Greatness. The text for our series on leadership issues is addressed to people who would be great and to those who would be first. The world interprets greatness and being first in terms of position, honor, and power. Jesus inverted this order and interpreted greatness in terms of service. We can be great by serving without position and honor.
Greatness and Leadership. Leadership and greatness are not synonymous terms, but they are overlapping concepts. We often think, for example, of great leaders. Or, we think people are great because they have extraordinary influence as leaders. Thus, our text becomes a story which raises many leadership issues. All of these issues challenge us to think profoundly about what is involved in leading people. The central point of the story, however, is that service is the sine qua non (without which not) of Christian leadership.
Leadership. When we began this series, we indicated that people could be leaders in the sense of being “ahead,” “a head,” or “the head.” One can be “ahead,” for example, in service without being “a head” or “the head.” Service is the sine qua non in all three types of leadership. Our discussions of leadership have focused primarily on the latter two types of leadership– being “a head” or “the head.” With regard to them, I presented my own definition of leadership, which is: “Leadership is the art, science, and gift of the Holy Spirit demonstrated by a person, in a given situation, by means of which a group is inspired and guided in the cooperative accomplishment of an objective which is accepted by the group as the will of God and desirable, whether the objective was formed by the group or presented to the group by the leader.” The desire to be a leader, when service is the sine qua non, is a laudable ambition in life. As long as service is put uppermost, the desire to lead is honorable. Service may lead to position and honor, but if not, remember that servant is itself a position and that this position has its own greatness in the kingdom of God.
Text. Those who would lead through serve do well when they remember that the ultimate in service is to lay down one’s life for others. Our series text, Matthew 20:20-28, concludes with the example of Jesus as a ransom for many. We will read the entire text and will focus today on verse 28. 20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Him with her sons, bowing down, and making a request of Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left.” 22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.” 24 And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to Himself, and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (NAS)
Preview. Jesus Himself is the highest example of all the truths in this story. He is our ideal model. This lesson will highlight verse 28 and the example of Jesus as a ransom for many. We will discuss Christ as servant and ransom and following Christ’s example.
Christ As Servant
Definition. Jesus, the Son of Man, “did not come to be served [diakonethenai], but to serve [diakonesai].” The verb diakoneo means to serve or to minister. The verb and noun, diakonos, refer to serving or service of any kind. Waiters on tables, deacons, and ministers of the Gospel are all included. Concerning diakonos, Robertson says, “This word [diakonos] may come from dia and konis (dust), to raise a dust by one’s hurry, and so to minister. It is a general word for servant and is used in a variety of ways including the technical sense of our ‘deacon’ in Phil. 1:1. But it more frequently is applied to ministers of the Gospel” (162).
Ministry to the Lord. Christ did not come to be ministered to, but His disciples on their own initiative did minister to Him. We, too, can minister to the Lord. Let’s observe some of the Biblical evidence.
Old Testament. The Old Testament speaks of ministry to God. Concerning the Levites, we read in I Chron. 15:2, “Then David said, ‘No one is to carry the ark of God but the Levites; for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of God, and to minister to Him forever.’” Similarly, in I Chron. 23:13 we read about Aaron and his sons, “The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was set apart to sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister to Him and to bless in His name forever.” Aaron and his sons ministered to the Lord through the burning of incense. The Psalmist, too, emphasizes praise. In Psalm 56:12 (KJV), he writes, “I will render praises unto thee.”
New Testament. Although our text emphasizes Christ’s ministry to others, we do have some evidence in the New Testament that He accepted ministry to Him. A couple of examples will illustrate how the disciples ministered to Him.
A company of women traveled with Jesus and the twelve disciples. These women ministered to Jesus through their gifts. We read about this in Luke 8:1-3: 1 And it came about soon afterwards, that He began going about from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God; and the twelve were with Him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing [diakonoun] to their support out of their private means. (NAS) The word contributing is a translation of diakonoun which, as we have seen, means to minister or to serve. They ministered to Jesus and the twelve by giving of their possessions to help the cause.
One evening during supper Jesus accepted the ministry of Mary. As John 12:2 records, “Mary therefore took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” Judas Iscariot, the treasurer, objected to Mary’s action, saying that the perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor. Really, he was not concerned about the poor. He was the keeper of the money box, and it was his practice to pilfer from it. Jesus approved Mary’s action and said, “For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have Me” (John 12:8).
