A Mother's Request - Matthew 20:20-28
A Mother’s Request
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 21 “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” 22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”"We can,” they answered. 23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Reflection: After telling the disciples about the resurrection, the first thing the disciples start thinking about is their place in heaven. Just as they supposed that Jesus was going to be a political Messiah who would put Israel back in power, now they suppose in heaven they would have the privilege of sitting at the right hand and left hand of Jesus. These were the places of power in that culture.
To this request Jesus says, "Whoa wait a minute guys. Do you know what I am about to do to accomplish this glorification. Do you know the cup of suffering that has been prepared for me? Are you ready to bear your own cross of suffering?" The obvious answer to these questions is no. The disciples still were stuck in a worldly notion of what kingdom looked like. Despite all Jesus had done and taught, they still thought that power meant privilege and lording it over others. Which was natural for them to think that way, because that is all they had ever known, except in the person Jesus, the Son of God.
So the question is are we any different than the disciples? At first we might say, "I can't believe those dummies!" But upon further review isn't our first inclination to think what is in it for me? Even in our discipleship we think of what rewards there might be for being such a good disciple. This is typified by when something bad happens to us we wonder how can God let this happen to me after all these things I have and am doing for Him? While we are to never seek out suffering, our trials are inevitable as followers of Christ.
This is why the apostle James said in chapter 1 of his letter written to the church around the turn of the first century that was suffering, "Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters when you face many kinds of trials for through them your faith will be mature and complete and lacking in nothing." James 1:2
1 Peter 4 says something similar when he says,"Don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are facing as if something strange were happening to you?" You see both James and Peter learned the truth in this passage and so will we as we follow Christ not only in the joy of abundant life, but as we face the fiery trial. Jesus is with us In both, and they both are preparing for us an eternal glory that will far outweigh them all.
Jesus thank you for the life you give us and even as we face the cup of suffering, we are growing to be more like you who suffered and died for us that we might have eternal life. Amen.
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 21 “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” 22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”"We can,” they answered. 23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Reflection: After telling the disciples about the resurrection, the first thing the disciples start thinking about is their place in heaven. Just as they supposed that Jesus was going to be a political Messiah who would put Israel back in power, now they suppose in heaven they would have the privilege of sitting at the right hand and left hand of Jesus. These were the places of power in that culture.
To this request Jesus says, "Whoa wait a minute guys. Do you know what I am about to do to accomplish this glorification. Do you know the cup of suffering that has been prepared for me? Are you ready to bear your own cross of suffering?" The obvious answer to these questions is no. The disciples still were stuck in a worldly notion of what kingdom looked like. Despite all Jesus had done and taught, they still thought that power meant privilege and lording it over others. Which was natural for them to think that way, because that is all they had ever known, except in the person Jesus, the Son of God.
So the question is are we any different than the disciples? At first we might say, "I can't believe those dummies!" But upon further review isn't our first inclination to think what is in it for me? Even in our discipleship we think of what rewards there might be for being such a good disciple. This is typified by when something bad happens to us we wonder how can God let this happen to me after all these things I have and am doing for Him? While we are to never seek out suffering, our trials are inevitable as followers of Christ.
This is why the apostle James said in chapter 1 of his letter written to the church around the turn of the first century that was suffering, "Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters when you face many kinds of trials for through them your faith will be mature and complete and lacking in nothing." James 1:2
1 Peter 4 says something similar when he says,"Don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are facing as if something strange were happening to you?" You see both James and Peter learned the truth in this passage and so will we as we follow Christ not only in the joy of abundant life, but as we face the fiery trial. Jesus is with us In both, and they both are preparing for us an eternal glory that will far outweigh them all.
Jesus thank you for the life you give us and even as we face the cup of suffering, we are growing to be more like you who suffered and died for us that we might have eternal life. Amen.
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