seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Matthew 20:17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21 “What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, 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 by my Father.”
24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The online Bible I use separated verses 17-19 and gave it the title "Jesus predicts His death a third time".I think those verses go with the tale of the Zebedee brothers. James and John had been in "training" with Jesus since the beginning. According to Matthew 4:18-22, only Peter and Andrew had more training. They were working fishermen when Jesus asked them to "follow" Him. They gave up everything but apparently their mother was still watching their progress.
Jesus kept telling them He was going to the Cross. I'm pretty sure that left the mother of the Zebedee boys a little anxious. They gave up their livelihood to follow a man who keeps telling them He's going to be crucified. What was Zebedee going to do with all those extra fishing boats he planned for their business? If the disciples were going to lose the head of their organization who was going to take over? HOWEVER, their mom saw that there would be a seat open for a new leader.... and why not insure her boys the seat. If Jesus was going to build a new kingdom, then she hit the timing right. She could get her boys in a position of power from the beginning. Then Zebedee could give up fishing for good.
I don't know if she knew her sons would have to die before they sit on one side or another of Jesus when He takes His throne. I don't think that computed. I think she was getting ready to go gather boxes and packing tape so she could follow her two boys to the new kingdom. I don't think she had any concept of Heaven. I don't think the explanation Jesus gave her worked. Mom, you see, didn't go to Sunday School or regular school.... she was just a woman.
Remember yesterday when I said there could be some squawking in Heaven.... well, there was squawking on earth about the leadership in Heaven over this conversation. In verse 24 it says "when the ten heard about this".... so, Judas was one of the indignant ones. Was it this clarification of the hierarchy that started Judas thinking of turning Jesus in? After all, if he was continuing to be a peon no matter what, why not cash in now?
This is about power structure....
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