These words are among the most difficult and, at the same time, the most practically significant sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their practical value lies in the opportunity they give us to transform human pride and the craving for honour into something that...
These words are among the most difficult and, at the same time, the most practically significant sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their practical value lies in the opportunity they give us to transform human pride and the craving for honour into something that would not be sinful. Indeed, if a person is so eager to be better than others, why not try to surpass those ‘others’ on the path the Lord Jesus points out? It is the path of service, the path of renouncing one's own glory and honour for the good of one's neighbours—a very definite path, in fact. The difficulty is that human resolve is usually insufficient for this, and we need Christ's gracious help.
It is also important to listen carefully to what precisely the Lord means. The usually quite accurate Russian Synodal translation misses certain shades of meaning here. In quoting Christ's words ‘be last of all’, the evangelist Mark uses the Greek word eskhatos. Its primary meaning is ‘last’ in the sense of ‘least’—rendered as ‘lesser’ in the Church Slavonic Bible—‘least honoured’, ‘least significant’. Yet it has other meanings too, the most important of which is ‘outermost’, or, in Russian, krayniy. In contemporary Russian, this word has acquired a slang meaning, and it is precisely that meaning which matters to us here: the person left to bear the consequences of others' actions, the one who becomes a victim for others. It is this sense that applies to the Lord Jesus, who, in His own words, ‘came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many’, as Mark will record in the following chapter (Mk 10:45).
Here two other important roots also coincide, in the words ‘servant’ and ‘to serve’—in Greek, diakonos. The Lord is thus saying, ‘Whoever wants to be first, imitate Me.’ The evangelist John adds to this thought: ‘Whoever serves Me must follow Me’ (Jn 12:26). It is in this service to others, in accepting the position of the one who bears the consequences and is least honoured, that we follow Christ and serve Him.
4
4:1 From whence come wars and fightings - Quarrels and wars among you, quite opposite to this peace? Is it not from your pleasures - Your desires of earthly pleasures. Which war - Against your souls. In your members - Here is the first seat of the war.Hence proceeds the war of man with man, king with king, nation with nation.
4:2 Ye kill - In your heart, for "he that hateth his brother is a murderer." Ye fight and war - That is, furiously strive and contend. Ye ask not - And no marvel; for a man full of evil desire, of envy or hatred, cannot pray.
4:3 But if ye do ask, ye receive not, because ye ask amiss - That is, from a wrong motive.
4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses - Who have broken your faith with God, your rightful spouse. Know ye not that the friendship or love of the world - The desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life, or courting the favour of worldly men, is enmity against God? Whosoever desireth to be a friend of the world - Whosoever seeks either the happiness or favour of it, does thereby constitute himself an enemy of God; and can he expect to obtain anything of him?
4:5 Do you think that the scripture saith in vain - Without good ground. St. James seems to refer to many, not any one particular scripture. The spirit of love that dwelleth in all believers lusteth against envy - Gal 5:17; is directly opposite to all those unloving temperswhich necessarily flow from the friendship of the world.
4:6 But he giveth greater grace - To all who shun those tempers. Therefore it - The scripture. Saith, God resisteth the proud - And pride is the great root of all unkind affections. Pro 3:34
4:7 Therefore by humbly submitting yourselves to God, resist the devil - The father of pride and envy.
4:8 Then draw nigh to God in prayer, and he will draw nigh unto you, will hear you; which that nothing may hinder, cleanse your hands - Cease from doing evil. And purify your hearts - From all spiritual adultery. Be no more double minded, vainly endeavouring to serve both God and mammon.
4:9 Be afflicted - For your past unfaithfulness to God.