Mar 9:35 If any man desire to be first, [the same] shall be last of all...
Mar 9:35 If any man desire to be first, [the same] shall be last of all, and servant of all.
The continued theme of Christ's words in this chapter is the boundary between the physical and the spiritual. In that context, the verse indicates that the comparisons that we make in the physical world are reversed in the spiritual. By putting others first and serving them, we put ourselves last in this world, but in the spiritual dimension, this is turned around, giving us the most reward in the end.
The temporal world is just what happens in the short-term. The spiritual side of this equation works itself out over more time but not necessarily in death. Even within a lifetime, people who are selfish are punished as people turn away from them while those who are selfless get rewarded by winning the love of others. The difference is that, in this world, we cannot count on that happening because people are imperfect.
This lesson also concerns perspective. If we put others first from our perspective, we rise in terms of their point of view. If we favor them, they are more likely to favor us in return. Every business becomes successful by first serving its customers.
In this chapter so far, this idea has already been demonstrated in several ways.
As seen in the transfiguration that began the chapter, what is dead in this world (Moses and Elijah) lives in the spiritual world. In that transformation, what is shadowed and dirty in this world is shining and white in the spiritual. The intangible dumb and deaf spirit becomes tangible by decreasing our physical presence though fasting and prayer in this world.
Christ offers related ideas in other verses I've looked at thus far. In Matt 23:11, he says that "the greatest of all is the servant of others." In this earlier verse, the concept of "first" is expresses are "the greater," which makes it clear that he is talking about a general comparison of character rather than a true ordering. In Matt 19:30, he says that "the first shall be last" using the same vocabulary as here, using superlative adjectives not nouns.
"Desire" is from thelô (thelo), which means "to be willing," "to wish," "to ordain," "to decree," "to be resolved to a purpose" and "to desire."
"First" is from prôtos (protos). In place, this means "the foremost." Of time, it means "the initial." In order, it means "the first." In math, it means the prime numbers. Of rank or degree, it means "the highest" or "the best." This was the word used to mean "the first" in the parable of the landowner hiring workers.
"Last" is from eschatos (eschatos). In space, this means "furthest." In degree, it means "uttermost" and "highest." In persons, it means "lowest" and "meanest." Of time, it means "last" and "ending."
"All" is from pas (pas), which means "all," "the whole," "every," "anyone," "all kinds," and "anything."
"Servant" is from diakonos (diakonos), which is translated in an earlier verse as "minister," means "servant," "messenger," and "attendant." This is the source for our word "deacon." As a verb, it is from diakoneô, which "to act as a servant," "to minister," and "to perform services." To me, this means that there are two groups of servant: a larger group that took the message to the guest and a special, smaller group that takes the bad guest outside.
