What Jesus Said About Men: Responsibility, Courage & Leadership (14 Teachings)

Do not dominate others as Gentile rulers do.

Read the Scripture Matthew 20:25–28; Mark 10:42–45; Luke 22:25–27

King James Version

Matthew 20:25–28

²⁵But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
²⁶But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
²⁷And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
²⁸Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:42–45

⁴²But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Luke 22:25–27

²⁵And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
²⁶But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
²⁷For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

The greatest should become the servant.

Read the Scripture Matthew 20:26–27; 23:11; Mark 10:43–44; Luke 22:26

King James Version

Matthew 20:26–27

²⁶But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
²⁷And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

Matthew 23:11

¹¹But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Mark 10:43–44

⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

Luke 22:26

²⁶But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

A man leaves father and mother and is joined to his wife.

Read the Scripture Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:7–8

King James Version

Matthew 19:5

⁵And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

Mark 10:7–8

⁷For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
⁸And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

Husband and wife become one flesh.

Read the Scripture Matthew 19:5–6; Mark 10:8

King James Version

Matthew 19:5–6

⁵And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
⁶Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Mark 10:8

⁸And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

Moses' divorce concession addressed hardness of heart and was not the creation ideal.

Read the Scripture Matthew 19:7–8; Mark 10:4–5

King James Version

Matthew 19:7–8

⁷They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
⁸He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

Mark 10:4–5

⁴And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
⁵And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.

Divorcing a spouse and marrying another can constitute adultery.

Read the Scripture Matthew 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11–12; Luke 16:18

King James Version

Matthew 5:32

³²But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Matthew 19:9

⁹And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Mark 10:11–12

¹¹And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
¹²And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

Luke 16:18

¹⁸Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

Greatness is measured by service rather than rank.

Read the Scripture Matthew 20:25–28; Mark 10:42–45; Luke 22:25–27

King James Version

Matthew 20:25–28

²⁵But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
²⁶But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
²⁷And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
²⁸Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:42–45

⁴²But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Luke 22:25–27

²⁵And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
²⁶But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
²⁷For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Whoever wants to be first should become servant of all.

Read the Scripture Matthew 20:26–27; Mark 9:35; 10:43–44

King James Version

Matthew 20:26–27

²⁶But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
²⁷And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

Mark 9:35

³⁵And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Mark 10:43–44

⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

The Son of Man models leadership by serving and giving his life.

Read the Scripture Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45

King James Version

Matthew 20:28

²⁸Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45

⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Leaders are brothers under one Teacher and one Father rather than a status caste.

Read the Scripture Matthew 23:8–10

King James Version

Matthew 23:8–10

⁸But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
⁹And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
¹⁰Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

Jesus entrusts his mother and beloved disciple to one another.

Read the Scripture John 19:26–27

King James Version

John 19:26–27

²⁶When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
²⁷Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

When his betrayer arrived, Jesus got up and went to meet him rather than hide.

Read the Scripture Matthew 26:46; Mark 14:42

King James Version

Matthew 26:46

⁴⁶Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

Mark 14:42

⁴²Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

Jesus is courageous before rulers and accusers.

Read the Scripture Matthew 26:57–68; John 18:19–38

King James Version

Matthew 26:57–68

⁵⁷And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
⁵⁸But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.
⁵⁹Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
⁶⁰But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,
⁶¹And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.
⁶²And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
⁶³But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
⁶⁴Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
⁶⁵Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
⁶⁶What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
⁶⁷Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,
⁶⁸Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

John 18:19–38

¹⁹The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
²⁰Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
²¹Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.
²²And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
²³Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?
²⁴Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.
²⁵And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
²⁶One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
²⁷Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
²⁸Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.
²⁹Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?
³⁰They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
³¹Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
³²That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
³³Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
³⁴Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
³⁵Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
³⁶Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
³⁷Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
³⁸Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

Jesus' leadership is self-giving service rather than domination.

Read the Scripture Matthew 20:25–28; Mark 10:42–45

King James Version

Matthew 20:25–28

²⁵But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
²⁶But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
²⁷And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
²⁸Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:42–45

⁴²But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

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What Jesus said about Men: Responsibility, Courage & Leadership

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How can Jesus help?

What Jesus said about Men: Responsibility, Courage & Leadership

A Guide for Real Life