Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

 

 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify.  And the third day He will rise again."

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.  And He said to her, "What do you wish?"  She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one of Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom."  But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask.  Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"  They said to Him, "We are able."  So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father."  And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.  But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.  Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.  And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

 

- Matthew 20:17-28 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus told a parable of the kingdom of heaven:  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.  Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.  And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.'  So they went.  Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.  And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?'  They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.'  He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'  So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'  And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.  But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.  And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'  But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong.  Did you not agree with me for a denarius?  Take what is yours and go your way.  I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.  Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?  Or is your eye evil because I am good?'  So the last will be first, and the first last.  For many are called, but few chosen." 

 

  Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify.  And the third day He will rise again."  Now, the text notes for us, Jesus is going up to Jerusalem.  As He begins this final journey, He warns the disciples for the third time of His Passion to come.  My study Bible comments that Christ's repeated prediction of His Passion is meant to encourage and strengthen them for the terrifying events they will be facing.  Theophylact is cited here, who comments that it is as if Christ were saying to them, "Think on all these [words and miracles], so that when you see me hanging on the Cross, you will not imagine that I am suffering because I am powerless to do otherwise."

 

 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.  And He said to her, "What do you wish?"  She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one of Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom."  But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask.  Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"  They said to Him, "We are able."  So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father."   We've already been given to understand that there is concern among the disciples for the places they might expect in Christ's kingdom (see this reading).  At this stage it's likely they expect an earthly kingdom to be established by the Messiah, and so Christ gives them repeated warnings about what is to come at Jerusalem.  My study Bible comments that this quest for temporal power and glory is unfitting for a disciple, and it shows an earthly misunderstanding of the kingdom of God.  Here, we're told that it is the mother of Zebedee's sons who requests this honor (perhaps also letting us know that she is among the women from Galilee who travel with and support Christ's ministry).  But John's and James' own involvement in this desire is shown by a plural "you" in Christ's response in the Greek (verse 22), and in Mark 10:35.  We must note also that Christ calls His Crucifixion a cup and His death a baptism.  My study Bible comments that the Cross is a cup because He drank it willingly (Hebrews 12:2).  His death is baptism as He was completely immersed in it, yet it cleansed the world (Romans 6:3-6).  Christ's prophecy of John and James participating in the same cup and baptism shows the life of persecution and martyrdom they will lead after Pentecost.  Moreover, Christ declaring that the places of honor in the Kingdom are not His to give doesn't mean He lacks authority.  Instead, it indicates they aren't His to give arbitrarily.  They will be given to those for whom God has prepared them.  (See Wednesday's reading, in which Jesus tells them that "you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.")  With regard to sitting as equals on the right and left hand of Christ in His Kingdom, my study Bible cites St. John Chrysostom, who teaches that no one could possibly occupy such a position.  Regarding the highest places of honor given to human beings, the icons of the Orthodox Church universally depict the Virgin Mary (most blessed among women - Luke 1:28) and John the Baptist (greatest born of women - Matthew 11:11) holding these places. 

And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.  But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.  Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.  And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."   Let us keep in mind that Christ has just revealed to the disciples (for the third time) that He "will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify.  And the third day He will rise again."  So let us consider in that light how out of place this request is in light of such revelation.  My study Bible comments that Jesus corrects the disciples by first comparing them to the power-hungry Gentiles, whom they themselves considered an abomination, and contrasts them to Himself.  He serves us, although He is Lord of all.   For many is an Aramaic expression which means "for all." 

 

 As noted above, the popular expectations of the people were that a Messiah would be an earthly deliverer, one who would throw off Roman rule and re-establish the kingdom of David and the fortunes of Israel.  With that understanding, we might assume that it is quite likely that the request by the mother of Zebedee's sons (the disciples John and James) comes in expectation of such a worldly kingdom, and hope that these important places will be given to them.  As my study Bible notes, Jesus' response using the plural "you" indicates that it's not just their mother who's making this request!  So we contrast this request with the very somber note in Jesus' warning, informing the disciples -- for the third time -- that He will suffer and be killed.  We can be fairly certain that this information is nearly impossible for the disciples to fathom, and likely they are unable to take it in and truly understand.  What they make of His words that "the third day He will rise again" we also don't know, and likely they have no idea.  Mark's Gospel tells us not only that they did not understand, but they were also afraid to ask Him (Mark 9:30-32).  Jesus more or less tells them so when He says in response to the Zebedees' request, "You do not know what you ask."  In this light, Jesus' preparation of the disciples for the eventuality of the Church must include teachings on humility, on the capacity for service.  There is so much that they will have to learn to separate from themselves in order to truly become the Church of the gospel message.   He teaches that James and John not only must understand His own mission, but be prepared to follow Him.  He asks them, "Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" and promises them that indeed they will.  He contrasts the Gentiles, who worship the pagan gods of power and acquisition, with Himself, who, although He is the Son, has come to serve all.   Even those places at His right and left hand are not His to give, but will go to the ones for whom the Father has prepared them.  Power and authority, for Jesus the Son of God, are vested in grace and service and self-emptying, and this is the great secret to the Kingdom and the Church which seeks to bear that Kingdom into the world.  It's a lesson that is too frequently forgotten, but is indispensable and invaluable -- the one precious thing we truly need.  James and John will go on to fulfill Christ's prediction about their future lives.  James will be the first martyr among the disciples, and John will go on to a long life lived in persecution and exile, leaving the Church His Gospel and three Epistles characterized by love, and the Revelation which gives the ultimate promise of the Bridegroom and the New Jerusalem for all.  But let us understand once more for ourselves, and think about the great seeming paradox (to us) of God's power and authority, which is qualified by grace, mercy, self-emptying, and service.  For we also are to go and do likewise, and follow Him.  This Advent, we would do well to consider how our own lives might benefit and follow this pattern.   For often, strange as it may seem to worldly eyes, it is in the giving up and serving Christ that we find who we really are, and what truly belongs to us.