Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” “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?” “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, 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.” –Mark 10:35-40 (NIV)
The above passage is part of the story of “The Request of James and John.”
What do we learn about James and John from this story?
- James and John want Jesus to do whatever THEY have in mind for their lives.
- They want a place of honor, prestige, and power sitting next to Jesus in glory.
How often are we just like James and John, wanting Jesus to do what WE have in mind for our lives?
How often do we let honor, prestige, and power take over in our lives instead of being a servant?
How does Jesus respond to their request?
- He says they don’t grasp what they are asking. Great suffering is part of being in a position of glory in the Kingdom of God.
- Jesus then responds that James and John will share in the cup Jesus drinks from, in the sense that because of Jesus’ suffering and death for their salvation. It is a form of “baptism.”
- Jesus is not the One to decide who sits at His right and left.
- God, the Father, who has all authority on earth and in heaven, has already decided who will have the places of honor on Jesus’ right and left.
How often do we want to be in positions of glory in the Kingdom of God?
How often are we willing to suffer to share in the cup of Jesus?
Photo courtesy of Sharon Tate Soberon under Creative Commons License (CC BY-ND 2.0)
When reading the above Mark passage, I never reflected on who the “those for whom they have been prepared” were.
Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. –Luke 23:32-33 (ESV)
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” –Luke 23:39-43 (ESV)
Photo courtesy of Lluís Ribes Mateu under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Who were the two people God had planned to be crucified at Jesus’ right and left?
God chose two criminals; two criminals who were justly condemned!
We see that one thief, often known as the “bad” thief, thinks Jesus is the Savior of the world and wants Him to save Himself and the thieves if it is true. His faith is limited by IF Jesus comes down from the cross alive and does the same for them.
The other thief, often known as the “good” thief, rebukes the “bad” thief. He realizes that Jesus, who has done no wrong, is being put to death, whereas the two thieves have done wrong and deserve death. The “good” thief puts his faith and trust in Jesus, asking for salvation. Jesus grants his request.
What could God be teaching us with thinking about this?
~Aren’t we just like those criminals? We are also justly condemned until we come to repentance.
~The kingdom of heaven is not for the elite; it is for those who repent and accept Jesus as their Savior.
~There are no works we can do to earn our salvation; it is God’s free gift to us.
~We should not be concerned with worldly honor and power; it is about serving others with a humble heart.
We can place ourselves at the right or left of Jesus at His crucifixion since we, too, are sinners. Are you like the “good” or the “bad” thief?
May you be encouraged this week to take time to reflect on the goodness of God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness He extends to us all.
Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. –Isaiah 55:7 (NIV)