Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This seemingly simple act of a mother bringing her sons to Jesus is more layered than it appears. Notice that it's the mother who kneels and asks, suggesting James and John, though present, were too timid or perhaps too ashamed to voice their ambitious request directly, relying on her to present it. This "worshipping" was done with a very specific, earthly agenda, revealing how even close followers could misinterpret Jesus' kingdom.
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just after Jesus predicted his suffering and told a parable about service, James and John, through their mother Salome, boldly asked to hold the highest positions in his future kingdom. This request, made with reverence but revealing ambition and misunderstanding, highlights how even close followers could miss the heart of Jesus' teaching about humility and suffering. Jesus uses their eager but misguided request to further explain the nature of his kingdom and the cost of discipleship.
Ever felt the pull of wanting more, not just for yourself, but for those you love? This story shows a mother's deep desire for her sons' advancement, but at a crucial, and perhaps inappropriate, moment.
The mother of James and John, likely Salome, approaches Jesus with a bold request. She kneels before Him with her sons, seeking a prominent position for them in His coming kingdom.
A Well-Intentioned Mistake
It's easy to see this as pure ambition, and it certainly has elements of that. But it also reveals a deep-seated belief in Jesus' kingship and a misunderstanding of what that kingdom truly entails. They had heard Jesus speak of a future reign, and in their eagerness, they jumped to conclusions.
The 'Why Now?' Question
What's striking is the timing. Jesus had just been speaking about His impending suffering and the humility required of His followers. Yet, this request for positions of honor comes right in the midst of that somber revelation. It highlights how easily our desires, even for good things, can distract us from God's immediate path and purpose.
Jesus responds to the request not with a simple 'yes' or 'no,' but with a profound question that redirects their focus from earthly glory to heavenly sacrifice.
Jesus’ response is powerful and immediately shifts the conversation from privilege to participation.
The 'Cup' and the 'Baptism'
Ask a follow-up
Jesus asks if they are able to 'drink the cup' that He will drink and be 'baptized with the baptism' with which He will be baptized. These are not casual metaphors. The 'cup' represents His suffering, His agony, and His impending death. The 'baptism' signifies His immersion in that suffering, the overwhelming experience of God's wrath against sin.
A Misunderstood Kingdom
James and John, full of confidence and perhaps a touch of naivete, declare, 'We are able!' They genuinely believed they could handle whatever Jesus faced. However, as Jesus gently points out, they didn't truly grasp the immense cost and suffering involved in His mission and, by extension, in true discipleship. Their vision of His kingdom was earthly and glorious; His was a kingdom established through self-sacrifice and suffering.
Who gets to decide who sits where in God's kingdom? Jesus clarifies His role and the Father's ultimate authority in bestowing honor.
Jesus’ final response to James and John is crucial for understanding divine authority and our place within it.
The Father's Prerogative
When the sons, despite their earlier boldness, express their desire to sit at Jesus’ right and left hands in His kingdom, Jesus states, 'it is not mine to give, except to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.' This isn't Jesus abdicating responsibility; rather, it's an affirmation of the Father's sovereign plan and His ultimate authority in assigning positions within the heavenly kingdom.
A Call to Humility and Trust
Jesus came to fulfill His Father's will. While He has the authority to give these positions, He does so in perfect alignment with the Father’s eternal purposes and preparations. This teaches us a vital lesson: true honor in God's kingdom isn't about demanding positions or outmaneuvering others. It’s about fulfilling our calling, embracing the suffering that comes with it, and trusting the Father’s perfect timing and distribution of rewards.
Understand the original words
proskynousa · Greek Verb
A posture of deep reverence, submission, and worship, acknowledging the superior authority, deity, or sovereignty of the one being approached.