Another way the disciples ministered to Christ is through helping others. When we help others, we minister to the Lord Himself. Jesus taught His disciples this truth in Matthew 25:31-46 where we read these comments: 31 But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.” 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?” 40 And the King will answer and say to them, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” 41 Then He will also say to those on His left, “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.” 44 Then they themselves also will answer, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?” 45 Then He will answer them, saying, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.” 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. (NAS) When we serve others, we minister to Christ. This form of ministry to Christ harmonizes directly with the purpose for which He came which is to minister to others. We turn now to this subject.
Christ’s Ministry. Jesus ministered in many ways to the people around Him. Early in His ministry Jesus revealed His ministry agenda in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19). He stood up to read, turned to Isaiah, and read this passage, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord” (NAS). His agenda was to bring deliverance to the people in all aspects of their lives. Jesus had the best interests of the people at heart. He knew what they really needed and sought to serve those interests. He did not pander to their baser instincts nor waste His energy in meeting frivolous needs. True service– true ministry– is devoted to the needs of people which really enhance their lives. Ministry which focuses on such needs will always be strong.
Christ As Ransom
Definition. Jesus came “to give his life a ransom (lutrov) for many” (Mt. 20:28). The Greek word lutrov is used in the New Testament only here, in the parallel passage in Mark 10:45, and in I Timothy 2:6. What is the meaning of the word lutrov? Several definitions will be given here to make the word clear.
According to the IVP Bible Dictionary, the payment of a ransom is a part of the process of redemption and “Redemption means deliverance from some evil by payment of a ransom” (pp. 1078-79). Three examples are given. The first example is of prisoners of war possibly being released on payment of a price which is called a ransom. Second, slaves possibly being released by a process of ransom in which they paid their masters for freedom. Lastly, among the Hebrews, it can be used for someone who commits an unpremeditated murder possibly redeeming their forfeited life with a price (Ex. 21:28-30).
According to W. E. Vine, a lutron (ransom) is a means of “loosing” (247). Because of this, lutron “is used of the ransom for a life, e.g. Ex. 21:30, of the redemption price of a slave, e.g. Lev. 19:20, of land, 25:24, of the price of a captive, Isa. 45:13” (247).
Lenski writes, “The lutron (or its plural lutra, LXX) is the price paid to effect the release (lueiv, the loosing) of one who is held in some kind of bondage. This meaning is extended to the payment for release from guilt and penalty” (793).
Ransom for Many. Jesus described Himself as a ransom for many. We will discuss both the term “ransom” and the term “many.”
Ransom. Applying the concept of ransom to Christ, Vine writes, “That Christ gave up His life in expiatory sacrifice under God’s judgment upon sin and thus provided a ransom whereby those who receive Him on this ground obtain deliverance from the penalty due to sin, is what Scripture teaches” (247). Similarly, Lenski states, “Whether lutron is a price paid in money or an act of expiation, an expiatory sacrifice, is decided by the context. Here [Mt. 20:28] the ransom is the life, i.e., the life of Jesus given into death; the ransom is affected by the sacrifice of this life, the shedding of Jesus’ blood” (793). The IVP Bible Dictionary states, “He [God] makes known His strength. Because He loves His people He redeems them at cost to Himself. His effort is regarded as the ‘price.’” Going further, the IVP Bible Dictionary states, “When we read of ‘redemption through his blood’ [Eph. 1:7], the blood of Christ is clearly being regarded as the price of redemption.”
For Many. Jesus said He was a ransom for many. Some interpreters believe that Christ died only for those who accept Him. However, by using the term many Jesus does not exclude anyone. Elsewhere Paul makes it clear that Jesus died for all. In I Tim. 2:5-6 Paul writes, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time.” Jesus died for all people and paid the ransom for them, but all people do not accept Him. Although the price is paid, many people tragically reject Christ and do not avail themselves of the free gift of salvation.
To Whom Paid. Throughout history, the question has been asked, “To whom was the price of Christ’s life paid?” Several answers have been given.
Price Paid To Satan. As Leon Morris points out, the early church Fathers tended to answer, “Satan” (129). Compared to Morris, Millard J. Erickson says, “Some of them worked out quite a theory of the way redemption works. They held that because of our sin we were all destined for hell. Sinners belong to Satan. In that situation God, in effect, offered to do a deal with Satan. He would give his Son in exchange for sinners. Satan realized that he would be making a fine profit on this transaction and was happy to accept the offer. The death of Jesus on the cross represented the handing of the Son over to Satan. But when Satan got Jesus down into hell he found (in the modern elegant idiom) that he had bitten off more than he could chew. On the third day Christ rose triumphant and Satan was left lamenting, having lost both the sinners he previously had and him whom he had accepted in exchange for them” (pp. 792-96). This view has little support, if any, today. God was not obligated to Satan for anything. Moreover, God is all-powerful and has no need of paying a ransom to achieve His objective.
