Why Did Jesus Come?Sýnishorn

He Came to Serve the Helpless

Many people consider Mark 10:45 to be the most theologically-packed, thematically-rich verse in the entire Gospel of Mark. Jesus, who often referred to himself as the Son of Man, tells us in no uncertain terms why he came:

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

This statement is shocking, particularly when you consider that Jesus was (and is) God in the flesh. Two of Jesus’ disciples, James and John, had just asked him to give them a position of power and authority in his kingdom. In response, Jesus pointed out that while earthly rulers typically expect to be applauded and catered to, he had a different agenda (Mark 10:35–45). Jesus came to serve the helpless. Here are five different aspects of this amazing truth.

1. Jesus came to suffer. Have you ever known anyone who came to the world to suffer? Yet Jesus told his disciples on multiple occasions of his impending suffering (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:32–34). He came to suffer and die.

2. Jesus came to save. Jesus’ suffering had a purpose. He came to give his life as a “ransom,” which is a payment made to release someone from slavery. Jesus frees us from our slavery to sin, to ourselves, and to death.

3. Jesus came to be our substitute. The suffering of Jesus saves us because he suffered in our place. That’s what it means to be a substitute. When Mark says that Christ died “for many” (10:45), that word “for” carries the idea of “instead of” or “in place of.” Jesus died instead of, or in the place of, sinners like us.

4. Jesus came to show us how to live. Jesus showed his disciples how to live in sacrificial service to others. We are not to live like worldly rulers but rather as servants. While Jesus suffered to provide salvation, his followers suffer to bear witness to that salvation.

5. Jesus came to serve us. Jesus’ sacrifice certainly compels us to serve him and others, but our service doesn’t mean that Jesus is in need. We are. Jesus came to serve and help us because we are sinful and weak.

The why behind Jesus’ coming is utterly amazing: he did not come as some potentate whose personal whims were to be catered to by lowly servants. He came to be the lowly servant (Philippians 2:5–8).