The Gospel of Matthew
The greatest in the Kingdom of God
Chapter 20:17 -28
After explaining how "the last will be first and the first last" in the Kingdom of God, which concerns the reward for the work done in response to the call of God, for the fourth time the Lord Jesus mentioned His death and resurrection to His disciples (see chapter 16:21, Luke 9:31 and chapter 17: 9, 17:12, 22 and 23).
His disciples were with Him, going up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the Passover, the last that the Lord Jesus would be celebrating with them. He called the disciples aside to confirm again what would happen to Him there:
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He would first be handed over to the religious and civil leaders of the Jews (Judas Iscariot, present there among the apostles, was the one who would betray him).
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Sentenced to death by the Jews, they would deliver Him to those who were not Jewish (the Roman Governor, Pilate, and their soldiers) to mock him, beat him and crucify him. The Jews did not have the authority to execute a prisoner and had to turn Him over to the Roman authority competent to try Him, and to apply the due punishment according to Roman law.
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On the third day, He would rise again.
Both Mark and Luke also record that declaration made by the Lord Jesus. No doubt the first part was a very unpleasant subject to the disciples, and the first time that the Lord mentioned it, Peter had sought to dissuade Him suggesting it was pessimism on His part (chapter 16:22). Luke reports that the disciples “understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken” (Luke 18:34).
They were, however, excited concerning the Kingdom of Heaven about which the Lord Jesus had been talking before. Even more so with the position they might occupy in this realm, where their Teacher, the Messiah of God, would occupy the throne as heir of King David.
Two of the disciples, brothers James and John, bringing their mother with them, came to ask Him a favour. Their mother bowed before Him, in an attitude of great reverence or worship. Mark tells us that the two disciples said to Him "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask." (Mark 10:35). He asked them what they wanted Him to do. Although being able to read their thoughts, He wanted them to manifest their request for all to hear.
After the lessons in humility they had received, the selfish nature of the request was surprising: they wanted Him to sit them both at His side, one on the right and the other on the left, in His glory. These are the positions of greatest honour that a ruler can give his subjects. Faced with such impudence, the Lord demonstrated superbly His meek and lowly character, assigning that barbarity to their ignorance.
They were thinking that they would get what they asked for based on friendship, and perhaps because they were the first to ask, they would have an advantage over the others. As it has been said, “They wanted the crown without the cross, the throne without the altar of sacrifice, the glory without the suffering that precedes it”. To show their ignorance, the Lord Jesus asked them “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” (Mark 10:38). We are not told if they understood the question, but they were so confident in themselves that they answered “Yes”.
He was referring to the cup of suffering that He was about to drink and the death and burial that would come before a glorious resurgence, all of which was His baptism. This baptism is symbolized by the baptism under water of the sinner who converts to Christ.
The Lord Jesus, knowing the future, stated that, in fact, they would drink from the same cup and be baptized with the same baptism: both would go through suffering, and would die for their faith (but their resurrection will only take place at the rapture of the church by the Lord Jesus).
James was arrested and beheaded by Herod shortly after the resurrection of the Lord. John lived to old age, suffering great persecutions, and was finally exiled on the small island of Patmos before he died. There he had the privilege of writing the revelation by the Lord Jesus, in glory, of times to come, which is the last book in the Bible. It has been said: "James died a martyr, John lived as a martyr."
Nevertheless, this will not have necessarily assured them the place they sought in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord explained that He would only grant this supreme privilege to those who had a right to it according to God's purposes. No matter how attached He may have been to these two disciples, He could not favour them outside of the righteous divine parameters. These places belong to those for whom they were prepared.
God knows who they are, but it will only be generally known when all the redeemed are in heaven. Maybe they have not yet been born and, as in the parable of the workers, the first may become the last.
Entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven is free, granted by God to all who seek Him, repentant, and trusting in the redemptive work of Christ Jesus. Nevertheless, the Lord Jesus shall determine the position of each in that Kingdom, at the beginning of His reign, the "parable of the talents" (Chapter 25:14-30) being quite enlightening.
The Apostle Paul wrote “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). Christian life is a race to hit a target. The winners will receive a reward, even the best places in the Kingdom.
The other disciples were indignant at James and John upon learning what had happened. They definitely did not like the surreptitious manner in which they tried to obtain for themselves that exalted position over all - maybe they even coveted the seats themselves.
Once again, the Lord Jesus had to show how the divine criteria are very different from those in use by men. In the world, their princes, those who have higher preponderance between them, either by inheritance, by wealth or political skill and acumen, dominate people and they haughtily require submission and service by the people under them.
"Yet it shall not be so among you": disciples, believers, churches, the spiritual Kingdom of God in this world are not to be submitted to "princes", a caste of rulers.
The desire to be "great" in the service of God is not being condemned, but who wants to be more important can only achieve this objective by making himself a servant of his brothers. To be in the position of first, it is necessary to be the last, a slave of all others, which is a complete inversion of the conventional order in the world.
Jesus Christ gave us the Supreme example: originally in the form of God, he emptied Himself taking the form of servant among men (Philippians 2:6-7). He came without pomp or glory, but in their same form He served His people, supplying their needs and suffering mockery and humiliations of those who judged themselves more important, and finally gave His own life in rescuing many.
The word ransom literally means a price paid for the release of those who are captive. Humanity is in a state of captivity by sin, and are under condemnation (Ephesians 2: 3, Romans 3:9-20.23, 1 John 5:19), and curse (Galatians 3:10), subject to eternal death (Ezequiel 18:4, Psalms 9:17, 11:6, 68:2, 139:19, Matthew 25:46, Romans 2:6-9).
All have sinned, and are condemned to perishing. Perishing is eternal death, which, being eternal is not simple annihilation or nonexistence. It is a state of eternal separation from the presence of God, in suffering.
To come out of captivity the price of the ransom must be paid, but no man or other creature of God, in this world or in heaven, could pay it, even for just a single human being.
The only solution was the one that God gave us: He sent his Son into the world to, with His blood, pay for the redemption of all who accept Him as Lord and Saviour. Many have been rescued, but not all: those who reject Him continue in the condemnation to eternal death (Mark 16:16).
R David Jones
17 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them,
18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death,
19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again."
20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
21 And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom."
22 But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "Yes, we are able."
23 So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but 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 by My Father."
24 And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.
25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.
26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.
27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Gospel of Matthew, chapter 29, verses 17 to 28