During His entire ministry, Jesus has been teaching and healing in the regions round about Jerusalem, saving Jerusalem for last because that is where He will meet His death. Today He heads straight for the city where He will be crucified, and along the way He reminds the disciples that no king's crown awaits Him there. The brothers James and John ask for high positions when Jesus inherits His kingdom.
"They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again He took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to Him. 'We are going up to Jerusalem,' He said, '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 and hand Him over to the Gentiles, who will mock Him and spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him. Three days later He will rise.'" (Mark 10:32-34) The disciples are astonished that Jesus resolutely sets one foot in front of the other on the road to Jerusalem. He knows what awaits Him there, yet He continues. The entire group following them is filled with a sense of dread.
We spoke earlier in our study about Jesus having set His face like flint, knowing what's ahead of Him but refusing to turn back, and in His statement above we find further references to the same passage of Isaiah who said this of the Messiah, "I offered My back to those who beat Me, My cheeks to those who pulled out My beard; I did not hide My face from mocking and spitting. Because the Sovereign Lord helps Me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. He who vindicates Me is near. Who then will bring charges against Me? Let us face each other! Who is My accuser? Let him confront Me!" (Isaiah 50:6-9) Jesus' accusers will not be able to find charges against Him that stick; the only thing they will be able to accuse Him of is blasphemy for making Himself equal with God (a thing that is not blasphemy when it's true). Pontius Pilate will find Him innocent. God will find Him innocent. His accusers may hand Him over to the Gentiles who will beat Him, spit on Him, and put Him to death, but He will die an innocent man, guilty only of telling a truth the religious leaders didn't want to hear.
"Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, 'Teacher,' they said, 'we want You to do for us whatever we ask.' 'What do you want Me to do for you?' He asked. They replied, 'Let one of us sit at Your right and the other at Your left in Your glory.'" (Mark 10:35-37) The timing of their request is odd. On the surface it appears callous to make such a request while Jesus is foretelling His suffering and death. But on a deeper level their request displays their faith in Him. It proves to us that, though they don't fully understand what Jesus is telling them, they believe Him. They believe He's who He says He is. They believe He's going to die and rise again. They believe He's going to inherit the kingdom of God and someday reign over the world. If they weren't convinced of these things, they wouldn't apply for the positions of Jesus' top officials. William Barclay has this to say about verse 37, "It is amazing that they could still connect glory with a Galilean carpenter who had incurred the enmity and the bitter opposition of the orthodox religious leaders and who was apparently heading for a cross. There is amazing confidence and amazing loyalty there. Misguided James and John might be, but their hearts were in the right place. They never doubted Jesus' ultimate triumph."
"'You don't know what you are asking,' Jesus said. 'Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?' 'We can,' they answered. Jesus said to them, 'You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 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.'" (Mark 10:38-40) Jesus has been teaching the disciples to have the heart of a servant, to be humble, and to put the needs of others above their own needs. They keep missing the point. They won't always miss it, because following the resurrection they will be willing to risk their very lives to get the gospel to the world, but right now these young ambitious men are busy sizing each other up and vying for promotions. They are still thinking according to worldly standards and behaving according to worldly standards.
Jesus is about to drink a bitter cup. He is about to endure betrayal, torture, and death. He wants these men to think about what they are asking. If they want to hold high positions in His kingdom, they must be willing to endure the same type of persecution He is going to endure. Being a first-century Christian means being in constant peril. Is He worth it to them? They believe He is, at least in this moment while they are still on the dusty road to Jerusalem. They believe He is, right now while He is still a free man. When He is arrested they will flee in terror. But that's alright, because that isn't the end of their story. After seeing the resurrected Christ, they will have the boldness to stand up to anything. They will preach the gospel fearlessly. Jesus speaks the truth when He says they will drink the cup and endure the baptism. James will be the first disciple to be martyred for the faith. John will live a long life filled with persecution and troubles and will die an old man in exile and in prison. It is believed by some scholars that he died of natural causes, while others think he was executed. God will decide who occupies the top spots in the kingdom, but if these men want to be great men of faith in the early Christian church, they can hold nothing back.
"When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John." (Mark 10:41) I don't think the ten are indignant because they feel the request of James and John is inappropriate. I think they're indignant because they didn't think of it first! They're also upset because James and John apparently consider themselves better "leader material" than the rest of the group.
Jesus often has to take on the father role when these "children" bicker among themselves. "Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.'" (Mark 10:42-44) Jesus has made this point before, but He doesn't become angry or impatient. He knows a time is coming when these "children" will grow up and become mighty warriors in the kingdom of God. When we were children, our parents taught us important principles that we would need when we became adults. Jesus is doing the same thing. These men aren't getting it yet, but they will. When the proper time comes, everything He's taught them will make sense, and they will have such hearts for serving others that they will be willing to give their lives to share the good news of the gospel.
Jesus uses Himself as an example for the men to follow, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45) If we want to be great men and women in the kingdom of God, we have to follow the example of Jesus. To follow Him is to be like Him, which is why He will say on the night before the crucifixion, "By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35)
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