20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s 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. (Matthew 20:20-28 KJV)
A Mother’s Request
The sons of Zebedee, James and John, were among Christ’s closest disciples. John was the disciple whom Jesus loved, yet they were often corrected. Those whom Christ loves, he reproves most.
They ambitiously asked to sit at Christ’s right and left in his kingdom. Their faith was commendable in believing in his kingdom despite his humility, but their expectation of a worldly kingdom with power and pomp was misguided. They sought honor rather than service, likely thinking his resurrection meant an immediate reign. Misunderstanding Christ’s words meant for their comfort, they sought the highest positions.
They managed their request strategically by having their mother, Salome, speak for them. She was among the women who followed Jesus and ministered to him. Hoping her influence would secure their request, she instead became an agent of their ambition rather than checking it. Many seek favor through intermediaries, whether in spiritual or worldly matters.
They also sought a general grant before specifying their desire, assuming Christ’s promise to “ask and it shall be given” (Mt 7:7) applied without conditions. However, self-seeking requests do not receive God’s favor.
Christ addressed James and John directly, not their mother, saying, “You don’t know what you are asking” (Mt 20:22). They misunderstood both the nature of Christ’s kingdom and the path to glory. They sought the end but overlooked the means—sufferings and self-denial. Christ then asked, “Are you able to drink the cup I drink?” They confidently replied, “We are able,” without grasping the depth of suffering involved. Christ told them they would indeed drink his cup—James would be martyred, and John would endure exile and hardships (Acts 12:2; Rev. 1:9).
Regarding their request, Christ stated, “To sit on my right and left is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by my Father” (Mt 20:23). This affirmed that such honors are assigned according to God’s eternal plan, not human ambition.
The other ten disciples were indignant, not out of humility, but because they also desired preeminence. Christ gathered them and taught them a different model of greatness. Unlike worldly rulers who dominate, in Christ’s kingdom, the greatest must be a servant: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28).
The rulers of the Gentiles exercise dominion and authority over their subjects (Mt 20:25), taking pride in power and demanding respect. However, Christ commanded, “It shall not be so among you” (Mt 20:26). The nature of his kingdom is entirely different—his disciples are to teach, instruct, and serve rather than dominate. They are not to lord over God’s heritage (1Pe 5:3) but to serve within it. Even Paul disowned dominion over anyone’s faith (2Co 1:24). Christ kept such authority out of his church altogether.
True greatness among Christ’s disciples is found in service: “Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant” (Mt 20:26-27). This requires both humility and usefulness—willingness to perform even the humblest acts of love, submit to one another (1Pe 5:5; Eph 5:21), and build one another up (Ro 14:19). Paul exemplified this by making himself a servant to all (1Co 9:19). True honor in Christ’s kingdom comes not from titles but from selfless devotion to doing good. Just as wisdom requires humility, so does true greatness require servanthood. Paul, though the least of the apostles, labored more than all (1Co 15:9-10), exemplifying Christ’s teaching that “the last will be first” (Mt 19:30).
Since Christ lived in humility, his disciples must follow his example. The present life is one of service and suffering, while the crown of glory is reserved for the future. Though the Son of God, Christ took on the form of a servant, not seeking recognition or wealth. He once washed his disciples’ feet, but they never washed his. He served the sick and suffering, often sacrificing food and rest to do so.
His greatest act of service was his sacrificial death: “He gave his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). Our lives were forfeit because of sin, but Christ’s death paid the price to redeem us (Acts 20:28; 1Pe 1:18-19). His sacrifice was sufficient for all and effective for many, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy that “by his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many” (Isa 53:11).
This truth calls us to reject the pursuit of power and status, for our Master leads by the cross. It also urges us to be eager to do good, even to the point of sacrifice: “We ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16). Ministers, especially, should be willing to serve and even suffer for souls, as Paul was (Acts 20:24; Php 2:17). The more we receive from Christ’s humility and sacrifice, the more we should imitate them.