Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Mark 9:35

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

If you are in love with precedence and the highest honor, pursue the things in last place, pursue being the least valued of all, pursue being the lowliest of all, pursue being the smallest of all, pursue placing yourselves behind others.

The Gospel Of St Matthew, Homily 58 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

But the Lord, although He does not forbid the aspiration toward greater honor (for He commands us to desire the higher degrees), nevertheless does not permit us to seize primacy from others; on the contrary, He wants us to attain exaltation through humility.

Commentary on Mark ↗

Western Saints

Bede

And sitting down, he called the twelve and said to them, "If anyone wants to be first among you, he will be the last of all and the servant of all." And taking a child, he set him in the midst of them. And embracing him, he said to them, "Whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me. …

On the Gospel of Mark ↗