Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Would become great (ov an qelh megav genesqai). Jesus does not condemn the desire to become great. It is a laudable ambition. There are "great ones" (megaloi) among Christians as among pagans, but they do not "lord it over" one another (katakurieuousin), a LXX word and very expressive, or "play the tyrant" (katecousiazousin), another suggestive word.
Your minister (umwn diakonov). This word may come from dia and koniv (dust), to raise a dust by one's hurry, and so to minister. It is a general word for servant and is used in a variety of ways including the technical sense of our "deacon" in Philippians 1:1. But it more frequently is applied to ministers of the Gospel (I Corinthians 3:5). The way to be "first" (prwtov), says Jesus, is to be your "servant" (doulov), "bond-servant" (verse Matthew 20:27). This is a complete reversal of popular opinion then and now.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Matthew 20:26:
Matthew 18:1
Matthew 23:12
Mark 9:37
Mark 10:39
John 2:5
1 Corinthians 3:5
2 Corinthians 3:6
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