Luke 22:24-30, New Living Translation
24 Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25 Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ 26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. 27 Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves. 28 “You have stayed with me in my time of trial. 29 And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right 30 to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
In Luke 22:24-30, Luke writes about an incident that none of the other three writers in their gospels write about. Luke in his account of the last night that Jesus spent with His apostles at the last Passover meal He would eat with them before His death, tells us about an unpleasant event that happened at the dinner table. But most importantly, Luke also tells us how Jesus used this awkward event and turned it in to an opportunity to teach the apostles an essential lesson concerning humility, leadership and service in God’s kingdom.
Most of us have experienced unpleasant moments at the dinner table when a disagreement occurred that turned into an argument. As tempers rose, so did the volume of the voices and the unpleasant feeling of being present. Often, when this happens those who are involved in the argument are utterly insensitive to the others who are at the table who have been obligated to be the unwilling spectators of something they do not want to be part of and to have disgust and even disappointment for those who are arguing.
Luke tells us about some important details that help us understand the context of this unpleasant moment at the Passover dinner table, which was the most important holiday and celebration on the Jewish calendar.
First of all, the Passover meal had already started and Jesus was with His twelve apostles at the dinner table. Luke 22:14 NIV, “When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.” Note that Jesus and His apostles were not sitting at the table, as depicted by Leonardo da Vinci’s well-known painting of the last supper, which is very culturally incorrect for that time period.
These next two points are a good example how the enemy tried to interrupt and or ruin an event of such importance to our Lord Jesus and the apostles.
Secondly, this last Passover Jesus ate with His apostles was very important for Him; so much so He states that He was enthusiastically waiting to celebrate this Passover meal with them. Luke 22:15 NIV, “And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”
Thirdly, at this Passover meal Jesus tells them something of very significant importance about the new meaning that the cup of wine and the unleavened bread of the Passover meal would soon have. Luke 22:17-22 NIV, “17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
The Apostles had the responsibility to remember this new meaning and significance of the Passover bread and wine as it related to the soon to happen crucifixion and death of Jesus. After Jesus’ death and resurrection partaking of the bread and wine would be understood as “the Lord’s Supper” (1 Corinthians 11:20) every time it would be observed throughout the centuries by Christ’s Church.
Why did this argument take place among the apostles? We can answer this by understanding who were these twelve men that Jesus chose to be His apostles. Some were professional fishermen; one was a tax collector and one was a traitor, but they all were ordinary and imperfect men. They were susceptible of being prideful and self-centered, whose selfish ambitions of importance interfered with a correct understanding of leadership in God’s Kingdom that they need to have, as soon to become leaders of Christ’s church.
What was the argument about? Luke tells us very briefly and clearly, Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Luke 22:24. The “Also” that Luke is referring to puts in context all the significant words of Jesus and actions that took place prior to the unpleasant moment at the dinner table.
Why was being the “greatest” so significant among the apostles that it caused an argument? The pride and self-seeking ambition of the apostles did not want to lose the opportunity to express how important they saw themselves in relation to the others. What Pride and self-seeking ambition did was it disregarded the fact that Jesus was present listening to what was pouring out from their hearts and through their mouths. Pride caused the apostles to forget what Jesus had taught, that our words expose to others what is really in our heart. “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34. Their pride and self-ambition that the apostles displayed was contrary to many of the points that Jesus taught on the sermon on the mount, all of which are characteristic of humility.
Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”
For the countless responsibilities and opportunities of ministry the eleven would encounter for the rest of their lives, they would need wisdom that comes from God and not worldly wisdom influenced with pride and selfish ambition. Notice what James says concerning how many ways “selfish ambition” and wisdom that is “earthly’ and “unspiritual” is contrary to “humility that comes from wisdom” and the “wisdom that comes from heaven”.
James 3:13-17 NIV
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
There are many essential spiritual truths we can learn from what Jesus said in verses 25 to 30, but we can also learn from what Jesus did not say and why he did not say it. Even though the apostle’s argument temporarily interfered with the importance of the meal, the unity and the purpose of celebrating the Passover and Jesus’ expectancy of the outcome of the dinner; Jesus did not tell them to stop arguing. In spite of the fact that Jesus heard what everyone was saying, He did not ask them, why they were arguing, nor did He call out anyone in particular, pointing out how wrong they were in their point of view. What Jesus did was to address the point of the apostle’s dispute with an example of how the world thinks and acts, comparing it to the way leadership, self-importance and service to others should not be and should be among them. The way Jesus addressed the argument by what He said, He knew it would be enough to make His point for a necessary lesson He wanted them to learn by all of them.
Whose principles and way of thinking are we displaying to others with our words and actions when we have a disagreement? What is the spiritual reality of our hearts that others are hearing?
In verses 25 and 26a, Jesus corrects the apostles by making a comparison and not by telling how wrong they were. Jesus told them how worldly people acted and He simply said they are not to think or treat others in the same way as the world does, especially if you are a person of spiritual authority. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.
Each apostle thought he was the “greatest” in comparison to the others; so much so, that each one was willing to argue about it. However, their understanding was the way the world defined and demonstrated greatness and this was totally opposite of what Jesus teaching them.
In verse twenty 27 Jesus uses an effective teaching tool that was very common in the way He taught; He asked a question. He not only asks a question of which every one of the twelve knew the answer, but Jesus also answers His own question which helps emphasize the point of the lesion the apostles needed to learn. If Jesus was the “greatest” at the table and not one of the twelve apostles (who were trying arguing with each other about this point), then why was he serving them? “27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.”
Among the twelve, there was no humility or leadership displayed by their arguing, they were blinded by their pride and “selfish ambition” which exposed itself which put the others in a lesser place of importance than ones self. There was no consideration, respect or appreciation for one another when they were arguing; there was just “me”, “myself” and “I”; and what one believed about himself which was most important.
It is easy to argue with others of why you think you are the “greatest”, but it was Jesus and what He did that showed all of them who was the greatest. Jesus demonstrated that it is not what you think about yourself or say to others about yourself by arguing that makes you the “greatest”, but being the “greatest” is demonstrated in humility by how you what you do to others especially, if you are a leader.
Next week will see in John 13:1-17 how Jesus demonstrated to the twelve apostles what the “greatest” does for others.
Pastor John
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4
