Matthew 20:22-23
Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus doesn't just ask if they can handle suffering; he highlights their utter ignorance of what they're even asking for, equating their ambition for glory with a complete misunderstanding of his mission. Their confident "We are able" reveals a fleshly presumption, completely unaware of the profound, agonizing "cup" of divine wrath and suffering He is about to drink for the world.
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James and John confidently claim they can handle whatever Jesus asks. But Jesus asks them a question that reveals their profound misunderstanding of what true discipleship entails.
Jesus uses two powerful metaphors here: the 'cup' and 'baptism.'
The Cup of Affliction
In the ancient world, a cup often represented one's allotted portion, whether good or bad. For Jesus, this cup is filled with immense suffering—the weight of sin, rejection, and the agony of the cross. He asks if James and John can 'drink' this cup, meaning can they endure the profound sorrow and spiritual anguish that will come.
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The Baptism of Overwhelming Trouble
The 'baptism' Jesus refers to is not the gentle washing of water, but a 'being plunged into' or 'overwhelmed by' a torrent of tribulation. It signifies being completely submerged in suffering, facing dangers that threaten to drown them. It’s a baptism of intense persecution and hardship, mirroring the overwhelming trials Jesus Himself would face.
Both terms point to a shared experience of intense suffering that is integral to following Jesus, not an optional extra.
James and John's request for the highest seats seems bold, but Jesus’ response reveals a deeper issue: they don't truly grasp what they are asking for.
Jesus’ gentle but firm “You do not know what you are asking” cuts through the brothers’ ambition. Their request reveals a significant blind spot:
Misunderstanding the Kingdom
They imagined a political kingdom, where earthly positions of power and prestige would be granted. They saw Jesus as a conquering king who would immediately establish His glorious reign, and they wanted the VIP seats. They failed to grasp that His kingdom's advancement comes through suffering and sacrifice, not earthly pomp.
Ignorance of the Cost
They were unaware of the immense personal cost of true discipleship. The 'cup' and 'baptism' Jesus spoke of were realities of His own future suffering, a suffering they claimed they could share without understanding its depth. Their confidence stemmed from ignorance, not from a true understanding of what it meant to follow a suffering Messiah.
Understand the original words
potērion · Greek Noun
A metaphorical reference to divine judgment, suffering, or destiny. In the context of Jesus' ministry, it refers specifically to the intensity of the suffering, abandonment, and wrath He would endure on the cross as the substitute for His people.
patēr · Greek Noun
The first person of the Trinity, the Creator and sustainer of all things, who possesses ultimate sovereign authority to determine the roles and positions within the kingdom of heaven according to His eternal counsel.
This moment occurs as Jesus and His disciples are on their way to Jerusalem, a journey that will culminate in His passion. The disciples' request reflects a common misunderstanding of Jesus's kingdom, seeing it as an earthly, political power rather than a spiritual reality achieved through suffering.
c. AD 28
Jesus begins public ministry
Jesus's ministry gains momentum, attracting followers and disciples, including James and John, who begin to witness His power and anticipate His kingdom.
c. AD 28-30
Disciples' growing expectation of the Kingdom
As Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God and demonstrates His authority, the disciples increasingly expect a political and earthly reign, leading to ambitions for high status.
c. AD 30— this verse
Mother of Zebedee's sons makes request
The mother of James and John approaches Jesus, likely prompted by her sons, to ask that they be granted the highest positions in His coming kingdom.
c. AD 30
Jesus defines the cost of discipleship
Jesus responds by asking if they can 'drink the cup' and be 'baptized' with His sufferings, subtly revealing that His kingdom involves suffering and sacrifice, not just glory.
c. AD 30
Disciples affirm readiness for suffering
James and John confidently assert their ability to endure Jesus's sufferings, revealing their naive understanding of the depth of His passion and the true nature of His kingdom.
c. AD 30
Jesus corrects their understanding of authority
Jesus clarifies that His kingdom's honors are not His to give but belong to those prepared by the Father, emphasizing that true greatness comes through humble service, not ambition.
