Verse 45
Even the Son of Man had to follow the rule that Jesus just explained. He is the great example of it. His incarnation was not that of a potentate whom others had to serve but that of a servant who met the needs of others.
His service extended to giving His life as a ransom (Gr. lytron, cf. Matthew 20:28). In koine Greek (the common Greek of the New Testament world), this word often described the money paid to release slaves. In the New Testament, it has a narrower, more theological meaning, namely, release or redemption. The only two occurrences of this word in the New Testament are in Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45. The Exodus is the great Old Testament instance of this redemption and release.
"For" (Gr. anti), used in Mark only here, means "instead of" or "in place of," a clear reference to substitution (cf. Matthew 2:22; Luke 11:11; 1 Peter 3:9). [Note: Moulton and Milligan, p. 46.]
"Many" (lit. "the many") contrasts with the one life (Gr. psychen) of Jesus given as a payment (cf. Mark 14:24). One man’s act affected many others (cf. Isaiah 53:11-12). "Many" does not mean some in contrast to all. While Jesus’ death benefits everyone in one sense and the elect in another sense, that was not the point of Jesus’ contrast here. Jesus took the place of everyone else by paying the penalty for their sins.
This verse is not only the climax of this pericope (Mark 10:35-41), but it is the key verse of Mark’s Gospel. It summarizes the ministry of Jesus as the Suffering Servant of the Lord, Mark’s particular emphasis. [Note: See John C. Hutchison, "Servanthood: Jesus’ Countercultural Call to Christian Leaders," Bibliotheca Sacra 166:661 (January-March 2009):53-69.] Here it constituted another announcement of Jesus’ coming death, but it added the purpose for His dying not previously revealed.
"This verse contains the clearest statement of the object of Christ’s coming found in the gospels. But this theological declaration was made to enforce a practical truth for everyday conduct." [Note: Hiebert, p. 261.]
That John finally got the message is clear from what he wrote in 1 John 3:16: "He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."
| Contrasts between a Helper and a Servant |
| A Helper | A Servant |
| A helper helps others when it is convenient. | A servant serves others even when it is inconvenient. |
| A helper helps people that he or she likes. | A servant serves even people that he or she dislikes. |
| A helper helps when he or she enjoys the work. | A servant serves even when he or she dislikes the work. |
| A helper helps when the circumstances are convenient. | A servant serves even when the circumstances are inconvenient. |
| A helper helps with a view to obtaining personal satisfaction. | A servant serves even when he or she receives no personal satisfaction. |
| A helper helps with an attitude of assisting another. | A servant serves with an attitude of enabling another. |
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