8. But with those things the Savior spoke [in response] to the request of the mother of John and James or of the sons of Zebedee themselves, after hearing (it says) the Ten became angry concerning the two brothers as they were requesting to be honored above the rest. One might observe also that Judas was among those who got angry (and Mark also recorded this ^[193]). Now if he is included, along with the other nine, with those who got angry, then perhaps the devil had not yet cast “into” his “heart,” “in order that he might betray” our Lord “himself” ^[194], but Judas was still one of the apostles by his own free will. But having said many things concerning him in the lines above,^[34] let us not involve ourselves again in a demonstration of the fact that Judas was [in possession of] of free will of some sort and, along with the rest, he fell into the snare of the evil one ^[195], being a lover of money and betraying the Savior.

But Jesus called to them and said: “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, etc., up to, and to give his soul a ransom on behalf of many” ^[196]. Mark has also recorded things that are of equivalent force to this. We have observed that, just as with many other passages, whether with healings or with sayings, Matthew and Mark maintain the [same] order of the things recorded, the situation is the same here. For following the text from “as Jesus was about to ascend to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve aside in private,” up to, “Immediately he sent them out” ^[197], Mark has also preserved all these things in order, from “They were ascending in the way to Jerusalem,” up to, “Immediately he will send it back here again” ^[198]. Should you set the Gospels alongside one another in terms of these passages and compare them you would find what we have said [is the case]. Luke also, however, has in part recorded something similar, placing before them “And strife occurred among them, as to which of them <might b>e the greatest” ^[199]. For he adds in this place, “And he said to them, ‘The kings of the nations rule them, and those having authority over them are called benefactors. But it will not be the same with you” ^[200][37], etc. We have recounted these things, therefore, so that it does not escape our notice that Matthew, Mark, and Luke in part, have all been careful to record things of equivalent force in this passage. But now we must inquire as to the meaning of the things said.

It was said previously that James and John were claiming the first places alongside Jesus, and they requested to receive to sit on his right and on the left in his kingdom (or their mother was asking this concerning them), and we read that because of them, inasmuch as they were claiming the first places alongside Jesus, the remaining “Ten became angry” ^[201], supposing^[38] James and John were wanting to snatch away the close proximity to Jesus in terms of glory, as though they were superior to the remaining ten. And with the things previously said as was suitable Jesus summons either the ten who have become angry, or [the ten] along with the remaining two, and he teaches the way according to which someone might be great and first with respect to God. Such is what is recorded that, on the one hand, the rulers of the nations (or “those who seem to rule” them ^[202]), not being content to rule those who are subjected [to them], lord it over them as they desire to control them in a more violent way. The situation is similar with those who, as according to status in this life, are great among the nations, in that they are not satisfied by having authority over their subjects, but vaunting themselves against^[39] them they are domineering over them. But among you who are my acquaintances, let these things not be, neither let those who have been entrusted with a certain rule over those who believe on me, nor those who have been deemed to have an authority in the Church of my God and Father, lord it over their own brothers, nor let them be domineering over those who have fled to the divine piety through me. But if in fact someone desires to be judged great by my Father and as having a preeminence by comparison to his own brothers, let him serve all those over whom he desires to be greatest. And if indeed someone yearns for the first [places] with me, let him understand that no one will be first who does not perform the service that is available to him in modesty and with a praiseworthy humility, nor who serves to benefit one who is able to profit [him] rather than to give rest to those who are being served. Luke includes in the passage “kings” and “those who have authority over nations” ^[203], dissuading the one who desires to be greatest among the brothers from imitating the authority characteristic of royalty or the desire for flattery of those who have authority, <while> teaching us that he who would truly be “greatest” among us must become “as the youngest” (that is, as a child) for the sake of simplicity and equality, and the one “who leads (thus I think he names the one who is called bishop in the churches) [must become] as the one” who serves those who are subordinate ^[204].

Now, the Word of God teaches us these things, but, whether it is because we do not understand the intention of Jesus’ teaching in these passages, or because we despise precepts so great as these from the Savior, we ourselves act at times with an arrogance exceeding those who rule wickedly among the nations and [we] all but seek body-guards [for ourselves] as the kings [do], and when we present ourselves as fearsome and inaccessible especially to the poor, we act toward those who worthily petition us for certain things in a way that not even tyrants and cruel ones of those who rule [act] towards [their] suppliants. This is in fact something one sees among many so-deemed churches, and especially in the [churches] of great cities. Those who lead the people of God permit no one <to have> free discourse <with themselves>, sometimes even to the most excellent of Jesus’ disciples *** who are with them.^[40] The Apostle gives a command to lords concerning their house slaves, saying, “Lords, provide what is just and fair to [your] slaves, knowing that you too have a Lord in heaven” ^[205], and he teaches masters to forego threatening against their house slaves ^[206]. We have seen certain <bishops> cruelly threatening, whether on the pretext of sin, or whether because they despise the poor, in direct contradiction to the apostolic word in which it is said, “They gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, in order that we [might go] to the nations, and they to the circumcision; only that we might remember the poor” ^[207]. [These bishops] in turn neither understand [their] equality with those who are subordinate nor have a conception that freedom from arrogance and equality are fitting especially for Christians engaged in public affairs, and especially among those who bear a certain eminence with an ecclesiastical title. For it is written, “To such degree as you are great, humble yourself to that same degree, and you will find favor before the Lord” ^[208]. We should also observe what is said in Proverbs in this vein: “Before crushing, the heart of a man is exalted; but before glory, it is humble” ^[209]. But to prevent someone from succumbing to <vain-glorious> thinking or from saying what he “who desired to justify himself” ^[210] said to Jesus who was teaching that “You should love your neighbor as yourself” ^[211], which man was not ashamed to say to the Savior, “And who is my neighbor?” ^[212], one must also read what Paul says, “While able to be a burden as apostles of Christ, we were gentle^[41] in your midst, as though a nurse caring for her own children” ^[213]. One should also imitate, “Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted?” ^[214].

