A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
"You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
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Verse twenty-four begins with the capitalized Greek word “Egeneto.” As a normal, lower-case presentation, this word typically translates as “happened” or “came into being.” When the capitalization is read as a divinely elevated meaning is the intent of the capitalization, then a more befitting translation is “Was born,” where this is a Spiritual presence that overcame the newly formed “apostles.” With Jesus having just forced each of his disciples-apostles to feel inner guilts from each having not fully surrendered their souls to Jesus, leading them to beg Yahweh for forgiveness, this means that forgiveness was awarded their soul in a new birth Spiritually. This then led the apostles to individually feel this new presence and begin to boast about their newborn elation.
The whole of verse twenty-four literally translates as this: “Born now kai competitiveness within themselves , this who of themselves is of the opinion exists greatest .” Here, it is important to see how this is a parallel to what Luke wrote in his ninth chapter, after Jesus forewarned his disciples of his coming death, from having been “betrayed into the hands of men.” At that time was also “Born” a spirit within them, but that was “reasoned thought,” as to who was the “greatest.” Then, they were “Born” intellectually, trying to determine who of them would be the strongest and most able to defend Jesus from “the hands of men.” The difference “now” is their “Birth” is Spiritual; so, the disciples were each feeling a power within their beings, which they had never experienced before. They all felt capable; so, they tried to best one another in how they felt spiritually, as a newborn instrument of Yahweh. They were bragging about having no fear; so, they would be able to thwart any betrayal and handing over of Jesus “into the hands of men.”
Because each disciple-apostle was expressing his “opinion” about who “exists greatest,” none of “their souls” (“themselves”) were interconnected; so, none knew they all were experiencing the greatness of Yahweh’s Spirit, equally. This led Jesus to again speak to them like a father would know the thoughts of his children, and take them in his lap to teach them what he knew – from the wisdom of experience – about their newborn Spiritual elation. Thus, in verse twenty-five the literal translation says this: “this now he said to themselves , This kings of this heathens they rule over themselves , kai those wielding power over themselves , doers of good they are named .” In this, Jesus first pointed out the sense of being all-powerful that leads one human to rise to the top, becoming the greatest of the many below. When the Roman emperor is included in this use of “kings of the Gentiles,” they call their greatness coming from their gods. This importantly puts fear in the hearts of lesser human beings, so a man in a body of flesh is revered as a god, given the greatest power a man can have; and, that power controls the masses. Because they call themselves gods, they are seen as the worldly incarnation of the “benefactors” of the gods, as “doers of good,” as the gods would will. Thus, Jesus explained to his disciples-apostles that they were feeling the same inner sense of Spiritual power, in the same way heathens did.
In verse twenty-six, Jesus then continued, stating literally: “yourselves now not in this manner . on the other hand , this greatest within yourselves , it is born like as this new ; kai this leading , as long as this serving .” Here, Jesus followed his having compared their “competitiveness” to “heathen kings” and their subjects by saying what they were feeling was not like that. Instead, it was quite the opposite, as within each disciple-apostle had been “born” a Spirit, which was an extension of Yahweh – the true “greatest” – with none capable of being greater. This “rebirth” was “like” being “born” completely “anew.” What was meek and humble now felt strong and exertive. However, Jesus made the important statement be known to them that this inner greatness was “leading” them in their “competitiveness;” but that would only last “as long as this” “greatest” Spirit was “served.” No one would become a king over anyone else, as all had Yahweh as their King within; and, that demanded absolute servitude to His Will.
Verse twenty-seven then has Jesus ask two rhetorical questions, before answering. That literally says, “who indeed greater , this reclining or this serving ? not this reclining ? I now within in the midst of yourselves exist , as long as this serving .” In this, the aspect of “reclining” during the Seder meal is a symbolic statement, designed to have a child ask its father, “Why is it we sit for a meal the rest of the year, but recline during the Seder?” The father then responds that only the rulers of the world (like the ruling elite of Rome) recline on pillows when they dine. This means their act of “reclining” is pretentiousness for becoming free, no longer ruled by others. They all have Yahweh as their King within them; so, they recline when they eat the ceremonious meal that honors that freedom. That history says those “reclining” were actually “this serving” Yahweh. Jesus was the ‘father’ of this Seder meal, so he was the one “serving” Yahweh by “leading” the children of Yahweh. That made the soul-spirit of Jesus enter the children, becoming “within, in their midst, where their souls existed.” That presence ‘within” would last, “as long as” the disciples-apostles followed that lead and “served” Yahweh, like Jesus.
This then led Jesus to add, as literally translated in verse twenty-eight: “Yourselves now exist those having continued in company with myself within these testings of myself .” Here, the capitalization of “Hymeis” takes the plural form of “you” and divinely elevates it to mean the souls (“self” = “soul”) of the disciples-apostles. Jesus was telling them that they “now exist” (where “este” is the plural form of “eimi,” meaning “am, exist”) as extensions of Jesus’ soul. When Jesus said each must “pick up his cross and follow me,” the use of “diamemenēkotes” (“having remained, continued”) must be read as a statement of that process of “following” having begun. Each of the souls of the disciples-apostles would experience the “trials” of Jesus’ flesh, as if it were personally experienced by their own souls. They could not remain detached, as bystanders, because they had to know the full extend of what a servant’s commitment to Yahweh had to endure.
Verse twenty-nine then has Jesus add more, with that literally translated as saying, “kagō appoint to yourselves , just as appointed to myself this Father of myself , sovereignty ,” The first word of this verse is “kagō,” which is a contraction of the word “kai” and “ego,” as “kai egó,” stating the importance of “I.” In this, the “I” is hidden importance, which must be seen not as Jesus being “I,” but Yahweh [“I Am”]. Jesus is the Prince, not the King; so, all authority of “appointment” must come from the top. That means Jesus was saying Yahweh, as “this Father of Jesus’ soul,” was “appointing” the disciples-apostles to be where His Spirit would be placed, just as it is likewise in Jesus. The use of “yourselves” and “myself” has to be realized as statements about “souls,” which is the truth of a “self.” When Jesus says the disciples-apostles would be “appointed to my soul [by] this Father,” that says each would thereby be His “Sons,” just as is Jesus. That “sovereignty” is then the ”Anointment” of Yahweh, which made all there be “Christs” [Judas excluded].
With that understood, verse thirty then has Jesus saying (literally translated), “in order that yourselves might consume kai yourselves might drink on the basis of this table of myself within this sovereignty of myself , kai you might dwell upon thrones, these twelve tribes judging of this Israel.” Here, Jesus has returned to the focus of fifteen and sixteen, where Jesus had said he had “Eagerly” awaited the “consuming” and “drinking” that would be shared together. Now, Jesus is saying the disciples-apostles will be able to understand the purpose behind the symbolic Seder meal is themselves becoming the body and blood of the sacrificial lamb, who will then continue to pass that spiritual commitment to Yahweh on to others, just as Jesus had passed it on to them. The “kingdom” or “sovereignty” that fills one’s soul is that of the Spirit of Yahweh, which brings on the soul of His Son. The importance of this realization is each “sits upon thrones,” because each soul has become one with Yahweh – the King. Thus, the “twelve” disciples-apostles would become the head of each’s own “tribe” or “clan” of followers, who could come each Passover to their “table” and be “consumed” and “drunk” spiritually by others. This then becomes the truth of the name “Israel” – “Who Retains Yahweh as one of His elohim.”
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