This request from Salome and her sons, coming right after Jesus' third prediction of his suffering and death, highlights the disciples' persistent misunderstanding of Jesus' kingdom. Their ambition for earthly honor starkly contrasts with Jesus' focus on sacrificial service and suffering, a theme that would profoundly shape their lives and ministries.
c. AD 28
Jesus Calls James and John
Jesus calls James and John, sons of Zebedee, to be his disciples. They immediately leave their fishing business to follow him, demonstrating a strong initial commitment.
c. AD 29
Disciples Argue About Greatness
Disciples, including James and John, argue about who is the greatest among them. Jesus uses this as an opportunity to teach humility and service, stating the first will be last and the last first.
c. AD 30
Jesus Foretells His Suffering
Jesus again predicts his impending suffering, death, and resurrection. This teaching is fresh in the disciples' minds when the mother of James and John makes her request.
c. AD 30— this verse
Mother of Zebedee's Sons Makes Request
Salome, the mother of James and John, approaches Jesus with her sons. She kneels and asks Jesus to grant her sons prominent positions in his future kingdom, one at his right hand and the other at his left.
c. AD 30
Jesus Explains True Authority
Jesus rebukes the request, explaining that his kingdom operates differently from worldly kingdoms. He emphasizes that positions of honor are not His to grant but are for those prepared by the Father, and that true greatness comes through serving others.
c. AD 33
James Martyred
James, one of Zebedee's sons, becomes the first apostle to be martyred, killed by the sword under King Herod Agrippa.
c. AD 95
John Exiled to Patmos
John, the other son of Zebedee, is exiled to the island of Patmos for his faith, where he receives and records the visions of the Book of Revelation.
This passage presents the same request, but from the perspective of James and John themselves, showing their direct involvement and ambition.
Luke 22:24This verse highlights a similar spirit of rivalry and desire for prominence among the disciples, demonstrating a recurring theme of ambition within the group.
Philippians 2:3This passage offers a direct contrast, urging believers not to be self-seeking or ambitious for status, but to humbly consider others better than themselves.
1 Peter 5:6This verse provides counsel against pride and self-exaltation, encouraging humility and trusting God to exalt believers in due time, countering the disciples' premature ambition.
barnesMatthew 20:20: "Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him."
See also Mark 10:35-45 . Matthew 20:20 Then came to him give mother of Zebedee's children ... - This was probably Salome, Mark 15:40; Mark 16:1. With her sons - The names of these sons were James and John, Mark 10:35 Mark says they came and made the request. That is, they made it, as appears from Matthew, through the medium of their mother; they requested her t…
calvinMatthew 20:20-23: "Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him."
- Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping, [651] and asking something from him. 21. And he said to her, What wilt thou? She saith to him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, one at thy right hand, and the other at the left, in thy kingdom. 22. And Jesus answering said, You know not what you ask. Can you drink the cup…
This seemingly simple act of a mother bringing her sons to Jesus is more layered than it appears. Notice that it's the mother who kneels and asks, suggesting James and John, though present, were too timid or perhaps too ashamed to voice their ambitious request directly, relying on her to present it. This "worshipping" was done with a very specific, earthly agenda, revealing how even close followers could misinterpret Jesus' kingdom.
Just after Jesus predicted his suffering and told a parable about service, James and John, through their mother Salome, boldly asked to hold the highest positions in his future kingdom. This request, made with reverence but revealing ambition and misunderstanding, highlights how even close followers could miss the heart of Jesus' teaching about humility and suffering. Jesus uses their eager but misguided request to further explain the nature of his kingdom and the cost of discipleship.
Just after Jesus predicted his suffering and told a parable about service, James and John, through their mother Salome, boldly asked to hold the highest positions in his future kingdom. This request, made with reverence but revealing ambition and misunderstanding, highlights how even close followers could miss the heart of Jesus' teaching about humility and suffering. Jesus uses their eager but misguided request to further explain the nature of his kingdom and the cost of discipleship.
"Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something." — This seemingly simple act of a mother bringing her sons to Jesus is more layered than it appears. Notice that it's the mother who kneels and asks, suggesting James and John, though present, were to…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026