Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Mark 10:35 - 10:40
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar_10:35-40
35James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You." 36And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?" 37They said to Him, "Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory." 38But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" 39They said to Him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. 40But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."
Mar_10:35 "the two sons of Zebedee" Mat_20:20 says it was their mother who asked the question.
▣ "'we want You do to for us whatever we ask of You'" Every time Jesus predicted His suffering and death, His disciples began planning who would take His place as leader! Their mental perspective was still on an earthly kingdom and their being its leadership. The disciples did not understand until Pentecost!
In one sense this incident is recorded to show how much the disciples did not understand (cf. Luk_18:34). This is cutting irony!
Mar_10:37 "'right. . .left'" They wanted the places of honor and authority. This incident shows that Peter was not accepted as the obvious leader of the apostolic group. His personality caused him to always speak out first, but they did not sense him as their leader.
▣ "'in Your glory'" Mat_20:21 has "in your kingdom." In Mark it refers to the visible manifestation of the eschatological kingdom of God (Mar_8:38; Mar_10:37; Mar_13:36).
hyperlink
Mar_10:38 "'You do not know what you are asking'" "Asking" is middle voice, which focuses on the subject, "you yourselves." The next phrase "are you able" is also middle voice.
▣ "the cup" This was used in the OT of a person's destiny, usually in a negative sense (cf. Psa_75:8; Isa_51:17-23; Jer_25:15-28; Jer_49:12; Jer_51:7; Lam_4:21-22; Ezek. 32:34; Hab_2:16; Zec_12:2). This is the very metaphor used by Jesus in Gethsemane (cf. Mar_14:36) for His crucifixion.
▣ "'the baptism with which I am baptized'" This was a metaphor of suffering, even death (cf. Luk_12:50). His glory involved pain (cf. Heb_2:18; Heb_5:8).
Mar_10:39 These leaders would be involved in the same persecution and misunderstandings that Jesus experienced (i.e., James in Act_12:2 and John in Rev_1:9).
Mar_10:40 "'is for those for whom it has been prepared'" This is another example of Jesus' subordination to the Father's plan and purpose. There is a divine plan (cf. Act_2:3; Act_3:18; Act_4:28; Act_13:29). The ancient Alexandrian text (MS A*) adds "by my Father," which is also found in Mat_20:23.
The ancient uncial Greek manuscripts were written in all capital letters with no space between words, no punctuation or paragraphing. Sometimes deciding how to divide the sentence into words is confusing. This sentence can be divided in two ways (cf. Interpreting the New Testament by Hans Conzelmann and Andreas Lindemann translated by Siegfried S. Schotzmann, p. 22)
1. "for whom it is meant"
2. "it is meant for others" (cf. the Syriac translations).