33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?" 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. 35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."—Mark 9:33-37
The following is from a Walvoord commentary. I really liked what he had to say because he stressed that being “last of all” was a deliberate, voluntary choice. The servant of all, Walvoord says, depicts one who attends to the needs of others freely…NOT one in a servile position such as a doulos or. slave. Walvoord goes on to say that Jesus did not condemn the desire to improve one’s position in life but He did teach that greatness in His kingdom was not determined by status but by service.
Next in verses 36-37 to illustrate servanthood, Jesus set a little child from the home ( perhaps Peter’s child) among the disciples. Walvoord says that to be a “servant of all” included giving attention to a child, the least significant person in Jewish as well as Greco-Roman society which idealized the mature adult.
Jesus took the child in His arms. To welcome, that is, to serve or show kindness to one of these little children, who represented the lowliest disciple in Jesus’ name (on His behalf) is equivalent to welcoming Jesus Himself. But to do this was not to welcome Jesus only but also the heavenly Father who sent Him to earth. This gives dignity to the task of serving others. I love that.
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.—Colossians 3:17
