A PLACE OF HONOR IN HIS KINGDOM!

A PLACE OF HONOR IN HIS KINGDOM!

Matt 20:20-28

20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.

21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.

22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of 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 shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.

25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

          The bombastic and headstrong “sons of thunder” asked Mommy to speak to Jesus about a place of honor in the kingdom. The popularity of Jesus was swelling and it surely seemed that Jesus would soon drive out the Romans and sit upon His throne in Jerusalem. Zebedee’s boys had followed this unusual leader for about three years and now the time would come to cash in on their sacrifice and dedication.

          Jesus, ever tender in the face of ignorance, asked the mother what she wanted. She wanted the number two and number three positions for her boys. The comments from Adam Clarke’s Commentary are helpful and I will include it here.

That the sons of Zebedee wished for ecclesiastical rather than secular honours, may be thought probable, from the allusion that is made here to the supreme dignities in the great Sanhedrin. The prince of the Sanhedrin (HA-NASI) sat in the midst of two rows of senators or elders; on his right hand sat the person termed AB (the father of the Sanhedrin;) and on his left hand the CHACHAM, or sage. These persons transacted all business in the absence of the president. The authority of this council was at some periods very great, and extended to a multitude of matters both ecclesiastical and civil. These appear to have been the honours which James and John sought.

          Since the boys were applying for an important job, Jesus asked them if they might be qualified to be seated in such important positions. Just a couple of questions were asked but these too were misunderstood. [1] Can you drink of my cup? The cup was a cup of toil and suffering. Too casually they eagerly replied in the affirmative. [2] Are you willing to submit to my baptism which includes ignominious death? Once again the eager answer was yes.

          Jesus answered that they would indeed drink of His cup. James was slain with the sword by Herod (Acts 12:2) Tradition says John was boiled in oil but miraculously survived to be banished to the island of Patmos where he wrote the Revelation. These things could not have been included in the hopes of Zebedee’s wife and children.

          We misunderstand the nature of much of what we ask God for. If He does not grant our request we pout and think Him to be unkind. If He grants our request, and suffering is included, we think Him to be cruel. It is always best to leave the path of our lives to Him.

Job 23:10

10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Dear Lord, I often ask you for things I do not fully understand. Thank you for giving me only your best. Help me to trust you more. AMEN