Tuesday 25 July 2023

Background

This passage sits near the end of a section of Matthew’s Gospel (19:1–20:34) in which several important questions are addressed. It starts with Jesus moving into Judea on his way to Jerusalem for the final showdown: geography and physical movement are important in Matthew’s Gospel. We read how people pose questions about different subjects which gives Jesus a chance to put forward his views on marriage (19:1-12), people’s way of life (19:16-22), wealth (19:23-26), and how his ministry will culminate (20:17-19). This last one prompts the question in today’s reading, about status in the kingdom of God.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approach Jesus with their mother who asks that her boys should have the best seats at the table next to Jesus. In Mark’s version of this story, James and John themselves ask the question, unaccompanied.

The mother isn’t named, although some commentators think this may be the Salome listed among the women at the crucifixion in Mark 15:40 because the equivalent verse in Matthew's Gospel (27:56) says that the mother of the sons of Zebedee was there but doesn’t mention Salome.

Whatever her name was, she makes a pretty outrageous request, and it's no wonder that the other ten disciples were cross about it. Jesus’ reaction seems to be less anger than exasperation at their lack of understanding. Can they share his life and his fate ("the cup he is about to drink")? Yes, they say. Jesus affirms this, but then dismantles their ideas about status in the kingdom of heaven.

Wanting to be at the top table is the opposite of the attitudes and the way of life and work in the kingdom of God, which Jesus has exemplified in his own life and taught in the parables, including the one about labourers in the vineyard (at the beginning of Matthew 20). Greatness comes through service, not rank. This will be demonstrated most fully in Jesus giving his life to free people from enslavement (v. 28).

To Ponder:

• Can you think of examples of people you’ve known whose greatness lies in their service of others?
• Can human life and, particularly, human organisations operate without hierarchy? Can the Church? 

Prayer

Servant Lord, teach me to serve the needs of others, to accept and use the power I am given for the benefit of others, and never to seek status or lord it over them. May my first avowed intent be to be a pilgrim and disciple of Jesus. Amen.