Jesus said, “… whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.”

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Christianity, God, Gospel, Gospel of John, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Mark, James, Jerusalem, Jesus, John, John Mark, Mark, religion, Son of man, sons of zebedee, spirituality, tvaraj

Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time. The reading is from the gospel of Mark 10:32-45.

The Third Prediction of the Passion – Mark 10:32-34

They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus went ahead of them. They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them what was going to happen to him.

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but after three days he will rise.

Ambition of James and John – Mark 10:35-45

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”

He replied, “What do you wish [me] to do for you?”

They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.”

Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”

They said to him, “We can.”

Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.

Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt.

But it shall not be so among you.

Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.

For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

In the passage,

Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to him, “We can.” Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared. (Mark 10:38-40)

the metaphor of drinking the cup is used. In the Old Testament the phrase “drinking the cup” is used to refer to acceptance of the destiny assigned by God. In Psalms we read,

And rains upon the wicked fiery coals and brimstone, a scorching wind their allotted cup. (Psalms 11:6)

In Jesus’ case, this involves divine judgment on sin that Jesus the innocent one is to expiate on behalf of the guilty

He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mk 14:24-25)

But he was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity. He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed. (Isaiah 53:5).

Baptism of Jesus is to be his crucifixion and death for the salvation of the human race.

There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!; (Luke 12:50)

The request of James and John for a share in the glory

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied, “What do you wish [me] to do for you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” (Mark 10:35–37)

must of necessity involve a share in Jesus’ sufferings, the endurance of tribulation and suffering for the gospel

They said to him, “We can.” Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; (Mark 10:39)

The authority of assigning places of honor in the kingdom is reserved to God

but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared.” (Mark 10:40)

Whatever authority is to be exercised by the disciples must, like that of Jesus, be rendered as service to others

“For 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)

rather than for personal aggrandizement

Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. (Mark 10:42–44)

The service of Jesus is his passion and death, for the sins of the human race

for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:28)
Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.” (Luke 22:19–20)