Luke 22:25

25 Jesus said to them, "The kings of the nations hold power over their people. And those who order them around call themselves Protectors.

Luke 22:25 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 22:25

And he said unto them
The disciples; that is, Jesus said to them, as the Syriac and Persic versions express: the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them;
by which our Lord would dissuade his disciples from seeking to introduce a superiority over one another, since this was the practice of the Heathens, of the men of the world, of ignorant Gentiles; whereas Christ's kingdom was a spiritual kingdom, and not of this world, and therefore, not to be managed in such a way. And they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors;
either by themselves, or by their court flatterers, to cover their ambition, tyranny, and cruelty. Two of the King's of Egypt were called by the name Euergetes ^F16; the word that is here used, and translated "benefactors"; and it was commonly given to other kings, princes, and men in power: so Cyrus was called by the Armenians; Antigonus by the Greeks; and Phylacus among the Persians: the same name was given to Mithridates king of Pontus, to Titus Aelius Hadrianus, to Menander, to Marcus Aurelius Severus, and to Cato Uticensis, and others ^F17.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Alex. ab. Alexandro Genial. Dier. l. 1. c. 2.
F17 Vid. Cuper. Inscript. & Marmora. p. 283, 284.

Luke 22:25 In-Context

23 The apostles began to ask each other about this. They wondered which one of them would do it.

24 They also started to argue. They disagreed about which of them was thought to be the most important person.

25 Jesus said to them, "The kings of the nations hold power over their people. And those who order them around call themselves Protectors.

26 But you must not be like that. Instead, the most important among you should be like the youngest. The one who rules should be like the one who serves.

27 "Who is more important? Is it the one at the table, or the one who serves? Isn't it the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.