July 25, 2005
Drink this Cup Mt 20:20-28
The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Can you drink the chalice I am going to drink? It is so human to wish to be honored but not want to make a sacrifice. A position of honor in heaven is not for Jesus to give, but has already been set aside by God the Father. James and John will indeed drink the cup but they are not promised a specific place in heaven. The sons of thunder will give for others but there reward is not a special honor or place higher than the other disciples as their mother requests. God grants our rewards and judgements.
Many wish to be served but not want to serve others. Jesus teaches that those who wish to be great must be the servant and slave of others, that the Son of Man came to serve and to give his life for others.
The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Can you drink the chalice I am going to drink? It is so human to wish to be honored but not want to make a sacrifice. A position of honor in heaven is not for Jesus to give, but has already been set aside by God the Father. James and John will indeed drink the cup but they are not promised a specific place in heaven. The sons of thunder will give for others but there reward is not a special honor or place higher than the other disciples as their mother requests. God grants our rewards and judgements.
Many wish to be served but not want to serve others. Jesus teaches that those who wish to be great must be the servant and slave of others, that the Son of Man came to serve and to give his life for others.
posted by Joan Morris at 5:35 AM
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