Church Fathers Commentary Mark 10:35-40

"And there come near unto him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, saying unto him, Teacher, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall ask of thee. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? And they said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on [thy] left hand, in thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink? or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We are able. And Jesus said unto them, The cup that I drink ye shall drink; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: but to sit on my right hand or on [my] left hand is not mine to give; but [it is for them] for whom it hath been prepared." — Mark 10:35-40 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: The disciples, hearing Christ speak often of His kingdom, thought that this kingdom was to come before His death. Therefore, now that His death was foretold to them, they came to Him so that they might immediately be made worthy of the kingdom's honors.

This is why it is said, And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.

Ashamed of the human weakness they felt, they took Christ aside from the other disciples. But our Savior, not from ignorance of what they wanted to ask, but from a desire to make them answer Him, puts this question to them: And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?

Theophylact of Ohrid: Now these disciples thought that He was going up to Jerusalem to reign there, and only then to suffer what He had foretold. With these thoughts, they desired to sit on His right hand and on His left.

Therefore, it follows: They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Matthew states that this was said not by the disciples themselves but by their mother, since she brought their request to the Lord. This is why Mark briefly implies that they themselves, rather than their mother, spoke the words. ¹

St. John Chrysostom: Or, we may rightly say that both things happened. For seeing themselves honored above the rest, they thought they could easily obtain their petition. To succeed more easily in their request, they took their mother with them so that they might pray to Christ together with her.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Then the Lord, according to both Mark and Matthew, answered the disciples rather than their mother.

For it continues: But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask.

Theophylact of Ohrid: It will not be as you think, that I am to reign as a temporal king in Jerusalem. Instead, all these things that belong to My kingdom are beyond your understanding, for to sit at My right hand is so great a thing that it surpasses the angelic orders.

The Venerable Bede: Or else, they do not know what they ask, for they seek from the Lord a seat of glory which they do not yet merit.

St. John Chrysostom: Or else He says, Ye know not what ye ask, as if to say: You speak of honors, but I am speaking of struggles and toil, for this is not a time for rewards, but for blood, battles, and dangers.

Therefore He adds, Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized withal?

He draws them on with a question, so that through this exchange with Him, their eagerness might increase.

Theophylact of Ohrid: By the cup and baptism, He means the cross. The cup is like a potion He sweetly received, while baptism is the cause of the cleansing of our sins. They answer Him without understanding what He said, which is why it continues: And they said unto him, We can. They thought He spoke of a visible cup and of the baptism the Jews used, that is, the washings before their meals.

St. John Chrysostom: They answered so quickly because they expected their request would be granted. It continues: And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized. This means you shall be worthy of martyrdom and suffer even as I do.

The Venerable Bede: A question is raised, however, as to how James and John could have drunk the cup of martyrdom or been baptized with the Lord's baptism, when Scripture relates that only the Apostle James was beheaded by Herod, while John finished his life by a natural death.

But if we read the church histories, which record that John was also cast into a cauldron of burning oil for his testimony and then immediately exiled to the island of Patmos, we will see that the spirit of martyrdom was in him. John drank the cup of confession—which the Three Children also drank in the furnace of fire—even though the persecutor did not shed their blood.

It continues: 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.

St. John Chrysostom: Here, two questions are raised. The first is whether a seat at His right hand is prepared for anyone. The second is whether the Lord of all does not have the power to give it to those for whom it is prepared.

To the first question, we say that no one sits at His right hand or on His left, for that throne is inaccessible to any creature. Why then did He say, To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, as though it belonged to some who were to sit there? He was answering the thoughts of those who asked Him, condescending to their level of understanding. They did not know of that lofty throne and seat at the right hand of the Father, but sought only one thing: to possess the chief place and be set above others. Since they had heard that the Apostles were to sit on twelve thrones, they were asking for a place higher than all the rest, not understanding what this truly meant.

To the second question, we must say that such a gift does not transcend the power of the Son of God. What is said by Matthew, it is prepared of my Father (Matthew 20:23), is the same as if it were said, "by Me," which is why Mark does not mention "by My Father" here.

Therefore, what Christ is saying here is this: You will die for Me, but this is not enough to enable you to obtain the highest place. For if another person comes who possesses all other virtues in addition to martyrdom, he will possess much more than you. The chief place is prepared for those whose works enable them to become first. In this way, the Lord instructed them not to trouble themselves vainly and absurdly for high places, while at the same time taking care not to make them sad.

The Venerable Bede: Or else, He means, "It is not mine to give to you," that is, to proud persons, which they still were at that time. It is prepared for others; but if you become other—that is, humble—then it is prepared for you.

1. de Con. Evan., ii, 64