St Mark Chapter X : Verses 35-45
[35] And James and John the sons of Zebedee, come to him, saying: Master, we desire that whatsoever we shall ask, thou wouldst do it for us:
[36] But he said to them: What would you that I should do for you?
[37] And they said: Grant to us, that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.
[38] And Jesus said to them: You know not what you ask. Can you drink of the chalice that I drink of: or be baptized with the baptism wherewith I am baptized?
[39] But they said to him: We can. And Jesus saith to them: You shall indeed drink of the chalice that I drink of: and with the baptism wherewith I am baptized, you shall be baptized.
[40] But to sit on my right hand, or on my left, is not mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared.
[41] And the ten hearing it, began to be much displeased at James and John.
[42] But Jesus calling them, saith to them: You know that they who seem to rule over the Gentiles, lord it over them: and their princes have power over them.
[43] But it is not so among you: but whosoever will be greater, shall be your minister.
[44] And whosoever will be first among you, shall be the servant of all.
[45] For the Son of man also is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a redemption for many.
[35] Et accedunt ad eum Jacobus et Joannes filii Zebedaei, dicentes : Magister, volumus ut quodcumque petierimus, facias nobis. [36] At ille dixit eis : Quid vultis ut faciam vobis? [37] Et dixerunt : Da nobis ut unus ad dexteram tuam, et alius ad sinistram tuam sedeamus in gloria tua. [38] Jesus autem ait eis : Nescitis quid petatis : potestis bibere calicem, quem ego bibo, aut baptismo, quo ego baptizor, baptizari? [39] At illi dixerunt ei : Possumus. Jesus autem ait eis : Calicem quidem, quem ego bibo, bibetis; et baptismo, quo ego baptizor, baptizabimini : [40] sedere autem ad dexteram meam, vel ad sinistram, non est meum dare vobis, sed quibus paratum est. [41] Et audientes decem, coeperunt indignari de Jacobo et Joanne. [42] Jesus autem vocans eos, ait illis : Scitis quia hi, qui videntur principari gentibus, dominantur eis : et principes eorum potestatem habent ipsorum. [43] Non ita est autem in vobis, sed quicumque voluerit fieri major, erit vester minister : [44] et quicumque voluerit in vobis primus esse, erit omnium servus. [45] Nam et Filius hominis non venit ut ministraretur ei, sed ut ministraret, et daret animam suam redemptionem pro multis.
Notes
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| Family tree showing St James and St John. |
Among whom was Mary Magdalene , and Mary the mother of James and Joseph , and the mother of the sons of Zebedee (St Matt, xxvii. 56).
And there were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene , and Mary the mother of James the less, and of Joseph, and Salome (St Mark xv. 40). Salome is here clearly identified with the mother of the sons of Zebedee. She was one of the band of devoted women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto Him. When she stood afar off gazing on our Lord on the cross, she must have realized the folly of her petition. As she is generally referred to as the mother of the sons of Zebedee, we may conclude that Zebedee was dead. St Matthew adds that she “ came adoring and asking something of him.” The word “ adoring ” signifies the act of homage used by Orientals when addressing a king.
Master = rabbi.
we desire, etc. They dare not immediately present their request, but wish to obtain a formal promise of compliance first.
37. one on thy right hand, etc. In these words they ask for the highest places of honour in Christ’s Messianic kingdom. Christ had promised that the Twelve should sit “ on twelve thrones,” and these two disciples in their ambition, ask that their thrones or seats may be nearest to His. Possibly they were jealous of St Peter.
38. You know not what you ask. They knew not what suffering this would entail. There is an accent of tenderness in our Lord’s answer. He foresaw the “ cup ” of which these two disciples would drink.
Can you drink of the chalice, etc. Our Lord speaks figuratively. The disciples would, from their familiarity with the Old Testament, know that the “ chalice ” was a symbol either of good or evil fortune, but He evidently refers here to His sufferings, since in His agony in Gethsemani He speaks of His Passion as the chalice presented to Him by His Father. The “chalice ” was also an allusion to the Hebrew feasts, where the father of the family filled with wine the cup of each one present.
the baptism. This word expresses much the same thought. It represents the afflictions which were to overwhelm our Lord. It especially referred to His Crucifixion, by which Jesus was to pass to His glorious life.
39. We can. The promise was a rash one, as their conduct proved at the time of the Passion, when his disciples , leaving him , all fled away (St Mark xiv. 50). Still it shewed a certain devotedness and willingness on their part. “It is the first expression on the part of the Apostles that they are prepared to suffer with Christ.”
You shall indeed, etc. In the case of St James this prediction was fulfilled when Herod the king stretched forth his hands to afflict some of the church , and he killed James , the brother of John with the sword (Acts xii. 1, 2). He was the first apostle who shed his blood for Christ. As regards St John, the prediction was accomplished when he was scourged (see Acts v. 40), and when, as St Jerome relates, he was, by order of Domitian, plunged into a cauldron of boiling oil, from which he emerged uninjured. Afterwards St John was banished to Patmos, where he remained until the accession of Nerva. He closed his days at Ephesus. (See Biog. Notes, p. 72.) St John was “a martyr in will but not in deed,” owing to a miraculous interposition of Divine power.
