David Anguish
If we understand their history and human nature, we know why they did it. They were part of the inner circle, two of the three within the twelve (Mark 9:2ff.). Their social standing was probably better. Their father had hired servants (Mark 1:20) and at least one of them had connections with the high priest (John 18:15). They would have shared common ideas about the Messiah, "yearn[ing] for the promised deliverer of the house of David who would free them from the yoke of the hated foreign usurper, . . . and would establish His own reign of peace and justice in its place" (Jewish Encyclopedia, 8:508). The surprise is not that they would ask such a thing, but that it took them so long to ask it.
So James and John ask. Or rather demand. "'Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.' And He said to them, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' They said to Him, 'Grant [or give, imperative] that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory'" (Mark 10:35-37, NASB).
As he often did, Jesus asked before he answered. "Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" They were sure they were. They knew that to share another's cup was to share his fate and that to be immersed with another was to be submerged into the same experience. Since they were so sure that Jesus' experience and fate would be nothing less than glorious, the two would-be cabinet members had no qualms in assuring Jesus that they could, in fact, do what it took. Who wouldn't?
Jesus knew they would share his real fate, and told them so, along with what such sharing would mean. Places in his kingdom are not about power and exercising authority (v 42). No, "whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all" (vv 43-44). Such was the nature of the Son himself. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (v 45).
The word "serve" in v 45 is diakone_. As we have seen, it was a word which stood for the very opposite of what people of that day expected when they thought about success. As did James and John, people then - whether Jew or Greek - saw success in terms of power, prestige, and influence. Nor did Jesus merely question their views. Rather, he turned the precious equilibrium that makes the world work on its head. Real success is measured in terms of menial service, grunt work, submission of one's life to the point of giving it up for others.
It's really no surprise that diakonia is the word which comes to be used throughout the New Testament as the definition of Christian ministry, including the word we know as "deacon." How could a word so identified with Jesus be any less important? He is the world's greatest deacon, the exemplar of true service, hence true success. To really follow him is to resist the world's views and live down to his serving standard.
Unfortunately, it is too easy to be like the other ten apostles. Hearing of their cohorts's bold grab for power, they "began to feel indignant with James and John" (v 41). Because they had grasped the concept of diakonia? Hardly. They were just mad the brothers got there first. And so it often is today. Serving is a teaching sorely needed - when it's someone else we think needs to serve more. But then Jesus' words confront us. "Whoever" - that means me as well as you - "whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all."
Are we willing to share his cup?