““What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.””Matthew 20:21 NLT
This woman asked Jesus for a very significant request . To be in places of honor on both sides of Jesus is a big thing , the people who will be on his right and on his left will be the people God has selected to help Jesus judge everyone in the end times . So by asking this she and her sons knew that they would have trials and obstacles in their way such as the bitter cup of suffering mentioned in the next verse
“But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!” Matthew 20:22 NLT
The bitter cup of suffering isn’t an actual drink, it was a metaphor for what Jesus was about to endure . He was asking since they wanted such a big request was they willing to suffer the way Jesus was, Was they going to be able to go through with all the suffering that was about to happen in order to be on his right and his left.
“Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”Matthew 20:23 NLT
After they said yes Jesus went on to tell them that they would indeed drink from his bitter cup, meaning they were going to suffer with him but he also states that he will not be the one choosing who gets to be on his right and left but that his father has already prepared those places .
Like I said before those places were a big responsibility, those 2 people would be helping Jesus judge the unrighteous and the righteous. So it only makes sense that God would personally hand pick those 2 people .
“When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant.” Matthew 20:24 NLT
The word indignant means feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair-treatment.
The reason they felt like this is because there was 12 disciples who all followed and served Jesus yet these 2 seemed to believe they were better than the other 10 and that they should be on Jesus right and left side in the kingdom of heaven so of course they were mad.
“But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world Lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.” Matthew 20:25 NLT
I’m the world then as well as now any one who is a ruler such as a king or a president lord it over their people , meaning they act in a way that shows one thinks one is better or more important than everyone else.
And he also says officials flaunt their authority over those under them , meaning that the officials which are people in power with military or the Roman armies fault that they are better and have more power than any other person in the town ,city ,or kingdom.
“But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.”Matthew 20:26-27 NLT
Jesus is telling them that for example (in my own words) if John wanted to be the leader of the disciples he must be their servant and give and serve them in everything they need, and if he wanted to be First he would have to be their slave , mind you he does has to do all thing willingly and humbly because what would anyone benefit if he did this out of anger or force?
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 NLT
The same way as Jesus is our king and savior Even though he didn’t come here to be served he should have been served , yet he gave his life for us and he served others. he did it out of the kindness of his heart he did it because he wanted to help and serve people, and to show how a leader and king should be . So if anyone of the disciples wished to be the leader or first or merely an ounce better than the rest, then that person must be willing to serve and give humbly and sincerely with their heart to the other 11 disciples.
This was a beautiful passage because it shows that even if we have more power or authority over someone else we should flaunt around acting as if we are better than them in anyway. Instead we should help, serve, and be willing to give to that person no matter who they are weather they are a unfamiliar homeless person or a family member who is having a hard time we should give , help , and serve them willingly, sincerely, and wholeheartedly from the bottom of our hearts with out feeling we are more superior than them. Jesus was a king and yet he served and helped people who didn’t have enough to feed their families, people who had awful diseases. He even gave his life to help everyone including us even tho we are far beneath him and his status for he was and IS the Son of God and our one true King and Messiah