But not so with you. But one who is the greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves.
Parallel Translations
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But not so with you. But one who is the greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves.
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But ye shall not be so. But he that is greatest amonge you shalbe as the yongest: and he that is chefe shalbe as the minister.
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But yee shall not be so: but let the greatest among you be as the least: and the chiefest as he that serueth.
Cross-references (8)
Passages linked to Luke 22:26 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Mark 9:35 He sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.”
- 1 Peter 5:3 not as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock.
- Matthew 18:3-5 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,
- Matthew 23:8-12 But don’t you be called ‘Rabbi,’ for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers. Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
- Luke 9:48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great.”
- 3 John 1:9-10 I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn’t accept what we say. Therefore if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words. Not content with this, neither does he himself receive the brothers, and those who would, he forbids and throws out of the assembly.
- Romans 12:2 Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (10 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 26 But ye shall not be so: but he…
26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
Ver. 26. See Mat 20:25; Mar 10:42.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain For whether is greater,.... Christ appeals to themselves, and…
For whether is greater,.... Christ appeals to themselves, and puts a case that is plain and obvious to any one, who is the greater, and more honourable person;
he that sitteth at meat; that sits, or lies down at table, and another waits on him:
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or he that serveth? that stands behind, observes orders, and ministers to those that sit down:
is not he that sitteth at meat? you, and every one must own, that he is the greatest, and most honourable person:
but I am among you as he that serveth; Christ took upon him the form of a servant, and instead of being ministered unto, ministered to others; and had very lately, but two days before, gird himself, and took a basin and a towel, and washed and wiped the feet of his disciples: now our Lord, by his own example throughout the whole of his conduct among them, as well as by such a single action, would dissuade from their ambitious views of superiority over each other, and learn of him who was meek and lowly, and by love serve one another.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain But ye are to be benefactors to mankind, not…
But ye are to be benefactors to mankind, not by governing, but by serving.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 26. Let him be as the younger] Dr.…
Verse 26. Let him be as the younger] Dr. Lightfoot justly conjectures that Peter was the eldest of all the disciples; and he supposes that the strife was kindled between him and the sons of Zebedee, James and John. These three disciples were those whom Christ had distinguished by peculiar marks of his favour; and therefore it is natural to conclude that the strife lay between these three, the two brothers and Peter. Shall we or Peter be at the head? Neither, says our Lord. Let him, Peter, who is chief (ο μειζων, the eldest) among you, be as, John, ο νεωτερος, the younger. The younger part of the disciples do not appear to have taken any part in this contention; and our Lord shows Peter, and the sons of Zebedee, that they must be as unambitious as the younger in order to be acknowledged as his disciples. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that Peter was the mover of this strife, and therefore our Lord rebukes him by name.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain But ye shall not be so - Christ here…
But ye shall not be so - Christ here takes occasion to explain the nature of his kingdom. He assures them that it is established on different principles from those of the world; that his subjects were not to expect titles, and power, and offices of pomp in his kingdom. He that would be most advanced in “his” kingdom would be he that was most humble; and in order to show them this, he took a towel and girded himself after the manner of a servant, and washed their feet, to show them what ought to be their feelings toward each other. See Joh 13:4-17.
He that sitteth at meat - The master of the feast, or one of his guests.
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But I am among you ... - This was said in connection with his washing their feet. He “showed” them how they ought to feel and act toward each other. “They” ought, therefore, not to aim at office and power, but to be humble, and serve and aid one another.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain But ye . . . not--Of how little avail…
But ye . . . not--Of how little avail has this condemnation of "lordship" and vain titles been against the vanity of Christian ecclesiastics?
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 26. Shall not be so—The spirit to be lords…
26. Shall not be so—The spirit to be lords over God’s heritage, and not servants, shall not reign in your hearts. This does not condemn a true ecclesiastical order; but it does condemn all ecclesiastical ambition, and all aspiration after selfish power.
Chief… doth verse—All office should be service. Every man should abdicate and disuse every authority over another which is not for the best good.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 26. let him be] Rather, let him become,—let him…
26. let him be] Rather, let him become,—let him shew himself to be in reality.
the younger] who in Eastern families often fulfils menial duties. Act_5:6.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (26) He that is greatest among you, let him…
(26) He that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger.—The latter word naturally carried with it, as in the old monastic rule, juniores ad labores, the idea of service. In Act_5:6, “the young men” appear as a distinct body in the society of disciples, with functions like those of the later deacons or sextons; and the same sense is, perhaps, traceable in 1Ti_5:1; Tit_2:6; 1Pe_5:5.
He that is chief.—Here again the Greek word came to have a half-technical sense as equivalent, or nearly so, to bishop or presbyter. So in Heb_13:7; Heb_13:17; Heb_13:24, where it is rendered “they that have the rule over you.”
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He that doth serve.—The verb is the same as that from which the word “deacon” is derived, and, with Mat_23:11, Mar_10:43, probably suggested the ecclesiastical use of the word. It is noticeable that the first recorded example of that use is in the salutation to “the bishops and deacons” of Philippi (Php_1:1), the Church which more than any other was under St. Luke’s influence. The “seven” of Act_6:3; Act_6:5, of whom we commonly speak as the first deacons, are never so named in the New Testament.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
Jesus continues teaching his apostles.
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it must not be like this with you
"you should not act like that"
the youngest
Older people were respected in that culture. The leaders were usually older people and were called "elders." The youngest person would be the least likely to lead, and the least important. AT: "the least important" (See: Metaphor)
the one who serves
"a servant"
For
This connects Jesus' commands in verse 26 with the whole of verse 27. It means that the most important person should serve because Jesus is a servant.
For who is greater ... serves?
"For who is more important ... serves?" Jesus uses this question to begin to explain to the apostles who is truly great. AT: "I want you to think about who is greater ... serves." (See: Rhetorical Question)
the one who sits at the table
"the one who is dining"
Is it not the one who sits at the table?
Jesus uses another question to teach the disciples. AT: "Of course the one who sits at the table is more important than the servant!" (See: Rhetorical Question)
Yet I am among you as one who serves
"But I am with you to be a servant" or "But I am with you to show you how a servant acts." The word "yet" is here because there is a contrast between what people would expect Jesus to be like and what he really was like.
translationWords
servant
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.