So, then, let the rulers of the nations lord it over them, but let [the rulers] of the Church serve her. And let the great ones of the nations domineer over them, but let [the great ones] of the believers listen to [the passage], “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” ^[215]. Let us also be instructed to not accept flattery nor to let men cajole [us] with pleasantries, to those whom we might seem as “benefactors” ^[216] because of certain good things we have done.^[42] Nor do we say these things in some unintelligent fashion, [as we] desire to humble ourselves “under the mighty hand of God” ^[217] and according to his word under the ecclesiastical ministry. But there is a time when it is necessary (in accordance with the apostolic voice) to reprove “in the presence of all those who are sinning,” “so that the rest may have fear” ^[218]. There is also a time when one must make use of authority “to hand over” someone “to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, in order that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” ^[219]. Rarely must this be done, for one must admonish “the unruly” and one must comfort “the faint-hearted” and one must help “the weak” and one must be slow to anger “with all” and one must “repay” no one “evil for evil” ^[220]. And one should not consider the one who is sinning an enemy, but one must listen to the apostle who says, “Do not consider [him] as an enemy, but admonish [him] as a brother” ^[221]. I have said all these things in the desire to demonstrate according to the word that the ruler of the Church must not imitate the ruler of the nations, nor emulate those kings who lord it over and are domineering over [their people], but as much as one is able one must imitate Christ in these matters, who was most agreeable and held converse with women and laid hands on children. And even if there is a more significant meaning to the account where Jesus poured “water into a basin” and purified “the feet of the disciples” ^[222], it is no less important that we listen, on the literal level, to him who said concerning these things, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you speak rightly, for I am” ^[223], etc., for through these things he teaches the disciples to become imitators of his praiseworthy humility. But perhaps also, since it was the Lord who served on behalf of men for the salvation of our race, it is said in this regard that he assumed “the form of a slave” and humbled himself becoming “obedient unto death” ^[224]. And since it was for this reason that “God highly exalted him,” let him who desires to be exalted in similar fashion do the same as what [Jesus] did to be highly exalted.

For indeed the Son of Man <did not come to be served, but to serve; since> even if he was served, when “angels came to [him] and served him” ^[225] and again when he was served by Martha ^[226], yet to be served was not the reason for which he came; for he was visiting the race of men, in order that, in serving for our salvation, he might serve and might travel so far as to give his own soul a ransom on behalf of many who believe upon him. Now if the hypothesis [were true that] all would believe upon him, he would have given his soul a ransom on behalf of all. So to whom did he give his soul a ransom on behalf of many? Certainly not to God, so would it not then be to the evil one? ^For he had control over us, until the soul of Jesus was given to him as a ransom for our sakes, he who was deceived <quite clearly and imagined> hat he would be able to lord it over [Jesus’ soul] and did not see that torture would not suffice to constrain it. Wherefore indeed “his death” which seemed to have mastered [him] “no longer masters [him]” ^[227] after he <alone> became “free among the dead” ^[228] and [became] mightier than the authority of death. And [he became] stronger to such a degree such that he is able to set free all those who desire to follow him from being controlled by death, death no longer has any strength with regard to them. For everyone <who is> with Jesus is unassailable by death.^^[43] Among the discourses of the gospel that we are examining it is written that our Savior gave his own soul a ransom on behalf of many. But according to Peter it is said that “we were ransomed from our futile manner of life received from our ancestors, not by corruptible things, by silver and gold, but by precious blood” ^[229]. The apostle also says, “You were bought with a price; do not be slaves of men” ^[230]. We were bought, therefore, with the precious blood of Christ, on the one hand, but on the other hand, the soul of the Son of God was given a ransom for our sakes,^[44] and neither his spirit (for he first entrusted it to his Father, saying, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit” ^[231]) nor his body (for we do not find any passage where this is written about it) [are involved]. And since his soul was given as a ransom on behalf of many, but it did not remain with that one to whom it was given as a ransom on behalf of many, for this reason it says in the 15th Psalm, “You will not abandon my soul in hades” ^[232].

In regard to this subject I would simply make mention of those who, by an illusion of right belief concerning Christ, confuse the things concerning the Firstborn of all creation with those things pertaining to the soul and body of Jesus, and perhaps also of his spirit, and who think that what was visible and visited [this] life was one uncomposite being. But they do not speak what is sound. For we might inquire of them whether [it was] the divinity of the image “of the invisible God” and the supremacy of the Firstborn “of all creation,” whether he in whom “all things in heaven and on earth were created, either visible or invisible, whether thrones or lordships, whether rulers or powers” ^[233], that was given as a ransom on behalf of many; and to what enemy who was holding us as captives was He given as a ransom until [this enemy] might receive the ransom, and whether and to what extent he was capable of receiving such a great ransom on behalf of many. Now I do not say these things as though despising the soul of Jesus and minimizing it, but rather wanting to [note] that, according to what is customary for a ransom, this [soul] was given by the Savior of all, and that [Jesus’] supremacy and divinity were not able to be given as a ransom. However today I do not disconnect Jesus from the Christ, but I know that Jesus the Christ and his soul are one to such a great degree in relationship to the Firstborn “of all creation,” indeed along with his body, that [these together comprise] one complete reality (if one may speak in such a way) in a way more [complete] than even “he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit [with him]” ^[234].^[45]