Misunderstanding

Matthew 20:20-22a

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking.”

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I'm just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood

"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by The Animals

Leave it to a proud Mama to want the best for her boys. Leave it to Jesus to know that what is best is usually not what is easiest. Jesus knows what is best, there is no doubt about this. Yet it is only Jesus who knows where the best is going to lead all of the apostles.

Mama asks, Mama wants Jesus to say that her boys will sit in the greatest places of honor, at the left and right hand of Jesus in his kingdom. The problem is Mama doesn't know the path the kingdom will follow. Jesus knows, he knows so well that he tells her she doesn't know what she is asking.

Jesus asks James and John if they are able to drink from the cup he is about to drink. They boldly say yes, they are ready to drink from his cup. Again, they don't know the cup he is talking about, so he tells them they don't know what they are asking.

We know that the cup Jesus drinks from he offers to his disciples. The cup is the cup of the new covenant sealed in his blood shed for the forgiveness of sin. The cup is a sign of new life, but life that comes at a great cost, the life of the one who offers it to his disciples. They don't understand the cup he drinks, nor the cup he offers.

The last throne Jesus sits upon on this earth is the cross. There are two other men, one to his left and one to his right. It's quite sure that Mama didn't have this throne nor this kingdom in mind when she asked her sons to be at this left and right hand. She didn't understand the cost of the kingdom either.

Their intentions were good, they just didn't understand.

But as Jesus points out, they will know. They will know the joy of sharing the Good News of the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. They will also know the horror of dying in the name of the Good News of the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. They will absolutely know what it is like to drink from his cup.

Mama didn't understand nor did her sons. The good news is that they came to understand. They came to understand that what they thought was wrong and what was revealed was right, and better. It just wasn't the easiest.