Mark 10:41

These two disciples were not the only ones to betray themselves. The ten made the secret of their heart plain enough. The flesh does not become visible only through the fault of one person or another. How do we behave when the faults of others are on display? The indignation that broke out in the ten showed the pride of their own hearts, just as much as the two brothers' desire for the best place. If unselfish love had been at work, their ambition would certainly have been a matter for sorrow and shame.

This shameless hunting for position by James and John might make us blame them more than the rest. But verse 41 stops us. It shows that all of them held the same selfish desires. They objected, not because of what the two had asked, but because the two had beaten them to it in the way they asked. Their annoyance, however, only gave the Lord one more occasion to display His perfect grace.

Look at the scene between the two sons of Zebedee and their ten brothers, in the tenth chapter of Mark. What was at the bottom of it? Self. The two were thinking of a good place for themselves in the kingdom; and the ten were angry with the two for thinking of any such thing. Had each set self aside, and sought the good of others, such a scene would never have taken place.

Verse 41 reveals the same desire for honour in the other disciples. They were very displeased with James and John for asking this. Such a spirit of rivalry is not faith. It would no doubt be right to be truly sorry that any believer, ourselves included, should aim at such recognition. But to be displeased shows that we need the same correction.

No doubt it seemed a very right thing to put down these two brothers who were so full of themselves. But why were they so indignant? Their pride was wounded; they too were full of themselves. Christ was not filled with indignation; it was a sorrow to Him. But hot feeling stirred them against the two brothers. We have to be careful. Often where we try to pull down those who try to exalt themselves, there is self on our part too... Those who feel most for God feel also most deeply for those who have slipped away from Him.

Peter was full of self-confidence and claimed he would not stumble even if all the others did. The others did not want to be outdone by him and so committed themselves to a similar claim. What accounted for it was the unholy rivalry that existed among them, as to who should be the greatest. Mark makes this especially clear. Compare Mark 9:33-34; Mark 10:35-37, and 41... Peter's fall seemed to come very suddenly. But all this shows us that its secret roots went back a long way into the past.

Jesus calls them to Himself. He corrects the fleshly thoughts of both the two disciples and the ten by setting the path of true greatness before them. If He cannot give them the chief place in glory, He can show them the path that leads there. The One who takes the lowest place on earth as the slave of all will have the highest place in glory.