“Back in the day” there was a custom that the king would protect and give benefit to anyone who was allowed to drink from the king’s cup. No wonder the mother of James and John wanted to them drink from Jesus’ cup!
Then, our Lord explains that this might not exactly what the disciples are expecting (Matthew 20:22). To drink from Jesus’ cup does not assure one of privilege; it means that one will be given the role of servant (even stronger, as slave) (Matthew 20:26-27). To drink from Jesus’ cup is not to make oneself “number one”; it is to work for victory for others (v. 28).
In this second week in Lent, from our perspective we can begin to see the shadow of a cross. Those early disciples did not have the benefit of knowing “how the story ended.” They were “testing the waters” to see what following Jesus would mean for them.
In reality, that is not so different for us. What does it mean for my relationships if I choose to follow Jesus? What does it mean for my enemies if I choose to follow Jesus? What does it mean for social justice if I choose to follow Jesus? Jesus came to serve, not to be served. What happens if I am called to service, rather than to being served? (Matthew 20:28).
Well, maybe it won’t be so bad to do all that serving if it earns me a place in God’s Kingdom. After all, we can hardly expect to get such a reward without a lot of work on our part. Uh, Jesus doesn’t think so. Look at verse 23. Jesus says, in effect, that you can do all the good works you can but a place in God’s Kingdom is finally only by God’s grace. In a sense, we do the good works not to earn God’s grace, but to say “thank you” for God’s grace.
Why do you think the ten disciples got angry with the two who made the request of Jesus for a special pace in the coming Kingdom (v. 24)? Maybe they are upset that they didn’t think of it first. Maybe they thought James and John didn’t understand some of the basics. Maybe they are envious of the special time Jesus has for the mother of Zebedee’s sons. Jesus does not blast back at the ten angry disciples. He simply takes this as a teaching moment. What envy do I have for others in the Church? What anger do I have because I think another Christian fails to understand the Gospel? Maybe Jesus still has some teaching to do!
What Someone Else Has Saud: Chrysostom, a fourth century bishop, (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT 1b, Intervarsity Press) wrote: “A person is not a true disciple who does not imitate his or her teacher; nor is it a true image that is not like its creator.”
Prayer: As you prepare this lesson, let your prayer begin: “Send me on service, Lord..
