“And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. But while everyone was marveling at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples, ‘Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.’ But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement.
An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest.”
Luke 9:43-46
It is an amazing testimony to the tenacity of indwelling sin, that not even a front row seat before the radiance of the glory of Christ can eradicate our pride and arrogance. We need to see the glory of Christ, but we need to see His glory in and through the cross in order to put sin to death.
Shortly after witnessing the transfiguration of Christ, James and John started to get cocky. Their close association with the one who would be enthroned as king went to their heads. But Jesus knew better what awaited Him in Jerusalem. His kingdom would not be established through worldly triumph, but rather through the cross. The glory of the cross was not the kind of glory the disciples were anticipating as they boldly approached Jerusalem.
Jesus tried to warn them. He exhorted them to let His words sink into their ears – “The son of man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they were so certain that greatness was at hand that they could not, would not, understand what Jesus was talking about. They tasted power and authority. James and John’s behavior revealed their expectation that they would be among this king’s deputies. And they were already jockeying for position among the twelve, for surely Jesus would set an order of authority. If they were to secure a high position they need to start acting like the leaders they intended to become.
So they started policing the crowds with their authority. When someone tried to cast out demons apart from their authorization – they put a stop to it. When a Samaritan village refused to receive the King – they were ready to call fire down upon it.
James and John were among the inner circle of the inner circle. They had been chosen to follow the most amazing man in history. And though they never observed even a hint of arrogance exemplified in their master, and though had just recently seen Him shinning in His glory, nevertheless they became arrogant.
In the midst of their arrogance Jesus warned them that what they expected in Jerusalem was not going to happen – rather something they were not able to understand awaited them. Had they understood, their attitudes would not have been so completely inconsistent with their appointed positions. But they could not see it. Arrogance is like that – it blinds. It even blinds us to the glory of the cross. If we fall into the trap of thinking highly of ourselves, we fail to understand how the crucifixion is good news. If we arrogantly perceive ourselves as something great we cannot calculate how God could be glorified by going to the cross.
Arrogance blinds us to the glory of the cross, but the cross is the cure for blinding arrogance.
After Jesus died and rose again – after the cross – the disciples were changed. The boasting manifest on the road to Jerusalem ceased. In view of the cross there can be no boasting in one’s position. The cross crushes all vain anticipation of worldly power – and replaces it with eternal hopes and joyful satisfaction in the redeemer of souls. It is impossible to see the cross, to truly see it, and remain arrogant. The gospel of the cross smashes pride and replaces it with God-honoring, Christ-exulting, fellow-man-loving humility.
The process through which the disciples’ arrogance was killed and replaced with humility was indeed a painful one. Christ endured the pains of the cross – but the disciples suffered too. Those days leading up to the crucifixion and the days He was in the ground were dream-shattering, gut-wrenching, terrifying days. Unfortunately, pride and arrogance is rarely broken without similarly traumatic events. But God is wonderfully faithful to bring such events into our lives. I rejoice that he will not leave me in my pride. I might walk, for a season, as on a triumphal road to Jerusalem. Jesus patiently puts up with me along the road even as He reminds me of pride’s dangers.
Yet warnings often don’t have enough weight to break my pride, only a view of the cross can effectively overcome arrogance and replace it with humility. When the dark night of the soul arrives the foolishness of boasting becomes evident. And gloriously – at the same time that pride is crushed the eyes are opened to the glory of the cross. The gospel light shines into the heart with power. Yes, sin is painfully exposed – but through repentance the eyes of the heart are opened to the glory of God in the face of Christ. We see His perfection, His holiness, His righteousness, and His wisdom, and it delights the soul. God’s mercy exposes pride, and His beauty bestows humility.
Lord Jesus, thank you for your faithful wounds that heal. Thank you that the power of the cross – the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings is the road to seeing your glory. Keep my feet on your path. Grant me grace to walk straight. And with each step – whether smooth or rocky – let my eyes see your face before me. Amen.
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