The Complete Sayings of Jesus

Jesus Tells of Imminent Betrayal, Death, Resurrection — The Mother of James and John Voices their Ambition — "The Chiefest Shall be Servant."

A.D. 30. Age 33 Perea.

Matthew 20, 17-28: Mark 10, 32-45: Luke 18, 31-34.

JESUS going up to Jerusalem took again the disciples apart in the way, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed and delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and he shall be spitefully entreated and spitted on; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles. They shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify and kill him: and the third day he shall rise again. And all the things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. They (the twelve) understood none of this saying; neither knew they the things which were spoken.

Then came unto Jesus the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, desiring a certain thing of him.¹ He said unto her, What wilt thou? And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? She saith, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in glory in thy kingdom. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they say, We can. Jesus answered, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, the cup that I drink of: and with the baptism that I am baptized withal ye shall be baptized: but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. The ten were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them to him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them; ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all: let him be your servant, even as the Son of man: for even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Footnotes:

¹Thus Matthew. Mark puts the plea into the mouths of the sons themselves. The two accounts are: Matthew 20, 20-28: Mark 10, 35-45.