AFTER Jesus had told his disciples of his coming suffering and final victory, we come to this extraordinary request for a favour from Jesus made by the Mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They come with their mother when she asks this favour, so we can deduce that they were behind her in the desire for this favour to be granted. Maybe they had this desire to be second in power and authority to Jesus, but felt that Jesus was more likely to grant it if the request was made by their mother.

From the NIV translation it may seem that this request followed immediately after the words of Jesus in verses 17-19, but this is not necessarily so. It could have been a little while after. What is strange is not the request in itself, because such seeking for glory and power is a very human desire. What is strange is that these two disciples don't seem to have taken to heart any of the teaching of Jesus in chapter 18:1-4, where Jesus commends what is seen as greatness in the kingdom of heaven. This illustrates how deep seated in fallen human nature is worldly values, and the desire for importance and to be above and over others.

In their pride James and John had not thought through the implications of their request to sit either side of Jesus in his kingdom. Jesus seeks to make them think in his reply. Jesus tells them they do not know what they were asking. The fact is James and John were showing much ignorance. What were their ideas concerning Christ's kingdom. In spite of Jesus telling them he was to suffer and die and rise again, did they still have visions of Jesus setting up an earthly kingdom, and dominating the world. Even if they understood that the kingdom of Jesus was a spiritual and eternal kingdom, and not of this world, they only had in mind the glory of being second to the king in his kingdom, and not of the responsibilities that went with such a high position, nor did they have any humility concerning their ability and fitness for such honour.

Their pride and self confidence seems to know no end. When Jesus asks them whether they could drink the cup he was going to drink, they confidently said they could. Such is human pride and ignorance.

Before we look down on James and John we need to consider some things this incident reveals to us. Although James and John showed sinful pride and vain glory here, later we find them humbly taking up their cross in following Jesus. Both had to bear a cross – James was murdered for Christ, and John was exiled on Patmos. This cross they carried in all humility and devotion to Christ. They may have shown much sin and weakness at this time, but by the grace of God they grew in grace and made a good confession in the end.

If we are ready to judge them let us notice that mixed up in much infirmity there was also real faith and grace. James and John with their mother believed in the greatness of Jesus, and the reality of his kingdom. By their request they did honour him as their king, and in this they showed great faith. To the world around Jesus was no more than a man, even though he did great miracles. James and John believed him to be the Messiah, the Christ, when the majority of the Jews were blind to this, or refused to believe the evidence that established him as the Messiah.

It is a fact that even where there is real grace and love for Jesus, infirmity clings still to us. It is a great encouragement to see how Jesus deals with the pretensions of these two disciples. He does not harshly rebuke them, but instead gently seeks to correct their pretensions, and lead them to better things.

In the first place Jesus asks a question which was designed to make them think more deeply about what they were asking and desiring. He then goes on to teach them something of what the future would hold for them. Following this he lets them down gently by telling them that the favour they were asking was not in his hands and power to give, and that it was in the hands of his Father alone.

From this he was leading them to understand more the true nature of his kingship and his kingdom. From this dialogue it becomes plain that Christ's kingdom is not of this world. He also makes plain that his Father was God, revealing to the disciples, as they thought about what he said to them, that he was more than a man, and that he was the Son of God also.

This is the gracious way Jesus deals with his sinful and foolish people. He does not humiliate or discourage, but gently corrects us by leading us to understand the nature of his person and kingdom more perfectly. In our dealings with each other, this example of Jesus should be our model.