The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.
The idea that the Son of Man would die wasn't part of what anyone imagined when they signed on as his disciples. They weren't really interested in fleshing out the details of this teaching because if the teacher and master and Lord was going to die what then of the students? It did not appear to bode well for them either. It is uncertain whether they were even still listening at the end of the sentence when Jesus said he would rise but in any event it did not seem to register with them that he wasn't describing a hopeless scenario or a permanent defeat.
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.
Could Jesus have explained the cross in a way that made it palatable to them? He could certainly have insisted on the necessity of such a measure as the most perfect way by which he could show his love for the world, by laying down his life for his friends (see John 15:13). He could have emphasized that it was not the end of hope and that the resurrection would more than compensate for a brief momentary affliction (see Second Corinthians 4:17). But the disciples were most likely not yet sufficiently mature to learn of the cross in greater depth. Instead they resorted to an argument about who was the greatest among them. This greatness they imagined for themselves was in stark contrast to the ignominy of the path Jesus said would be his. The disciples seemed to harden their hearts toward Jesus here and try to imagine how they could salvage something of value for themselves. Perhaps they didn't say it this way but they may have subconsciously been trying to determine which of them could replace the failed messiah after his death.
If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.
Jesus did not tell them to entirely destroy their desires for greatness. But if they listened to him those desires would be flipped on their head. Jesus was himself was truly and properly first and yet he chose to be the last of all and the servant of all. He did not use the prerogative of his place to insist on privilege. Rather he gave all of himself for the sake of the world. He, before asking it of others, received ones such as ourselves with no more to offer him than children. In turn he asked that we not count out and measure what others could do for us but to receive them solely on the basis of the fact that they were made in the image of the Father.
Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.
Jesus made our own ability to receive him contingent on our humility. The only way to receive all was to require nothing as payment, to insist on no terms, and to seek no reward but the beloved himself. This is why James so strongly insisted "that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God". He didn't want the love of the world to interfere with our receptivity to heavenly things. And for this reason James also recommended humility as the antidote.
Humble yourselves before the Lord
and he will exalt you.
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