December 12, 2022 – Monday
Why Jesus Came – 3
Mark 10:45 NIV
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:45 GNT
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served; he came to serve and to give his life to redeem many people.
Comment
Almost every version of this verse will read like the NIV above whether you go here or here. Some versions (about six) have a slightly different ending as with the Good News Translation (GNT) to give his life to redeem many people. I have a friend who uses ‘redeemed man’ as part of his email address, it could just as easily have been ‘ransomedman’ as they have an almost identical meaning in the verse.
There are a few versions that miss what both the NIV and the GNT give us. One is the New Living Translation (NLT) where it has, For the Son of Man did not come to be cared for. He came to care for others. He came to give His life so that many could be bought by His blood and be made free from sin. While I have no animus for the NLT, it misses the point with its concluding phrase, when it says many could be bought by His blood and then adds be made free from sin. Jesus did not come to purchase us, instead he came to pay the penalty for our sin so that we would not have to pay the penalty. We have all sinned against God and all of us deserve the verdict and punishment of eternity in Hell. Jesus suffered when He had no sin in His life, none, so that we could avoid the suffering. He paid our ransom thus redeeming us.
Hopefully, those who turn to Jesus and accept the grace He has offered by paying the price for sins, all of us, all of our sins. A hoped for or expected consequence of this is that we would be freed from the chains of sin, that sin would lose its hold on us. When He came to serve, it was planned from the beginning that He would pay the price for the sins of the world, He would become the Passover Lamb for the world offering redemption for all who would accept His gift of Grace.
It is interesting how Jesus came to share this. Starting in v35 two of His disciples, James and John sons of Zebedee, came to Him asking to be honored by having the seats in heaven to His left and right. Jesus let them know He was not the one who would assign those seats. Of course, when the other disciples heard this, they were angry with James and John. That is when Jesus said, 42 You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Bottom Line: When we serve others, it is for their benefit, not for ours. That is the example Jesus gave us.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to pay our debts so that we might accept the free gift of Grace and live a different kind of life here while waiting to join Your heavenly family. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Calvary Chapel of Dayton
in Beavercreek