Mark 10:35-45
35 James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to Jesus, saying to Him, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.”
36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
37 They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.”
38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.
40 But to sit on My right or on My left is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
41 Hearing this, the other ten began to feel indignant with James and John.
42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them; and their people in high position exercise authority over them.
43 But it is not this way among you; rather, whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant;
44 and whoever wants to be first among you shall 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’ Wish
James and John
After Jesus predicted His suffering for the third time, the self-centered nature of the disciples becomes apparent in contrast to the image of Jesus. The two sons of Zebedee are James and John. Despite being bewildered by Jesus’ words, which they did not understand, they were convinced that the kingdom of God would manifest upon their arrival in Jerusalem. So, they approached Jesus, disregarding other disciples, and asked to be seated at His right and left in the glory of the kingdom. According to Matthew 20:17-28, their mother Salome also joined in making this request. Salome is the sister of Jesus’ mother, Mary. They seemingly attempted to leverage their family ties to approach Jesus. Jesus’ response was as follows: (1) James and John did not understand what they were asking for. (2) Jesus expressed the suffering of the cross as “the cup that I drink” and “the baptism with which I am baptized.” He asked if they could partake in them. (3) They responded, “We are able.” (4) As a matter of fact, both James and Joh too would go through suffering. James became the first martyr among the disciples (Acts 12:2). On the other hand, John, in his later years, was exiled to the island of Patmos for the sake of his faith. (5) The honor in the kingdom of God is in the hands of the Father.
The ten disciples
The other ten disciples who thought they were outwitted began to feel indignant. At this point, all of Jesus’ disciples were still influenced by secular values such as ambition and pride. Therefore, Jesus taught them what it truly means to be His disciples. “Whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant; and whoever wants to be first among you shall be slave of all.” Jesus defined His purpose as “to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Those who desire to be disciples of Jesus must learn from His example as the Lord and Savior. Let’s reflect on ourselves whether we are seeking to be served or to serve others. Let’s start first by receiving God’s love today so that we could become vessels of love. God loves you and wishes to use you.
Today's prayer
Father God of Jesus Christ. Please free me from secular values and transform me into someone esteemed in the kingdom of God. Teach me the true path of discipleship. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.