Gospel MK 10:35-45
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him,
“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?”
They answered him, “Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”
Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the cup that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
They said to him, “We can.”
Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?”
They answered him, “Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”
Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the cup that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
They said to him, “We can.”
Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Words
Jerusalem – Journey – James/John – Jump Ahead – Just – Juxtaposition
Discussion
This is another story from the disciples final trip to Jerusalem. Remember, this is the last trip the disciples made with Jesus. All along the way, Jesus was telling them that he was going to be killed and his death would be the sacrifice that would redeem humanity, but the disciples clearly didn’t get it. In their minds, they were going to Jerusalem and Jesus was going to be crowned king. That’s what the messiah is supposed to do, right? He will storm in like a hero and after he overthrows the Romans, will sit on a thrown to rule justly.
So with this in mind, James and John approach Jesus. Have you ever asked your parents if they would say yes to your next question, trying to trap them into letting you do something? This is what James and John do. It’s actually pretty childish. Then they ask if they can jump ahead of the other disciples, and sit at Jesus’ right and left hand in his kingdom. But it is understandable – we all like to jump ahead. My family just went to Disneyland and we got the Super Max Fast Pass. This allowed us to jump the line to the front, ahead of everyone who was waiting in line. It was great!
Has anyone waited in a long line? It was boring, wasn’t it? Imagine you could jump ahead to the front in everything in life. No waiting ever again! Sit in the front middle seat at your favorite concert! You would always get your food served first! No more lines of cars or traffic. It would be awesome…well – awesome to you at least. What about everyone you cut ahead of? James and John were really only thinking of themselves, not of everyone else. And their fellow disciples felt didn’t think it was right that Jesus might put them in positions of power when they didn’t earn it, so they got angry.
The disciples thought you should have to do the work to win. Study. Train. Exercise. Win people to Christ. It wasn’t fair for James and John to try and trap Jesus into giving them positions of power.
Have any of you ever had someone cut a line in front of you? How did it feel? Has anyone had someone beat them in something because they cheated? There are people who take drugs to cheat to be better at sports. Others put motors in bicycles to win at races. But nobody likes to feel like someone else got to the front of a line or won because they had an unfair advantage over them.
But this is where Jesus throws a curve ball. He says:
“Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
There is this great word – Juxtaposition. It means two things being placed together with contrasting effect. What Jesus tells his disciples is that it may look like James and John are asking for positions of power and that they are jumping ahead, the Christian life is not always what it appears.
Lets look at the verses line by line and see the juxtaposition.
To be first, be last.
To be powerful, serve.
To rule over all, be willing to die.
James and John are oddly asking to be the servant of all – and they don’t even recognize it. What Jesus is saying is that to be great in the kingdom of God, there is no escaping the fact that we have to do the work. Because that is what it really means to be a Christian.
Study well – so you can teach.
Train hard – so others can follow your lead
Serve others – so you can be an example to others
Jesus gives us an example of the Christian life, where the end goal is not greatness, leadership or salvation, but by our service to others, this is given to us by his grace.