at this stage in their journey, they don't have a clue! Yet -- they follow. That's encouraging. They would go through the devastation of Jesus' death, the too good to be true resurrection of their leader and finally the long journey toward building the church of Jesus Christ -- and this -- would lead to their death -- to the baptism Jesus promised.
We too, are called to journey. Not just for today, but for always.
Hebrews 5:1-10
How will this message of a suffering messiah play with a people whose expectation was for a King who would bring back the glory days of David? There is a genius in the book of Hebrews which centers the ministry of Christ in the priestly role. The One who comes to suffer does so as the High Priest of Israel. The wonderful thing about this priest is that he does not have to offer sacrifice for his own sin - he is able to bear the sin of all we who have gone astray.
In obedient service to the Lord God, Jesus, our High Priest is able to approach a holy God on behalf of all those who obey his voice and trust in his priesthood.
Many have offered interpretation about the meaning of a priesthood which is "according to the order of Melchizedek." The interesting thing is that Melchizedek represents no order at all. he shows up out of the blue in Genesis and after Abraham makes his offering, Melchizedek is not heard from again. This may be a bit of a stretch, but one of the ways a Jewish heart could understand messiah as suffering servant is to connect that suffering with the deeply ingrained idea of priesthood. Yet - this is a different kind of priest who takes the sacrificial system beyond its historical roots. Jesus Christ is a priest who appears at the behest and call of God. Because he is the Son - he is able to take us past human bondage to the perfect holiness of God. Because he is the suffering and obedient one, he is able to represent us as one of us. Because his priesthood comes from beyond and returns to the eternal - he is a priest who is forever a priest. He was never not a priest (like the human priests of Israel) and will forever remain a priest. It is the dimension of the eternal that constitutes the order of Melchizedek.
A Call To Worship (Based on Psalm 104)
L: Let us praise the Lord
together, and lift up the Holy name of God.
P: For the hand of the
Lord has done marvelous things,
L: All of creation gives witness to
the mighty deeds of God,
P: And the earth is full of all the
Lord had made.
L: We will praise the name of the Lord,
P: And
lift up our voices in eternal praise to God. Amen.
A Prayer of Confession
Gracious Father, whose mercy is higher than the heavens, wider than our wanderings, deeper than all sin, we turn to You. Throw your vast horizons around our littleness and restlessness. Deal with us one by one in the secret places of our hearts, making us ashamed of our sins; generate in us the spirit of penitence… Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
May
the almighty and merciful Lord grant to you pardon and remission of all
your sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and comfort
of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A Prayer of Thanksgiving
We give glory to you, O Almighty God, for you have given us your only-begotten Son, that we might live because of his great sacrifice for us. We give glory to You, O Lord Jesus Christ, for you became flesh that we might become children of God. We give glory to you to You, O Holy Spirit, who directs and rules our hearts. All glory be to You, glorious God in three persons -- yet, one God, world without end. Amen.
A Prayer of Dedication
O God, of whose bounty we have all received: Accept this offering of Your people; and so follow it with Your blessing that it may promote peace and goodwill among all people, and advance the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.