MARK 9:33-35
33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
10 POINTS TO PONDER
Just before this conversation, Jesus had predicted His future suffering. He wanted his disciples to realize that the path to greatness ran through the cross, but they weren’t getting it.
We are often quick to dismiss the desire for greatness as bad, but Jesus doesn’t actually say that here. In fact, not only does HE NOT condemn the desire, He actually provides a mechanism by which the desire can be fulfilled. It’s as if He’s saying, “There is a form of greatness or firstness which you should pursue, and here’s how it works.”
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
I must choose to be last, because pushing for first comes naturally. In this statement, Jesus forces us to wrestle with how our desires and our choices are sometimes in alignment and sometimes at odds with one another.
Being “last” is all about relationships. Particularly, my relationship with others. If I want to be FIRST in my relationship with God, I must be LAST in my relationship with others.
Serving others is SANCTIFYING, not REDEEMING. God uses it to shape and form me, but it doesn’t save me.
A cross-shaped perspective means I live to respond to God’s grace by giving grace to others.
Pursuing greatness is not excluded here, but the process is counterintuitive and counter-cultural. I must learn to think of myself last. Seeing myself as a SERVANT will empower me to SERVE others.
Jesus said we must be the servants of all. We don’t get to pick and choose who we serve. God places us where He wants us, and our job is to serve everyone who is there.
Being last is the antithesis of SELFISH ambition. There is a kind of ambition that is good if it is ambition for the kingdom and ambition that doesn’t run others over. That would be ambition rightly directed and rightly expressed.
Being last means working hard for the success and primacy of others.
Be Great By Being Last
We all want to be great. We may not say it out loud, but it’s there. We want our lives to matter. We want to make an impact. The good news is that Jesus doesn’t shame that desire. He redirects it. According to Jesus, greatness doesn’t come from climbing higher—it comes from choosing lower.
Being “last” doesn’t mean being passive or invisible. It means trusting God enough to stop forcing outcomes. It starts with patience. When good things happen to others, choose celebration over bitterness. Rejoicing with others is one of the clearest signs that our hearts are free.
Next, resist the urge to fight, maneuver, or manipulate to get what you think you deserve. That kind of striving may work in the world, but it slowly hardens the soul. God doesn’t need our scheming to accomplish His purposes.
Third, pay attention to how God has uniquely gifted you. Those gifts aren’t just for your success; they are meant to meet real needs around you. When your abilities intersect with someone else’s need, pay attention—that’s often an invitation from God.
Finally, be ambitious—but aim your ambition in the right direction. Be ambitious to help others flourish. In God’s kingdom, the way up is down. And when we choose last place for the sake of others, we often discover that we’re right where God wanted us all along.
Click on the image to download the DiscipleQuest PDF
The DiscipleQuest PDF includes 7 days of verse study prompts. You can use these seven studies to dig deeper into the following verses about how our vertical relationship (with God) needs to be connected to our horizontal relationships (with others):
- Mark 12:29-31
- Matthew 5:23-24
- James 2:14-17
- Micah 6:8
- John 13:34-35
- Amos 5:21-24
- 1 John 4:20-21
Use these questions as journal prompts or as conversation starters with a group of friends or a Bible study group:
Where do you most feel the pull to be “first” right now — at work, at home, at church, or in relationships? What does that look like practically?
When you see good things happen to others before they happen to you, what emotions tend to surface first — joy, frustration, comparison, or something else?
In Gospel of Mark 9:35, Jesus connects being “first” with becoming “last” and a servant. How does Jesus redefine greatness compared to how our culture defines it?
Why do you think Jesus addresses desire (“if anyone wants to be first”) rather than behavior first? What does that reveal about discipleship?
One principle that leaks out from this passage is that our relationship with God cannot be separate from our relationship with others. What happens to faith when those two get disconnected?
Which statement challenges you more right now:
“Be patient when others succeed” or “Don’t maneuver to get what you want”? Why do you think that is?
How might selfish ambition quietly show up in spiritual or “good” activities (serving, leading, volunteering)?
What gifts or strengths has God given you that might be meant more for others’ flourishing than your own advancement?
What would it look like this week to intentionally choose “last place” in one relationship or setting? Be specific.
How could serving someone else more intentionally deepen your relationship with God rather than distract from it?
Lake Bible Notes 
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