32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
39 “We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 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.”
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said,“You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The disciples and Jesus are on the way up to Jerusalem. The early Christian community took the term "the way" to describe their movement. The disicples are in shock and fear at Jesus' resolute march to the center of Jewish religious practice. Is it because they believe what Jesus has told him about his coming death or because they know that there is a movement afoot to do harm to him there? They walk with the dread of knowing that nothing good (in their minds) can happen the way they are going and wondering why Jesus doesn't just go somewhere else.
Jesus tells the disciples for the third time about what will happen in Jerusalem. Each time he tells them, more detail is revealed. Now, it is revealed that the chief priests and teachers of the law who will take him and condemn him. The Gentiles will mock, spit on, flog and kill him.
Immediately following the stark description of what will happen, with nothing to buffer, James and John come to Jesus to ask him to do for them whatever they want. This should come as no real surprise because after each previous prediction disciples have stuck their foot in their mouth (Peter rebukes Jesus, the disciples discuss who will be greatest). They seem unable to understand the gravity of what is happening. They hold so strongly to the old definition of Messiah, that they are unable to see Jesus as anything other than the military leader who will conquer the Roman occupier and pass out the spoils of victory.
James and John misunderstand Jesus in much the same way as many modern people do. They view Jesus as a way to get what they want. They are more concerned about what Jesus can do for them than what they can do for Jesus. They are more interested in being served than in serving.
Like children, they cover their real question by asking for the less specific "whatever". Jesus will have none of it and asks them directly what they want. The reluctance of James and John may be like the disciple's previous ones where they have been reluctant to speak to Jesus about their true thoughts. They know that what they want is not a part of Jesus' mission, but it is what consumes them.
"Can one of us sit on your right and left in glory?", they ask. If Jesus had said yes, we can be sure it would have been a short time before James and John each came to Jesus privately and asked to be on the right!
Jesus asks what he intends to be rhetorical questions. "Can you drink the cup I am drinking?" "Can you be baptized with the baptism I am undergoing?" Jesus asks them if they are able to suffer with him.
Like the rich man in the previous story, the disciples answer in the affirmative. But rather than looking on the disciples with love, Jesus merely responds that they will get the cup and baptism they have asked for even though they don't have the slightest idea what it means. Jesus refuses to do what they have really asked him to do. He refuses to play the role of cosmic rabbit's foot. Jesus will not do "whatever they ask" anymore than Jesus will do whatever we ask. They need to learn that disciples do whatever God asks.
James and John misunderstand Jesus in much the same way as many modern people do. They view Jesus as a way to get what they want. They are more concerned about what Jesus can do for them than what they can do for Jesus. They are more interested in being served than in serving.
Like children, they cover their real question by asking for the less specific "whatever". Jesus will have none of it and asks them directly what they want. The reluctance of James and John may be like the disciple's previous ones where they have been reluctant to speak to Jesus about their true thoughts. They know that what they want is not a part of Jesus' mission, but it is what consumes them.
"Can one of us sit on your right and left in glory?", they ask. If Jesus had said yes, we can be sure it would have been a short time before James and John each came to Jesus privately and asked to be on the right!
Jesus asks what he intends to be rhetorical questions. "Can you drink the cup I am drinking?" "Can you be baptized with the baptism I am undergoing?" Jesus asks them if they are able to suffer with him.
Like the rich man in the previous story, the disciples answer in the affirmative. But rather than looking on the disciples with love, Jesus merely responds that they will get the cup and baptism they have asked for even though they don't have the slightest idea what it means. Jesus refuses to do what they have really asked him to do. He refuses to play the role of cosmic rabbit's foot. Jesus will not do "whatever they ask" anymore than Jesus will do whatever we ask. They need to learn that disciples do whatever God asks.
Jesus takes this opportunity to differentiate between the world's use of power and authority and authority and power in God's kingdom. Politicians use power to gain authority to exercise it over others to accomplish what they want. It is essentially the working of selfish people to shape the world to their desires. Jesus' disciples are to serve others and gain authority and power through their selflessness. And it is Jesus who models this by drinking the cup, receiving the baptism, and redeeming humanity by serving the world.
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