The Patience of Jesus: “Who is the Greatest?” (Part 1)
At least three different times (that are recorded) the followers of Jesus argued about which of them was the “greatest.” (Mark 9:33, Mark 10:35 and Luke 22:24). At first glance we can pass over this because Jesus deals with it so gracefully. But we need to first stop and take a moment to examine this.
The first time occurs after the Mount of Transfiguration as they were coming to Capernaum (Mark 9:33). The disciples are in a serious, ongoing argument, about which of them is the greatest. It is outright sin. It is selfish ambition, competition, envy and jealously. With the back drop of those dark sins before us, we can see the radiant character of Jesus so much clearer. He doesn’t get frustrated that His core leadership team is struggling with serious sin and division. He doesn’t reject them. He doesn’t have a “melt down.” A human leader might have said, “You are the future leadership team of the entire church! Are your really consumed with your egos? Repent!” No, Jesus is patient and instructs His followers. (And He does this every time a follower of His sins.) He has a young child come to Him and “takes him in His arms.” You see the patience of Jesus all over this event. Jesus sets the little child before them as an example to instruct them. “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” It isn’t wrong to want to be great. It is just critical how you go about it. A chapter later 10:45 Jesus declares that He, the Master Himself, is a servant at the core of His identity!
Let’s compare Jesus instruction to the times He rebukes or disciplines His followers. Jesus strongly rebukes or corrects the disciples when they are trying to prevent the children from coming to Him, when they try to want to harm the Samaritans by calling fire down on them or when Peter resists Jesus will to die for the sins of the people. However even this sharp correction is not the same as Jesus condemnation of the Pharisees. Jesus never condemns His followers. He reserves that for those who profess to be righteous and godly but refuse to respond to Him and who do evil and cover it up. The main thing Jesus condemns the Pharisees for it hypocrisy. They make an outward show of praying, tithing / giving money and reading the Old Testament but they are the ones who “devor widows houses” and love the praise of men rather than God. They are all about an outward show of “godliness” but privately they are consumed with evil.
Jesus will instruct His disciples and may correct or sharply discipline His followers but He never condemns them as He does those who refuse to be honest about their evil and turn to Him for mercy and strength (i.e. repent).
If Jesus is patient with sincere but imperfect followers, then so is God. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being.” (Heb 1:3) God is truly patient with those who are responding to Him! There is a huge difference between those who heard God’s word and try to obey it, but fail at times verses those who hear and don’t try at all! Both groups are imperfect and sinful. But God is patient, and may prune the believers, but only so they may bear more fruit in this life and the next.
Prayer: Father, I am beginning to see how you deal with my failures and sins. Instead of rejecting me, You are always instructing me and working with me for greater fruitfulness! I know you also correct and discipline, but you don’t reject those who have responded to you. Knowing you are this kind of person, help me obey you more fully!