Price Paid Without Named Recipient. According to Morris, the word ransom means that Christ gave His life as a price, but the New Testament does not name a recipient of the price. He declares that:: “In the New Testament there is never any hint of a recipient of the ransom. In other words we must understand redemption as a useful metaphor which enables us to see some aspects of Christ’s great saving work with clarity but which is not an exact description of the whole process of salvation. We must not press it beyond what the New Testament tells us about it. To look for a recipient of the ransom is illegitimate. We have no reason for pressing every detail. We must use the metaphor in the way the New Testament writers did or we fall into error” (Morris pp. 129-30). This does not mean that we should water down the meaning of redemption. It is necessary for us to see the main thrust of the metaphor. This way of looking at the cross brings out the magnitude of the price paid for our salvation. It shows us that the death of Christ was meaningful. It was more than the martyrdom of a good man who was not strong enough to resist the machinations of evil people. Rather it was the outworking of the love of God. It was God’s costly way of overcoming evil. Looked at in this way Christ’s death was the effective payment that removed our bondage to evil.
Focus On the Power of the Cross. Other interpreters, such as R. W. Lyon seems to go further. Lyon rejects the idea of the ransom of Christ being a transaction with a price. Rather, he puts the emphasis on the power of the cross to deliver men from their bondage and sins. He states: “The ideas [about ransom] are rooted in the ancient world where slaves and captured soldiers were given their freedom upon the payment of a price. In the OT ransom is linked again with slaves, but also with varied aspects of the cultures as well as the duties of kinsmen [cf. Ruth 4]. Most importantly the idea of ransom [redeem] is also linked with the deliverance out of Egypt [e.g., Deut. 7:8] and the return of the exiles [e.g. Isa. 35:10]. In both settings the focus is no longer on the price paid but on the deliverance achieved and the freedom obtained. Now the focus is on the activity of God and his power to set his people free. When the ideas of ransom are linked to the saving activity of God, the idea of price is not present” (Lyon pp. 907-08). When the New Testament, or NT, therefore, speaks of ransom with reference to the work of Christ, the idea is not one of transaction, as though a deal is arranged and a price paid. Rather the focus is on the power of the cross to save (I Cor. 1:18). In the famous ransom saying of Mark 10:45 Jesus speaks of his coming death as the means of release for many. The contrast is between his own solitary death and the deliverance of the many. In the NT the terms of ransom and purchase, which in other contexts suggest an economic or financial exchange, speak of the consequences or results (cf. I Cor. 7:23). The release is from judgment, sin, and death (Rom. 3:25-26; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 8:2).
Price Paid To God. Another view is that God is just and, since He is just, the penalty for sin had to be paid. This price was necessary in order for God to sustain the moral order of His universe. The payment of a price and the satisfaction of God’s justice were moral necessities. Christ died as a substitute for us. Because men have sinned, they should pay the penalty, but God chose to pay it himself in order to redeem them. The awesome price was the death of His own Son, Jesus Christ. Only Christ was without sin and was worthy to pay the price for our sins. This view, I believe, offers the best interpretation of the ransom. Hebrews 9:14 gives some support to this approach. Here, we read, “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” We note that Christ offered Himself to God. He did this in order to atone for our sins. Several points, I believe, are valid and should be made. First, man is a sinner under penalty of death. Second, God’s holiness must be satisfied. Third, God Himself pays the price. Lastly, Christ is the vicarious sacrifice for our sins.
Christ Gave His Life. Jesus said that He came to give His life a ransom for many. Paul adds that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (II Cor. 5:19). Both the Father and the Son are involved in the redemption of man. They acted out of their own will and compassion. Some people believe that substitutionary atonement is immoral and unjust. It would be unjust, they say, for an innocent party to be sentenced by a court and be punished for a guilty person. However, as Millard Erickson states: “There are two answers to this objection. One is the voluntary character of the sacrifice. . . . Jesus was not compelled by the Father to lay down his life. He did so voluntarily and thus pleased the Father. It hardly needs be said that taking someone who willingly volunteers is preferable to conscripting someone for punishment. The second answer is that the work of Jesus Christ in giving his life also involved the Father. . . . In terms of our courtroom analogy, it is not as if the judge passes sentence on the defendant, and some innocent and hitherto uninvolved party then appears to pay the fine or serve the sentence. Rather, it is as if the judge passes sentence upon the defendant, then removes his robes and goes off to serve the sentence in the defendant’s place” (817).
