Luke 22:25
And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
The verse sets forth the order of the world's kingdoms, where kings exercise lordship and those in authority are called benefactors, making position a means of self-aggrandizement in which the people exist for the benefit of the rulers. It was spoken on the last evening with the disciples after the last supper, in answer to their heated strife over who should be accounted greatest. Against that Gentile pattern it establishes a different order for His followers, that they shall not be so, but the greatest must be as the younger and the chief as he that serves, even as He was among them as one that serves. He enforced it without a word by laying aside His garment and washing their feet, to rebuke selfish contention and give the rule of greatness as humble, loving, unselfish ministry. Therefore among His followers there is to be no contention for supremacy and no exercise of lordship of man over man, but love for one another as He loved them, which is preparation for heaven where there is no struggling to be first.
Setting and Gentile Rule
The words were spoken on the last evening spent with the disciples, after the last Passover supper held with the Lord, in the last hours before death when He offered Himself as a sacrifice for the world. They were spoken in answer to a heated strife over which of them should be accounted the greatest, with jealous and angry feelings toward one another. That contention was stirred by Satan with determined effort to arouse rivalry, and it marred that last evening and left them not ready to listen or to receive the blessing He wanted to give.
His care was for the struggle they would face when He would walk no more with them, and He had much to tell them to stay their hearts, yet even with the shadow of the cross before Him they still thought He was soon to be made king and each wanted the highest place. The strife was rooted in clinging to the idea of a temporal kingdom in Jerusalem despite repeated teaching to the contrary. That expectation had been revived by the entry into the city and the way He received its demonstrations, and the prospect of honor renewed their rivalry for rank.
The verse describes the Gentile way of ruling and the order of the kingdoms of the world, where kings exercise lordship and those exercising authority are called benefactors. There position means self-aggrandizement and the people are supposed to exist for the benefit of the ruling classes. In that worldly order influence, wealth, and education become means of gaining control of the masses for the leaders’ use, with the higher classes to think, decide, enjoy, and rule while the lower are to obey and serve. Even religion becomes a matter of authority where the people are expected to believe and practice as superiors direct and the right of man as man to think and act for himself is wholly unrecognized.
The disciples’ desire to be first and to have supremacy repeated that Gentile pattern of struggling for distinction, control, and praised status. Their error was seeking distinction and control instead of walking humbly with God. That spirit of envy and jealousy shows walking by power over others instead of walking humbly with God and proves Christ is not in the heart.
Servant Greatness and Application
Against that Gentile pattern a different order is commanded for followers: it shall not be so among them, but he that is greatest must be as the younger and he that is chief as he that serves, as Christ Himself was among them as he that serves. Without a word He laid aside His outer garment, took the place of a servant, and washed their feet as a last token of love to rebuke selfishness and heated contention. He washed the feet of all the disciples, including Judas, to open their eyes and fill them with shame and humiliation, an experience they would remember throughout their lives. The act gives the example and the rule of greatness: humble, loving, unselfish ministry rather than contending for place, honor, status, or power. It means counting others better than themselves, feeling obligation to one another, and washing one another's feet, for the servant is not greater than his lord and blessing comes only from doing as He did.
The verse warns those who are full of assurance and self-confidence that their course is right, teaching by presumptuous failure as in Peter's fall that strength lies not in what poor finite beings suppose they are able to do but in what Christ will do for them. It calls for strong persevering faith and entire trust in Christ as Leader rather than fixing the eyes on what those who know the truth attempt to do. Those who continue with Him in His temptations are appointed a kingdom as the Father appointed to Him, to eat and drink at His table and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Among followers there must be no contention as to who shall be greatest and no exercise of lordship of man over man after the manner of the Gentiles. No man is to interpose himself between the soul and the Redeemer, for bearing rule by finite men over fellow men is a method of working God will have nothing to do with. A decided change is therefore required and the voice of command must no longer be heard. Instead Jesus Himself is to be the instructor, and His words are to be taken directly from the Scriptures with gladness and faith. Those bought with the price of His precious blood and ransomed for eternal life are to cling to the Mighty One, be true to Him, refuse to be discouraged by men, and be of good courage in Him.
Leaders standing in positions of responsibility and trust must not be lords nor think they can rule as kings, but must be men of humility, discretion, and wisdom working in the fear of God. They must hate every vestige of selfishness and reject narrow-mindedness, never using position as liberty to speak impatiently or boastfully or to act in an overbearing manner by scolding, fretting, and acting like spoiled children. Such conduct dishonors Christ, trails His uplifted standard in the dust, imperils the progress of the cause, and sets a misleading example before all within their influence. Instead they are to give counsel that protects and strengthens the people and to set an example that may be safely followed, standing together in Christian fellowship rather than striving for supremacy.
The same rule means the thought of seeking to become greatest and love of dignity and position must not once be named among workers. The intelligent, God-fearing, truth-loving canvasser stands equal to the gospel minister, and neither may act from selfish motives or be unfaithful to missionary principles. Canvassing is honored as most precious ministry that ministers themselves can do, gaining varied experience while doing the very work Paul did. The field must be worked from a missionary standpoint by placing before the people the books that will give most light instead of selling only the cheapest and easiest books in order to earn more money for self. Christian physicians likewise must not contend over who is greatest but recognize one another as brethren working together in the vineyard. Followers must love the law of God and have the love of Jesus in the heart, loving one another as He loved them. That love is preparation for a heaven of peace and rest where there is no struggling to be first or to have supremacy but all love their neighbor as themselves.