Matthew 20:22-23
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Jesus doesn't just question their readiness for glory; he highlights their fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to follow him. They're asking for positions of honor, but Jesus redirects them to the "cup" and "baptism" – metaphors for suffering and immersion in hardship – implying that true discipleship means sharing in his trials before any reward.
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)
The mother of James and John, urged on by her sons, asks Jesus to grant them places of honor at his right and left hand in his coming kingdom. Jesus responds by questioning their understanding of the request, asking if they can endure the suffering and affliction he is destined to face, which they confidently claim they can.
Jesus asks James and John if they can 'drink the cup' and be 'baptized with His baptism.' What do these powerful metaphors reveal about following Him?
Jesus uses two striking images to challenge the disciples' understanding of greatness:
The Cup of Suffering
'The cup' is a common biblical metaphor for suffering, affliction, or God's judgment. Jesus here refers to the immense personal suffering and sorrow He will endure as He carries out God's plan of salvation. It's the 'bitter cup' of His passion, the weight of the world's sin. When He asks if they can drink it, He's asking if they are prepared for profound personal anguish and sorrow in His service.
The Baptism of Trials
'Baptism' here goes beyond the ritual cleansing. It signifies being overwhelmed, immersed, or engulfed. Jesus' 'baptism' refers to the intense trials, persecutions, and overwhelming difficulties He will face, even to the point of feeling plunged into the deepest waters of affliction. It speaks to the overwhelming nature of the suffering.
When Jesus asks if they can share in these, He's not just asking about outward persecution, but the inner spiritual turmoil and the willingness to be completely immersed in His suffering.
The disciples boldly declare, 'We are able!' But were they truly ready for what they promised?
Jesus' question about the 'cup' and 'baptism' is designed to expose the disciples' profound ignorance.
The Danger of Uninformed Zeal
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The sons of Zebedee, driven by ambition and a desire for honor, make a grand pronouncement: 'We are able!' (Matthew 20:22). They are eager for the glory but have no real understanding of the suffering that precedes it. This reveals a common human tendency: to be enthusiastic about the rewards of faith without fully grasping the cost of discipleship.
Self-Reliance vs. God's Power
Their 'We are able' comes from a place of fleshly confidence, not a reliance on God's strength. They haven't yet experienced the depth of their own weakness or the overwhelming nature of Christ's suffering. Jesus knows this; He's not questioning His own ability to give, but their ability to endure the path He must walk.
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 exchange highlights a crucial moment where Jesus gently corrects his disciples' misunderstanding of his kingdom, shifting their focus from earthly glory to the reality of suffering and service.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus traveled throughout Galilee and Judea, teaching, healing, and gathering disciples, including James and John.
c. AD 27-30
Disciples' Growing Zeal
As Jesus' ministry progressed, his disciples became more invested, yet their understanding of his kingdom and its demands was still developing.
c. AD 30
Journey Towards Jerusalem
Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem for the Passover, a journey filled with anticipation and Jesus' repeated warnings about his impending suffering.
c. AD 30
Jesus Predicts His Suffering
Jesus openly told his disciples that he would be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, who would condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and crucified.
c. AD 30
James and John's Ambition
Shortly after Jesus' third prediction of his suffering, James and John, through their mother, asked to sit at Jesus' right and left hand in his kingdom, revealing a misunderstanding of his mission.
Jesus speaks of a baptism he must undergo, which he also calls a 'cup,' directly paralleling the imagery used in Matthew 20:22 to describe his suffering.
John 18:11Jesus refers to the 'cup' given to him by the Father, emphasizing his submission to God's will in the face of suffering, which is the very cup the disciples claim they can drink.
Romans 8:17This passage highlights that suffering is an integral part of being a co-heir with Christ, underscoring the disciples' initial misunderstanding of what it truly means to share in Christ's glory.
Philippians 3:10Paul expresses a deep desire to know Christ through the fellowship of his sufferings, mirroring the willingness of the disciples to drink his cup, but with a more mature understanding of spiritual conformity.
1 Peter 4:12-13Peter reminds believers not to be surprised by fiery trials, connecting present suffering with future joy and glory, which illuminates the true nature of the 'cup' and 'baptism' Jesus speaks of.
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 question their readiness for glory; he highlights their fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to follow him. They're asking for positions of honor, but Jesus redirects them to the "cup" and "baptism" – metaphors for suffering and immersion in hardship – implying that true discipleship means sharing in his trials before any reward.
The mother of James and John, urged on by her sons, asks Jesus to grant them places of honor at his right and left hand in his coming kingdom. Jesus responds by questioning their understanding of the request, asking if they can endure the suffering and affliction he is destined to face, which they confidently claim they can.
The mother of James and John, urged on by her sons, asks Jesus to grant them places of honor at his right and left hand in his coming kingdom. Jesus responds by questioning their understanding of the request, asking if they can endure the suffering and affliction he is destined to face, which they confidently claim they can.
"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 question their readiness for glory; he highlights their fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to follow him. They're asking for positions of honor, but Jesus redirects them…
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Last reviewed October 2026