Followers of Christ
Our Need. We are followers of Christ. Because we are completely human, we have great needs. Jesus came to meet those needs. As leaders, we must recognize that we have needs and be willing to accept help when we need it. We must receive ministry as well as give ministry. Sometimes our pride keeps us from receiving what we need. We must remember that even Christ accepted the ministrations of His disciples.
Our Purpose. As Christian leaders, our purpose is to minister to others. Just as Christ came to minister, we must put our emphasis on ministry. We do not put our emphasis on position and honor. Whatever role God has for us, we should accept it and serve well. God has given us a whole constellation of gifts with which to minister. We read about them in Rom. 12:1-8, Eph. 4:11-12, and I Cor. 12:1-31. The Spirit of God distributes the gifts as He desires, but no one is left out (I Cor. 12:11). If anyone should think he has been overlooked, he should read I Cor. 12:28 where “helps” is named. Everyone can exercise this gift! Some people, however, are especially outstanding in being a help to others in virtually every situation.
A Ransom. At this point we might ask, “In what sense can we follow Christ in being a “ransom’ for many?” Obviously, we cannot atone for sins. Only Christ was worthy to pay the price to satisfy the justice of God (9:28). In addition the writer of Hebrews tells us that Christ was “offered once to bear the sins of many.” The price is paid for all, and it is paid for all eternity. Christ will not have to pay the price again. We are not required to do what Christ alone could do. We can, however, pay the price of fulfilling our role in the kingdom of God. All of us, for example, are to be witnesses to the redeeming work of Christ. The ministry of witnessing can exact a great price. Throughout the history of the church, many witnesses have given their lives for the cause of Christ. The English word witness is translated from the Greek words martur and martus. The Greek words can be translated also as martyr. The connection is not accidental. Many of the early witnesses became martyrs.
Redemptive Leadership. We have been saying that the sine qua non of Christian leadership is service. People may serve for many reasons, but we must add that the purpose of Christian leadership is redemption. Richard Wolff lays the foundation for this thought with these comments, “The ultimate purpose of Christ was redemptive. . . . Through redemption, man is set free from the controlling power of sin, thus enabled to serve God and man” (34-35). Then, he says, “True Christian leadership is redemptive, i.e. liberating! The purpose is never to enslave or to subjugate.” Wolff concludes, “Other theories of leadership may introduce the idea of service and seek adequate motivation. But the redemptive view of the leadership role is distinctly– and essentially– Christian.”
Conclusion
Christ, the Leader. God could have chosen to disdain man, to create other creatures who would serve Him, or to abide alone in all His glory. Instead He chose to take on the form of man and to dwell among us in the person of Christ (Phil. 2:5-11). He did this in order that He might lead us out of bondage into freedom. Because Christ was willing to suffer and to die, He will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Several points stand out. First, Christ, the Second Person of the Godhead, was ultimately worthy to be the sacrifice for sins. He was without sin! Secondly, Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice. He emptied Himself and became man. He took upon Himself the form of a bond-servant (doulou, slave). Then, He suffered and died for us. Lastly, Christ is the ultimate leader. He rose from the grave and is the head of the church. He is coming back in power and in glory to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Christ was unique! We cannot match Him in any way, but we can follow His example. Paul exhorts us to, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). When we have the mind/attitude of Christ, we will be willing to pay any price to tell the story of redemption.
Paul’s Example. The apostle Paul is an example for us. He said, “I bear on my body the brand-marks [stigmata] of Jesus.” Paul bore the literal scars on his body of his many beatings and suffering. In addition he bore the marks in a figurative way. The word brand-marks is a translation of the Greek word stigmata. We take our English word stigma from this Greek word. Paul accepted the stigma of the cross and was a faithful witness. Our Lord calls upon us to invest our lives in redemptive service. Through our service people are blessed and their lives are changed. Sometimes this service demands a price, but we can be confident that our Lord will reward us. We have a great future! The apostle Paul, who was both a leader and was great, declared, “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him” (II Tim 2:12).
Similarly, Lenski states, “Whether lutron is a price paid in money or an act of expiation, an expiatory sacrifice, is decided by the context. Here [Mt. 20:28] the ransom is the life, i.e., the life of Jesus given into death; the ransom is affected by the sacrifice of this life, the shedding of Jesus’ blood” (793). 