Jesus expresses his own anticipation of a 'baptism' of suffering, directly linking the concept to his impending passion and aligning with the disciples' bold, yet ignorant, claims in Matthew 20:22.
John 18:11Jesus refers to the 'cup' given to him by the Father, which he must drink. This passage provides a direct parallel to the 'cup' Jesus speaks of in Matthew 20:22, emphasizing its divine appointment and bitter nature.
Romans 8:17This verse explains that if believers are children of God, they are heirs and fellow heirs with Christ, but also that they will share in his sufferings to be glorified with him, offering a theological framework for the disciples' challenge in Matthew 20:22.
Philippians 3:10Paul expresses a deep desire to 'know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.' This reflects a mature understanding of the 'cup' and 'baptism' that the Zebedee brothers initially misunderstood.
1 Peter 4:12-13Peter encourages believers not to be surprised by the fiery trial they face, but to rejoice as they share in the sufferings of Christ, providing a later perspective on the reality of the 'cup' Jesus mentioned.
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…
henryMatthew 20:20-28: "Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him."
20:20-28 The sons of Zebedee abused what Christ said to comfort the disciples. Some cannot have comforts but they turn them to a wrong purpose. Pride is a sin that most easily besets us; it is sinful ambition to outdo others in pomp and grandeur. To put down the vanity and ambition of their request, Christ leads them to the thoughts of their sufferings. It i…
Jesus doesn't just ask if they can handle suffering; he highlights their utter ignorance of what they're even asking for, equating their ambition for glory with a complete misunderstanding of his mission. Their confident "We are able" reveals a fleshly presumption, completely unaware of the profound, agonizing "cup" of divine wrath and suffering He is about to drink for the world.
{ "references": [ { "reference": "Matthew 26:39", "connection": "This passage shows Jesus grappling with the 'cup' He is to drink, directly connecting to the suffering He is about to endure and the disciples' inability to fully comprehend its weight." }, { "reference": "Mark 10:38-39", "connection": "This parallel account in Mark shows James and John themselves making the request and Jesus posing the same challenging questions about drinking His cup and being baptized with His baptism, highlighting their earnest but naive confidence." }, { "reference": "Luke 12:50", "connection": "Jesus speaks of His 'baptism' in a way that clearly signifies His suffering and death, reinforcing the metaphorical language He uses with the disciples about sharing in His trials." }, { "reference": "John 18:11", "connection": "Jesus refers to the 'cup' He is to drink in the Garden of Gethsemane, explicitly linking the concept to His impending suffering and submission to the Father's will." }, { "reference": "Romans 8:17", "connection": "This passage teaches that if we are children of God, we are heirs with Christ, and that 'if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him,' directly mirroring Jesus' challenge to the disciples about sharing in His suffering to share in His glory." } ] }
{ "references": [ { "reference": "Matthew 26:39", "connection": "This passage shows Jesus grappling with the 'cup' He is to drink, directly connecting to the suffering He is about to endure and the disciples' inability to fully comprehend its weight." }, { "reference": "Mark 10:38-39", "connection": "This parallel account in Mark shows James and John themselves making the request and Jesus posing the same challenging questions about drinking His cup and being baptized with His baptism, highlighting their earnest but naive confidence." }, { "reference": "Luke 12:50", "connection": "Jesus speaks of His 'baptism' in a way that clearly signifies His suffering and death, reinforcing the metaphorical language He uses with the disciples about sharing in His trials." }, { "reference": "John 18:11", "connection": "Jesus refers to the 'cup' He is to drink in the Garden of Gethsemane, explicitly linking the concept to His impending suffering and submission to the Father's will." }, { "reference": "Romans 8:17", "connection": "This passage teaches that if we are children of God, we are heirs with Christ, and that 'if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him,' directly mirroring Jesus' challenge to the disciples about sharing in His suffering to share in His glory." } ] }
"Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to gr…" — Jesus doesn't just ask if they can handle suffering; he highlights their utter ignorance of what they're even asking for, equating their ambition for glory with a complete misunderstanding of his mis…
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