Who is the Greatest?

A question which many of us mere mortals constantly struggle with? A question that has the propensity to make ordinary well-meaning people to compete, cut down, indulge in power play and dirty politics ultimately culminating in divisions, conflicts and destruction. This is not a question limited to the so called dog eat dog secular world of corporate, professional or political arena. This is very much a reality and a part and parcel of the Christian world.

In fact the question, “Who is the greatest?” was asked by none other than the disciples of Jesus. We read that in Luke 9:46 and Mathew 18:1. This was not the first time that question was raised, many centuries ago Aaron and Miriam had asked a similar sounding question to Moses in Numbers 12:1, where they ask, “Is Moses the only one that God Speaks through? Hasn’t He spoken through us?” and if you go back in time to the roots and try to trace the origin of this question we will end up in Isaiah 14:12-17 which records the fall of Satan where it was not phrased as a question but rather a haughty and conceited statement of “I will” and “I am” the greatest. We don’t have to look further and break our heads on the inception and ancestry of this question which can squarely be attributed to the father of all deception and lies, ‘Satan’. No wonder Jesus took the trouble to address it immediately with His disciples.

The question stems from our innate desire for significance and self-worth when unchecked, dangerously takes on the diabolic garb of Pride to be the greatest. Our egos does not allow us to be insignificant, insulted or humiliated. Even the most internally secure, self-actualized, “godly” leaders can lose their cool and composure and blow it up when challenged, criticized, put down or belittled by their subordinates or colleagues. Some might be able to perfectly camouflage their anger and outburst at that point but will never forget or forgive the person who perpetrated it and retribution will be done some day.

None of us, as long as we live in the flesh can claim absolute immunity from ever raising this query at some juncture of our life. And once we raise the question of who is the greatest, we automatically step into a rat-race to be one, we start scheming, manipulating, gossiping, slandering and playing dirty politics to become the greatest. This has terrible consequences in the body resulting in divisions, power plays, conflicts and sometimes even culminating in destruction. How do we deal with this question? How do we even try and address the Issue?

One of the best example that we come across in the Bible, is the way David responded to this question in 2 Samuel 16:5-13. He was the king of Israel, the ‘greatest one’ in the realm but His son Absalom had usurped the throne, David was on the run, hurt, humiliated, broken and sad at the terrible turn of events. And adding insult to injury, on the way a man named Shimei comes out cursing and throwing stones at the King. The interesting thing is, at this point one of his commanders Abishai proposes what seems to be a perfectly normal course of action when a ruler is challenged or insulted, he says, “let me go over and cut off his head”. It is King David’s response that throws light into the kind of man he is, the mettle that he is made off and why he is called as a man after Gods own heart.  But the king said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ then who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” ¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out from ^[b]me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him. ¹² Perhaps the Lord will look on my affliction and ^[c]return good to me instead of his cursing this day.” Vs 10-12.

Couple of things that can we can take away from this is David’s absolute sense of security in God, that He is in control of every single detail of his life and the solid assurance that He is working out everything for good. The ability to understand and keep calm even in dreadfully adverse situations comes from the realisation of Who we are in Christ- our identity, our significance and self-worth that is intrinsically woven into that relationship and Who our God is and what He is capable of doing for us! When we truly grasp this truth, the question of who is the greatest loses all its relevance for us, it becomes totally inconsequential.

This question is raised two times by the disciples in the Gospel of Luke; once in chapter 9: 46 and later it resurfaces in Lk 22:24 and in both these two times, it is fascinating to see how Jesus answers them. In the first instance He took a little child by his side and said whoever accepts this little child in my name accepts me. The gravity of that symbolic act would have been hard hitting and embarrassing for the disciples, here they were- grown up adults squabbling like little kids about who being the greatest and here was Jesus lifting up a little child and reprimanding them to be the least-like a child, be unrecognised, be humble, a minor, undistinguished, unimportant, be a servant of all to be the greatest.  Being the least in order to be the greatest was not an attractive proposition for them, it did not make any sense in worldly ways, and it sounded more of an oxymoron.  

Probably that’s why the lesson did not sink in, in no time the disciples were back to their old ways because we read about it again in Luke 22: 24, the same argument cropped up among the apostles of who was the greatest and this time Jesus goes on to throw more light as he corrects them. He goes on to contrast worldly greatness with spiritual/kingdom greatness. Vs 25-27 “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. 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.” Worldly leadership and greatness Lords over others, it controls, dominates, compares and pits one against another. In contrast to this Jesus says we are not to be like that, the greatest among us must become like the youngest or least like a child, and the leader like a servant and then He puts forward His example; even though He is the son of God, the King of all the earth with all greatness and glory at His disposal yet He is as the one who serves. He emptied Himself and made himself nothing.

Greatness from becoming nothing, becoming the least and the last is not an easy proposition, it is an extremely difficult road to tread, there are no bouquets or rewards awaiting us instead brickbats, obscurity and oblivion might be the earthly results but the heavenly and eternal dividends are too invaluable for us to take this lightly and more over we have not many options. The Savior is calling us in that direction and if we claim to be His followers we will gladly obey Him.