Biblical Foundation of Servant Leadership: An Inner-Textural Analysis of Mark 10:41-45

Abstract

Servant leadership is a holistic style of leadership where the leader engages with followers in a relational, ethical, emotional, and spiritual manner. The leader empowers the followers and allows them to grow into what they can become. The leader develops the followers because of his or her altruistic and ethical orientation. The aim of the study was to understand the biblical foundation of servant leadership by analyzing Mark 10:41-45. Through the study of the text, it is reported that Jesus urged his disciples to be servants and to provide for the needs and well-being of their followers. The Gospel of Mark was set in a time when the Jews were under tremendous political and social upheaval. Like any people in the same predicaments, they began to yearn for a strong, political leader to save them from the tyranny of the Roman Empire, and the scripture had foretold of his coming. Instead, Jesus, a humble leader, came as a servant and a shepherd for all. The disciples did not understand the Messianic mission of Jesus. Mark used James and John to show how the struggle for earthly power is dominant in the world. In contrast, Jesus rejected the type of leadership because it is toxic. He rebuked the Pharisees and the Scribes for having seated themselves on the throne of Moses but failed to care for their people