Jesus’ teaching on social values was revolutionary. It turned upside-down accepted values of social position and status. It laid the foundation for relationships in the new community of believers that we know as the New Testament Church.
Jesus’ teaching on status is summarised in one sentence of his teaching to the Twelve; he said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
Reversal of Worldly Values
In the following chapter, Mark records three incidents that illustrate this teaching. In the first, people were bringing children for Jesus to bless them (Mark 10:13). Jesus used these young ones to show that the only way to receive the Kingdom was to become like little children. The simplicity of children represented a greater spiritual value than the wisdom of adults.
In the second incident, a rich young man came to Jesus and asked him “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). Jesus’ advice to him was to go and sell everything he had and give to the poor. The young man’s dismay led Jesus to say “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God”, which amazed the disciples who were still thinking in terms of worldly values where the rich had an obvious advantage. In Jesus’ teaching their riches were a disadvantage that could actually hinder entry to the Kingdom.
In the third incident, Jesus dealt with the desire of two of his disciples to sit on his right and left in the Kingdom. This drew from Jesus the statement “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all” (Mark 10:42-44). He followed this by saying that even the Son of Man had not come to be served, but to serve. Here Jesus was emphasising that the highest status in the Kingdom is that of the servant.
In the parallel passage in Matthew’s Gospel, he includes a parable from Jesus about the workers in the vineyard who commence work at various times during the day but who each receive the same amount of money at the end of the day from the one who hired them. Jesus’ teaching on this was summarised in the words “…so the last will be the first, and the first will be last” (Matt 20:16). Here Jesus was saying that even newcomers into the Kingdom were regarded as having equal status alongside those who had been there a long time. There is no seniority in the Kingdom - the newest believer is equally loved by the Father and accorded equal status.
Jesus emphasised that the highest status in the Kingdom of God is that of the servant.
Jesus Our Example
It was not only in his teaching that Jesus turned upside-down worldly standards of social values; he also practised what he taught. His attitude to women reflected this. Even his own disciples were amazed to find him discussing theological matters with a Samaritan woman (John 4). He faced a hostile crowd bent on stoning a prostitute and rescued her from her accusers (John 8:7). He watched a poor widow putting her small coin into the Temple offering box and told his disciples that what she had given was of greater value in God’s eyes than the large offerings of the rich (Luke 21:1-4). He preferred the company of outcasts and sinners to that of the scribes and Pharisees.
Even in the choice of his own disciples, Jesus did not search for men of high social standing or for those who were rich, powerful or learned; he preferred humble fishermen and converted tax collectors. Jesus did not only speak about the Son of Man having come to serve rather than to be served; he actually wrapped a towel around his waist, took a bowl of water and washed his own disciples’ feet (John 13).
As Paul later wrote, “He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant…he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:7-8). The Cross was Jesus’ final act in turning the world’s values upside-down. The symbol of cursing became the sign of salvation.
The Community of Believers
Luke’s description of the relationships between the believers in the earliest days of the Jerusalem Church reflects the teaching of Jesus (Acts 2:42-47). The believers practised equality and saw each other as of equal status, equally loved by the Lord, belonging to one family in which they did not lord it over each other. In such an atmosphere it was natural to share their possessions as an expression of their care for each other.
This adds additional significance to Peter’s use of the quotation from Joel (Acts 2:17-18) on the Day of Pentecost, which referred to the Spirit coming upon women as well as men, young as well as old, and on everyone, including the servants — those of the least status in society.
On the Day of Pentecost, Jerusalem was filled with Jews from all parts of the Mediterranean world: “Parthians, Medes, Elamites…(Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans and Arabs” (vv5-11). At this point Peter had not envisaged the inclusion of the Gentiles in the gospel, even though when the Spirit fell on the believers, they had all spoken in different languages. His expectation was that the Spirit was to be poured out on the whole house of Israel, which included the Aramean and Hellenistic Jews. 3,000 of them accepted his message and were baptised that day.
Even though the Jew-Gentile barrier had not yet been breached, the Church, from the beginning, drew into fellowship men and women of very different backgrounds who became a new community with a new corporate identity.
Next week: We continue to unpack how Jesus’ teaching and the truths of the New Covenant shaped the structure of the early ekklesia.
Questions for discussion / further study:
- The values of the Kingdom, as taught by Jesus, are the reverse of the values of the world. How many of these values can you list? Is it possible/practicable for Christians to practise them today?
- Discuss the difference between the concept of ‘sons’ and ‘servants’ in New Testament teaching, with particular reference to our relationship to God implied in John 15:15 and Galatians 4:7; and relationships within the Body implied in Mark 10:42-45 and 1 Peter 4:10.
This article is part of a series. Click here for previous instalments.
