The word that Jesus now speaks must have sounded strange in this situation of fright and expectation. The twelve (and not only they) are willing to stand at the front and be the first in this circle. From this desire arose also the discussions on the way. Jesus, however, turns this around: there indeed is a place of honour with Jesus, but it consists of occupying the lowest place of service, where one has no one beneath himself but is the last one of all (emphatically repeated) because he serves and helps all.1
35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”