Mark 10:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

NIV: But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

NASB: But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.'

CSB: But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

NLT: But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. '

KJV: But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

NKJV: But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Jesus tries to drive this idea into the disciples' minds several times, in several different ways (Mark 8:34–35; 9:35; 10:42–45), but this may be the only occasion where the disciples are compared favorably. The rich young man would have been seen as first in the earthly world, with his wealth, and first in the ancient religious world with his history of following the law. Yet he is last in the kingdom of God. This is partially because he refuses to surrender his worldly blessings for the kingdom. It's also because he refuses to rely on God's grace instead of his own efforts. The disciples, who give up everything, will rule with Jesus (Matthew 19:28), although not as soon as they think.

The next two sections show how difficult Jesus finds it to change the disciples' worldview. First, He will prophesy His death for the third time. In this case, Jesus specifically mentions He will be mocked, spit on, and flogged. In the very next story, James and John will ask Jesus for positions of great power and influence in His kingdom (Mark 10:35–45). Jesus denies their request, saying it is not for Him to decide. Jesus then reiterates that His followers are not those merely willing to face the same hardships He will face. Many will actually, literally face them, as in the case of James and John. James was killed by the sword at the order of Herod (Acts 12:1–2). Church tradition says that John was placed in a burning vat of oil and survived, then was exiled to the island of Patmos.

When Peter mentions that the disciples have left everything to follow Jesus, Jesus affirms the sacrifice even while He reminds the Twelve what is expected of them. Despite the rich young man's difficulty prioritizing God over his possessions, he seems to have understood Jesus' teaching in Mark 9:37. The man knows how to use his position of power to take care of people (Mark 10:19–20). The Twelve, on the other hand, are devoted to "a" messiah, but they seem to imagine this messiah as one who will give them worldly authority not unlike that which the rich young man already has. The suffering of the true Messiah, Jesus, and His mission to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) is not exactly what they expected. The disciples' god isn't money, it's power and influence. Ironically, God will give them their wishes (Acts 2), but by then they will know how to submit themselves and God's blessings back to God for the sake of the gospel.

Mark 10:17–31 begins as Jesus is trying to teach the disciples that God's kingdom values the powerless (Mark 9:36–37), the faithful (Mark 9:38–41), women (Mark 10:1–12), and children (Mark 10:13–16). The disciples, perhaps, are distracted by the many people who want to arrest or kill Jesus (John 7:32–52; 8:58–59; 10:22–39; 11:45–54; Luke 13:31). A wealthy young man asks Jesus about eternal life—and gets an unexpected answer in return. His response to Jesus' answer shows that his interest in God is limited by one thing: his money. Through all of history, wealth has been assumed to suggest the favor of God. But Jesus reveals that those whom God blesses often value the gifts more than the Giver. This story is also in Matthew 19:16–30 and Luke 18:18–30.

In this passage, Jesus again confronts the Pharisees by clarifying God's views on marriage and divorce. He reminds the disciples not to dismiss the spiritual perspective of children. This chapter also records Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler, who becomes an object lesson in why wealth makes it hard for people to rely on God. After this, Jesus deftly sets aside an arrogant request from James and John, and again predicts His impending death. Just prior to the triumphal entry of chapter 11, Jesus is sought out by Bartimaeus, whom He heals of blindness.

In between chapters 9 and 10, Jesus resumes His public teaching as He travels to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (Luke 9:57—18:14; John 7—10). We meet Him here across the Jordan in Perea and follow as He makes His way west again to Jericho. This chapter surrounds a third prophecy of Jesus' death (Mark 10:32–34) with lessons on His value for those others often dismiss: women (Mark 10:1–12), the powerless (Mark 10:13–16), those who value God more than the world (Mark 10:17–31), servant-hearted leaders (Mark 10:35–45), and those with bold faith (Mark 10:46–52). Next is the triumphal entry and the beginning of Passion Week.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.