Servant Leadership at the Last Supper: Jesus Redefines Greatness

We continue our meditation on Jesus' last Passover meal with His disciples before His crucifixion. They were all reclining around the table when an argument began among the disciples:

²⁴Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. ²⁵Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. ²⁶But 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. ²⁷For 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. ²⁸You are those who have stood by me in my trials. ²⁹And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, ³⁰so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22:24-30 Emphasis added).

In Jesus’ final hours, the disciples argued over their positions in the Kingdom of God. In Alfred Edersheim's The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, Edersheim describes Jesus seated at the center of the U-shaped triclinium table, with John and Judas at the places of honor beside Him. Was the dispute caused by Peter not being seated in the other honored position to the left of Jesus? (v. 24). We are not told who started the dispute, but one might wonder if it was Peter. Jesus may have arranged the seating to reveal Peter’s desire to be the greatest. It could also be that the Lord wanted Judas nearby to prevent him from sneaking away too early to inform Jesus’ enemies of His location. The argument around the table probably coincided with Jesus getting up and showing true servanthood by washing the disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17), including Judas’s. As Jesus washed Judas’s feet, did the gentle touch humble him, or was he just waiting for the right moment to leave and collect his betrayal money?

The Lord overturned the values of this world by teaching His disciples that true greatness in heaven's eyes is found in taking the lowest positions to serve others. He said that the greatest among us should be like the youngest. We are to help each other by taking on tasks that others do not want to do. He observes and will honor every act done for Christ, whether big or small. The great English preacher C.H. Spurgeon once said: "The meanest work for Jesus is a grander thing than the dignity of an emperor." View every opportunity for humble service as a test from God to see if you will live as the youngest.

Jesus demonstrated humble service by lovingly washing their feet to remove dirt and dust. In all aspects, the Lord showed us how to live in this world. Phillips Brooks once said, "Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks." We should aim to be men and women of a Great God, not simply seeking to be great men and women of God. The Lord does not require our talents, strength, or wisdom; He seeks men and women who, in their weakness, will turn to His power and allow His Spirit to work through us. He wants those whose will aligns with His and who will perform even the lowest tasks in service to Him and others. Keith Thomas

Taken from the series on the Gospel of Luke, study 59. The Last Supper