Greatness as Defined by Jesus! 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.

It is interesting that right after Jesus predicts his death that James and John's mom comes to ask this particular favor of Jesus.  She does come in a very reverent fashion and James and John are with her.  You wonder what they are thinking at this point? 

"She “was a regular member of the disciple group who accompanied Jesus (Matthew 27:56), so her involvement in her sons’ ambitious ideas is hardly surprising.” (France)

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.”

Jesus returns her curious question with a question in return.  He asks her, "What is it you want?"  Jesus does this quite frequently.  And then quite boldly the woman answers that she wants her sons to sit at the seats of power on the right and left of Jesus in the kingdom of heaven. 

This request isn't entirely "out of the blue" because in Matthew 19:28 Jesus had said that those who gave up everthing to follow him would be on the ones who sat on thrones and rule with him.  

“The ‘right hand’ and ‘left hand’ suggest proximity to the King’s person and so a share in his prestige and power.” (Carson)

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.

Their mother was mistakenly seeing Jesus as a "conquering" Messiah, not a "suffering" one.  Therefore, Jesus reminds her of the nature of his messiahship. It would be one of suffering, not political victory.  When Jesus refers to the cup he is going to drink, it is the cup of suffering which is poured out on the cross on behalf of the whole world.  

The disciples naively say "we can", not really knowing the range and scope of what Jesus was about to do or ask of them. “But these men slept in Gethsemane, forsook the Master when He was arrested, and one of them at least failed Him at the cross…we can only follow Christ in his cup and baptism, after we have been endued with the Spirit of Pentecost.” (Meyer)

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.”

Jesus affirms that they will suffer as he did.  Some of them actually suffered death because of their testimony about Jesus.  Others didn't. Jesus then defers to His Father in terms of how the positions of authority would be decided upon in heaven. 

"He comes to do not his own will, but the will of him that sent him, and so he correctly says of rank in his kingdom, It is not mine to give. How thoroughly did our Lord take a lowly place for our sakes! In this laying aside of authority, he gives a silent rebuke to our self-seeking.” (Spurgeon)

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 

Of course when the others heard about this, they were naturally upset.  What made James and John so special? Why was their mother trying to persuade Jesus on behalf of her sons?  This probably wasn't the first time the disciples had jockeyed for preferential treatment from Jesus.  

“The indignation of the ten doubtless sprang less from humility than jealousy plus fear that they might lose out.” (Carson)

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. 

It was time for Jesus to clarify this matter of greatness in the kingdom.  The disciples were taking their cue from how the world on the nature of power and how to use it.  The key word here is "lord".  The word "lord" means a wrongful use of authority and is used here in a pejorative sense. 

26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 

Jesus gives a great defintion of greatness.  Greatness is closely related to servanthood.  Even Jesus humbled himself and "became a servant" even unto death on a cross.  Someone has once desbribed this process as "descending into greatness". 

27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 

Servant and slave have the same meaning here. They are synonyms.  The word is not used in our modern way of understanding slaves, where slaves were forced to give up their rights.  They were Christians who willingly "gave up" their rights to serve Christ and others.  

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.”

Again Jesus points to his own example.  This reminds us that Jesus never asks us to do something that he wasn't willing to do.  Jesus, the only Son of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be held on to, but emptied himself willingly and served us in the ultimate way of dying for our sins on the cross.  

How does the world's version of greatness differ from Jesus'? How does serving others in humility prevent us from being prideful?  Where do you think God is calling you to serve others as Jesus did?  In doing so you will be GREAT in God's eyes!