The Collect
O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Readings:
Psalm 105:1–22
Numbers 17:1–11
Gospel: Matthew 20:17–28
17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of 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 shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Commentary:
Verses 17 through 19 in the 20th chapter of Matthew, recall the third time Jesus was to predict his Passion, the conviction, crucifixion and resurrection. Matthew notes that Jesus took the twelve aside, presumably to tell them this in confidentiality.
When we hear or read Bible stories we picture in our minds eye, Jesus and the twelve walking alone through what has become to be thought of as the Holy Land, that part of modern day Israel and surrounding states. However a careful study of the Gospels reveal that his entourage not only included the twelve he had chosen, but a large group of others.
He tells them he will be taken to the Scribes and Pharisees who will condemn him to death and in turn deliver him to the Gentiles (Romans) to be tortured and executed. Then on the third day, he tells them, he will be resurrected from the dead.
This must have been quite a shocking statement to be heard from the lips of their teacher; after all he was the promised one, the Messiah, the one the prophets said would restore the nation of Israel. They thought—based on the ancient prophecies—Jesus would be the next King and rule over his kingdom vanquishing the enemies of the people of Israel. Perhaps, this statement regarding his Passion was so shocking that they ignored the final part, that prediction of his resurrection on the third day; as we read later on in the Gospels, they either forgot that part or were oblivious to it.
The idea that he was about to enter into Jerusalem and take his rightful place as King, deposing Herod and vanquishing the Romans, apparently was the basis of the desires expressed by the Mother of two of the disciples. She asked Jesus; “Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.” (v. 21b)
We have to wonder, if the Mother knew that Jesus was about to die and establish a spiritual kingdom—rather than an Earthly physical kingdom—would she have been so eager to give up her sons?
Jesus asked them, if they were prepared to drink of his cup. Jesus was asking them if they are willing to bear the suffering that he will soon endure?
James will be, in fact, martyred by Herod Agrippa—”killed with the sword” rather than crucified (Acts 12:2). John’s fate is less certain. At least one source reports his martyrdom, but another reports his death in Ephesus at an old age. Acts 4 tells of his arrest in Jerusalem, and we can assume that his was not an easy life.
“And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.” (v. 24) There is no reason to believe that the other disciples are angry because of James’ and John’s insensitivity to Jesus’ situation. As Mark makes clear (Mark 9:33-37), the disciples are competing for honors and are offended because James and John are trying to steal the prize from under their noses.
Jesus rebukes neither James and John, nor the twelve. Instead, he uses their behavior as a springboard for teaching. We can be sure that he has their full attention. James and John must be embarrassed at the exposure of their raw ambition. The other disciples are indignant, and will listen carefully to insure that Jesus addresses their concern. Instead, Jesus instructs them about the kingdom of God—its rules—how it works. In the kingdom of God, honors will go to those who serve (Greek: diakonos—those who wait tables—Acts 6:2) rather than to those who exact service from others. First prize will go to the bondservant–the slave.
“Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (v. 28) Jesus told the disciples that he must die, and now he tells them why. The word “ransom” (lutron) is found in both testaments, and refers to a payment made to free a prisoner or to emancipate a slave. The Jewish people are accustomed to a sacrificial system in which sacrificial animals atone for the sins of the people. Now Jesus says that he will give his life as a ransom for many. In those few words, he introduces a theology of atonement.
Jesus calls us to a different ethic, telling us that God honors service rather than power. He challenges us to begin living by Kingdom Rules in the here-and-now. It is a tough sell—and a lesson that the church must continually re-learn. Every denomination, congregation and pastor is tempted to look out for Number One instead of serving kingdom needs. We are tempted by grand titles, rich vestments, and large churches. We are tempted to preach the word that sells instead of the faithful word. Personal ambition did not start with James and John, nor did it end with them.
Benediction
May the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace through this day and evermore. Amen
Thought for the Day:
We have to humble ourselves and the way you do that is by serving other people.
– Tim Tebow
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