Jesus called them to himself and said, “You know that the rulers lord it over the nations, and the great ones exercise authority over them.
In this saying, Jesus begins to explain the true nature of greatness in his kingdom. Against the backdrop of the anger that arose among the disciples, he calls them to himself, showing that the issue must be resolved not by argument, but by teaching. Jesus first gives an example from the political system of this world. In essence, he says that earthly authority is built on the principle of force, superiority, and subjugation. People are accustomed to thinking that the great one is the one who rules, commands, and subjects the weak to his will. Yet Jesus uses this example not to affirm it, but to set it in contrast. Next, he is about to show that the laws of his kingdom are radically different from those of the world.