Mark 10:35-45
The 22nd Sunday after Pentecost | 20-10-2024 | Mark 10:35-45 | Judson F. Merrell |
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
38 “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?”
39 “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, 40 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.”
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 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. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 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.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our journey continues today. As we have been journeying through the 10th chapter of Mark’s account of the Gospel we have been walking with our Lord as he journeys for the final time to Jerusalem. We all approach the cross a little more each week. This journey is not lost on us as we heard in our Gospel lesson today. In the text preceding this lesson we heard for the 3rd time Jesus foretelling his death and resurrection. Verse 32 tells us that along the journey Jesus pulled the 12 aside to offer this foretelling. Now that Jesus has said this the third time it seems and James and John finally start to understand.
Our Gospel lesson begins today with Jesus standing with the 12. Mark tells us that James and John come forward to talk to Jesus. The way Mark presents this scene, it is as if their request comes in front of the other 10 disciples. Mark presents these two disciples as bold enough to skip over the other disciples and ask it, especially since they aren’t seen as the “leader” of the disciples like Peter is. They certainly have a big head and think lots of themselves as Mark presents it. But in their ego driven moment, they miss the bigger picture.
Jesus has not come to set up a politically correct government for the Jews. He has not come to bring military might against the Roman occupation of Jerusalem. Jesus has come to do something new, something that no mortal can do. He has come to reconcile the world with God through his death on the cross. And yet, Jesus does not ignore the request of these two brothers. In true Jesus form, he answers their request with questions: “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” And while the two brothers reply that they are, they do not know what Jesus is truly talking about. As readers of Mark’s account of the Gospel, we too do not truly understand it, until we get to the 14th chapter. It is only then that we see Jesus praying in the garden of Gethseme that God will “take this cup from me.” The cup that Jesus drinks of is not filled with wine or water, but is filled with the suffering of the world. His baptism that he speaks of is not what happened down in the river with John the Baptist, but what will happen on the cross. It is a baptism of death, so that eternal life may enter into the world. This cup is the cup of salvation, that is poured out for many (Mark 14:24). This is the cup that neither James nor John can drink. It is the cup that none of the disciples, including ourselves, can drink.
James and John are oblivious to this cup and this baptism, although Jesus makes clear that they too will have these very things. Acts 12 tells us that James was beheaded by the Romans. Not much is known about John, but most historians agree he died in Prison on the island of Patmos, having been persecuted for his faith. While not crucified like Jesus, their faith did ultimately cause them suffering and death. Yet they are blind to all this, because they want to be front and center. Jesus response to them is that sitting at his right and his left is not his to grant, and that it has already been prepared. 3 times in Mark Jesus predicts his own death, and here he adds to that prediction. 2 criminals hang on crosses next to Jesus, one on the left and one on the right. As Jesus hangs on that cross, the world, including those two criminals, mock him. That is the way that Mark describes the scene. A broken, beaten, tortured Son of God hangs on a cross for the world, for you, and for me, serving the world, and the world mocks him. That’s a powerful image to me. For Mark, everything that he wrote points to that moment. Jesus is the suffering servant of the world. Through him, the power of God amazes us. Through him, the power of God makes us afraid. It’s unfair. It’s cruel. But it is also our faith and our hope, for the power of God is our salvation. In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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©The Rev. Dr. Judson F Merrell, STS
judsonmerrell@bellsouth.net
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
Lexington, SC USA