40. is not mine to give, etc. These words mean that Jesus could not give places of honour arbitrarily like an Eastern monarch : the place in His kingdom would be given by His Father, to those for whom they were destined, i.e. who had merited them. These places of honour, He goes on to explain, are reserved for those who humble themselves ; for him who shall be the servant of all. On another occasion Christ also refers to the place, on the right hand, as being the reward of acts of charity and humble service performed for His sake. Then shall the King say to them that be on his right hand ; Come ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat : I was thirsty , and you gave me to drink : I was a stranger, and you took me in (St Matt. xxv. 34, 35, etc.).
not mine. Might also mean not mine as man, without reference to my Father’s providence and ordination ( MacEvilly ).
to you. These words are not found in the original text.
41. the ten hearing it. Some commentators are of opinion that St James and St John proffered their request in the presence of the Ten. Others think that they came secretly to our Lord, and that the Ten came to hear of it. The two opinions may be reconciled by supposing that the other apostles were at some little distance when Salome with her sons approached our Lord, that they saw by their attitude that she was asking some favour. When they learned what she had requested they were moved with indignation against the two brethren (St Matt. xx. 24).
began to be much displeased. Evidently they were reproaching James and John for their ambitious request.
42. Jesus calling them , saith. Our Lord stopped the strife by calling them all to Him. The Ten had by their anger shewn their own ambition, hence all were guilty of the same fault.
they who seem to rule. Those who profess to exercise authority.
lord it over them. Tyrannise over their inferiors.
43. it is not so among you. Christ’s kingdom does not resemble the court of an Eastern potentate, where each seeks to advance himself.
44. whosoever will be first, etc. Once more Jesus repeats the lesson of humility which His disciples were so slow to learn.
45. the Son of man also is not come, etc. Jesus refers to His own example.
a redemption : a ransom, the price paid to redeem a captive.
for many, — i.e. for all those who shall be saved, and thus profit by our Lord’s Redemption. Christ indeed died for all, as is clear from the following text : — And He is the propitiation for our sins ; and not for ours only , but also for those of the whole world (1 St John ii. 2). Many other passages might be cited to prove the universality of the Redemption (cf. 1 Tim. ii. 6 ; St John i. 29), but all will not accept the ransom offered for them.
Additional Notes
The petitioners. St Mark tells us that St James and St John addressed the petition to our Lord. St Matthew says it was made by Salome. Jesus answered the sons, who made the preliminary request — “ Master, we desire,” etc. Possibly “the mother expressed the silent wish of the sons, or the two sons expressly deputed their mother to intercede for them” (Maas, S.J.). Perhaps they imagined that the petition, if presented by Salome, would be less likely to arouse the anger and indignation of the Ten, and there was, doubtless, a certain jealousy of St Peter, in their souls.
Previous favours conferred on St James and St John. Both had, with St Peter, been singled out as witnesses of the raising of Jairus’ daughter and of the Transfiguration. St John was known as “ the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Jesus had given them the name “Sons of Thunder,” and He had promised to them, as to the other Apostles, “ when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (St Matt. xix. 28).
37. in thy glory. It is doubtful what the Apostles meant by this expression, but since our Lord had just spoken of His death, and prophesied that after three days He should rise again, they may have imagined that His Resurrection would be followed by a reign of temporal greatness and magnificence, and in this earthly kingdom of the Messias, they desired to have the first places. That the Apostles, up to the last moment that Christ remained on earth, had this mistaken idea, may be seen from their question on Ascension day as they journeyed to Bethania: ‘‘Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ? ” (Acts i. 6).
38. The Chalice; the Baptism. The Apostles were familiar with the Old Testament, where the expression ‘‘ chalice ” or ‘‘ cup ” is frequently employed, both in a good and in a bad sense. Thus the Psalmist, speaking in the fulness of his soul, cries out, “my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it !” (Ps. xxii. 5). And again, “I will take the chalice of salvation : and I will call upon the name of the Lord” (Ps. cxv. 13). On the other hand, the expression is oftener employed as signifying misfortune ; thus we read of “the cup of his wrath” (Is. li. 17). “The cup of dead sleep,” “the cup of my indignation” (ver. 22).
Evidently the Apostles realized that our Lord was using the word in the latter sense, since it would have required no effort on their part to have shared Christ’s triumph. The word “ baptism ” used thus figuratively, would be less familiar to them, yet Jesus had often employed the word. Those who had been disciples of St John the Baptist had often seen their master baptize (or “ plunge in the deep,” as the word signifies) those who came out to him confessing their sins. Although the two so readily agreed to accept the conditions, on which the first place in the kingdom of God was promised, yet their subsequent behaviour shewed that their good will exceeded their courage. St John shewed himself the bravest of all the Apostles on the day of the Crucifixion. The learned John Lightfoot, speaking on this verse, says: “So cruel a thing was the baptism of the Jews, being a plunging of the whole body into water, when it was never so much chilled with ice and snow, that not without cause, partly by reason of the burying under water (as I may call it) and partly by reason of the cold, it used to signify the most cruel kind of death” (Exercitations on St Matt., p. 269).
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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