My Walk Through the Book of Mark by Annette Godtland

Greatness Is Serving (Mark 10:35-45)

35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask."

36And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

37They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory."

38But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"

39They said to Him, "We are able."

So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40but 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."

41And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

What would my reaction be if someone came to me saying they want me to do for them whatever they ask? First I would be leery of what they might ask. Then I would most likely respond with "That depends, what do you want?" or "I have to first know what you want before I can tell you I will do what you want", or "I can't make any promises, but what do you want?" My response would be wrapped in conditions.

Note, Jesus did not hesitate, nor did he wrap his response in any kind of conditions. Jesus wants to hear our wishes. No question is too great to ask. It never hurts to state your requests, even if it seems to others that it would be a stupid request (is that why the ten were displeased with James and John?). Jesus will hear you without hesitation. Granted, like James and John, you might not get the answer you want, but Jesus definitely listened to their request and gave it His full attention and the best answer He could.

It is interesting that Jesus doesn't just say they must drink from the cup and be baptized as Him. Instead He asks them if they are able. Jesus doesn't make us do anything. We must decide for ourselves that we will do what we should. Until we are ready, God doesn't give us anything that we wouldn't be able to handle.

What is Jesus referring to when He talks about drinking the cup that He drinks and baptizing with the baptism that He is baptized? Is drinking from the cup referring to the last supper? Or is it more figurative as in sharing the same suffering and persecution that Jesus goes through? When John the Baptist baptized Jesus, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. Is Jesus referring to the day that they will receive the Holy Spirit?

Yes, James and John are willing and will do both of these things. Even so, Jesus won't say they will be able to sit on His right hand and His left hand. Those positions are already prepared for someone. It is wonderful to know that if I go to heaven I won't just get whatever space is still available after all these generations of people, but that God has a place prepared just for me.

When the others heard about it they were greatly displeased with James and John. Because of the way this is worded, it seems like Jesus' next statement was in reaction to the other's displeasure. I think Jesus is telling them there is nothing wrong with wanting to be great. But He is telling him what greatness is. To be at Jesus' right hand or left had would be a position of much greatness. But this great position is not for ruling over others. Rather it is for serving. Jesus is the greatest One we are to emulate. The more we can be like Him the better. And to do so, we must serve rather than be served, just as Jesus did.

It is just dawning on me now what Jesus really may have meant when He told James and John "You do not know what you ask". I originally thought He meant that they were asking for something so difficult for Jesus to do, as He said those positions are not His to give. Rather, now I think He meant they were asking for something that would be very difficult for James and John to do. Jesus didn't want to discourage James and John from their desire to be great. But He wanted them to know what they were really asking for. To become the greatest, they must become the greatest servants.