And whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
And whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant:
And whoever has a desire to be first among you, let him take the lowest place:
And whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant,
and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant:
Your servant - Δουλος the lowest secular office, as deacon was the lowest ecclesiastical office: δουλος is often put for slave.
From these directions of our Lord, we may easily discern what sort of a spirit his ministers should be of.
1. A minister of Christ is not to consider himself a lord over Christ's flock.
2. He is not to conduct the concerns of the Church with an imperious spirit.
3. He is to reform the weak, after Christ's example, more by loving instruction than by reproof or censure.
4. He should consider that true apostolic greatness consists in serving the followers of Christ with all the powers and talents he possesses.
5. That he should be ready, if required, to give up his life unto death, to promote the salvation of men.