Two blokes approach Jesus asking for high profile position - what did Jesus say?
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| Third window in the north aisle with two lights depicting the Raising of the Daughter of Jairus. This window was created by Patrick Pollen in 1958. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
These three were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (9:2), and they will be together again in Mark 13:3 when they ask for further clarification of Jesus’ prophecy of the temple’s coming destruction.
According to Mark 3:17 Jesus surnamed James and John Boanerges, that is, the “sons of thunder” (on this problematical epithet, see Guelich, 161–62).
They approach Jesus, the “teacher” (διδάσκαλε—on the lips of the disciples in 4:38; 9:38; on the lips of others in 5:35; 9:17; 10:17, 20), with the request that he do for them whatever they ask. The nature of the question is remarkable, for it seems unrestricted in potential.
According to Mark, it is “James and John” who make a request of Jesus to sit at his right and left in his glory. Because their request arouses the indignation of the other disciples, we should not be surprised that the scene is mitigated by the Matthean evangelist (Rawlinson, 143–44), who in various ways seeks to put the disciples in a better light. According to Matt 20:20–21 it is the mother of James and John who makes the request. But Matthew betrays his knowledge of Mark’s version when he has Jesus reply: “You [pl.] do not know what you [pl.] are asking” (Matt 20:22 = Mark 10:38). The plural clearly indicates that Jesus was addressing James and John, not their mother.
According to Mark, it is “James and John” who make a request of Jesus to sit at his right and left in his glory. Because their request arouses the indignation of the other disciples, we should not be surprised that the scene is mitigated by the Matthean evangelist (Rawlinson, 143–44), who in various ways seeks to put the disciples in a better light. According to Matt 20:20–21 it is the mother of James and John who makes the request. But Matthew betrays his knowledge of Mark’s version when he has Jesus reply: “You [pl.] do not know what you [pl.] are asking” (Matt 20:22 = Mark 10:38). The plural clearly indicates that Jesus was addressing James and John, not their mother.
