2. The greatness of Christ's folloicers. — Christ has less to say about His own greatness than about that of His followers. For there is a great- ness that belongs to His Kingdom, and this He covets for each one of them. So exalted is it that it surpasses the highest conception of greatness hitlierto received (Mt 11" = Lk7=«). But thisgreat- ness of the Kingdom differs essentially from that in which the world delights. The world has con- fused greatness itself with certain caricatures of it known as 'fame' and 'power.' The teaching of Jesus draws clear lines of distinction.
(a) Greatness is not fame. Men's fame consists in what others say about them ; Christians' great- ness consists in what they themselves are. Of tlie former consideration Christ bids His followers to be exultinwly independent (Mt 5"-'-, note the strong word ayaWiaadc). Indeed, to share in their Lord's greatness will involve not praise but per- secution (Jn 15™). But upon the second considera- tion, that is to say, upon their character, their claim to greatness wholly depends. And the char- acter demanded includes, not the assertive quali- ties of notoriety, but the milder attributes of child- like humility (Mk 9", Mt \»-*, Lk 9«), and obedi- ence to the Divine law (Mt 5"— a passage which has an important bearing on the relationship of the new dispensation to the old).
(6) Greatness is not power. This, It is true, is the current conception of it. In the world's view, to lie great is to oe able to exact from others as
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much as is possible of respect and service. The more servants a man lias at his disposal, the wider the sphere in which he can command obedience, the greater he is held to be (Mk 10*' ||). Such was also the disciples' conception. Two of them were ambitious of sitting the one on Christ's right hand and the other on His left in His Kingdom ; the others were jealous, because they coveted these seats of authority for themselves (Mk 10'=f- = Mt 20-""'-). In striking contrast with this view Jesus places His own pronouncement on greatness. According to His teaching as well as His example (see above), to be great is not to exact, but to give, as much service as possible. A man's greatness is measured less by the service he commands than by the service he renders (Mk lO^-^ ||). In a glorious paradox the highest in the Kingdom is he who assumes the lowest place (Mt 23", Jn 13"''*, and, for the supreme example, Ph 2^'").
The practical importance of such teaching can scarcely be over-emphasized. Until the time of the Incarnation the position of a servant was the lowest of all ; but when the Son of God appeared. He, in St. Paul's words, ' took the form of a servant ' {fiopiprii' dovXov, Ph 2'), and from that day the whole status of honourable service, in what- ever capacity, has been consecrated an<l raised. The position it occupies is no longer menial ; it is the most exalted of all. The servant's life, indeed, may be a life of greatness, inasmuch as Christ has placed the very essence of greatness no longer in power to command, but in willingness to minister. The very title which our Lord uses of Himself in appealing to His own example (Mk 10^'' i[), suggests that the nearer a man's life approaches to tiie ideal of humanity, the more completely will he realize his greatness in the service of others.
The exact significance of the title ' Son of Man ' (wh. see) has been much discussed. To the present \\Titerthe truest explana- tion appears to, be that which makes it jioint to CIn-ist as the
also the perfect rt't>ri>s.-iil:itiMii <,r niiuikiiMl, 'IIh n' wm-^ nnlliin;r
ing that belonixs to it. 11.^ \\:is. if wf in.i> ^o .-xi.ilss ii. the perfect specimen of wliaL man was inti^iided to be. It will be seen that, if this view is correct, the applicatioti of the title made above is justifiable.
One more saying of Jesus must be included in our study. To His followers, as we have shown, greatness does not mean power in any i-arthly sense. And yet the very men who refuse to exert such power shall be possessed by a power superior to all earthly might — the power of the Father's protection {in 10=" — according to the probable reading). H. Bissekee.
GRECIANS, GREEKS.— i. Distinction of thk Words.— 1. Greek.— The name "EW-ni', derived from a small tribe living in Thessaly, was ex- tended to include all of Greek race, whetlier natives of Greece or of the Greek islands or colonies. This is the use in classical Greek, and it also appears in the NT, e.g. Ac 18" (TR), 'All the Greeks took Sosthenes,' etc. ; Ro 1" (the Greek division of mankind into Greeks and non- Greeks or Barbarians) ; perhaps also 1 Co l--- ^ (Schleusner). This meaning was widened by the Jews to include all non-Jews who lived as the Greeks, using their language and manners. Where 'EWi/t'es are opposed to Jews, the primary reference is to a ditl'erence of religious worsliip (Grimii!).
So in LXX of Is 9'" where "EW-nra ajijieai-s for 'Philistines'; cf. also 2 Mac 4'"' .-iii'l li'. Tims the Jews divided mankind into .I.'ws .iihl (.'ici'ks,