Matthew 20:20-23 20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, kneeling and asking something from him. 21And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and one at your left hand in your kingdom.” 22Answering Jesus said, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
The story shifts from the low point of Jesus’ prediction of death to an appeal for position and power. The mother of James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, comes to Jesus with a bold wish. James and John were present for this request, but it appears that their mother was the leader and instigator of it, but they did nothing to stop her. We should give her credit for at least recognizing the power and authority of Jesus as the king of the kingdom he proclaimed. Her reverent posture of kneeling showed her high regard for Jesus. The right and left hands symbolized the highest places of honor next to a person in authority such as a king. She believed Jesus to be the coming king, the Messiah, but did not understand that this meant suffering and death. This story is a wake-up call that the cross is the path to resurrection and exaltation.
Like any mother hoping for the best for her children, she dreams that her two sons will rise to positions of honor in this new kingdom. She may not have been present to hear about Jesus’ prediction of death, or perhaps she did not understand it like other disciples. She appears to be a believer in Jesus and recognizes the special authority of Jesus. Her enthusiasm, however, is misguided towards selfish desires. She misunderstood what God’s kingdom was all about. Jesus makes it clear that there is no place for pride, power, and position in his kingdom.
When Jesus answered in verse 22, he addresses not only the mother but also John and James because the verb you do not know is plural. The whole family missed the message of the kingdom. Jesus first addresses the path to the cross using the image of a cup. He does not explain what this image means, but there is a further hint in 26:39. A cup can symbolize in the Bible suffering due to the wrath of God (Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17, 22; Jeremiah 25:15–16). James and John think they can handle this cup, after all, they were one of the select twelve apostles of Jesus.
Jesus affirms their ability and desire to drink his cup. They will follow the way of suffering for his sake. They will indeed bear their own crosses in the coming days and years. But the matter of exaltation was up to the Father. These places will be prepared by God. This story should cause us to consider deeply what motivates us to follow Jesus. Are we disciples for the glory and honor of people? Do we live in the humility shown by Jesus as he drank his own cup of suffering? Jesus will show in the coming chapters that there can be victory on the path to the cross.
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