Christ’s Impending Sufferings.

(Mat. 20:17-28; Mark 10:32-45; Luke 18:31-34).

All three Synoptics narrate concordantly that on the way to Jerusalem, the Lord once again began to speak to His disciples on His forthcoming sufferings, death and Resurrection. The most detailed and animated account is from Saint Mark, having undoubtedly heard about it from the mouth of Apostle Peter. He states that the Lord was marching in front, apparently toward impending voluntary sufferings, thirsting to fulfill God’s will (compare to Luke 12:50). His disciples, imagining in earthly terms and thinking only of Messiah’s earthly glory, “They were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid.”

Having called His 12 disciples aside as apparently there were many people following them, He privately disclosed to them that everything written about Him by the Prophets, would come to pass in Jerusalem. That He will be subject to abuse, will be condemned to death and given over to the heathens i.e. Romans, who after spitting, beating and abusing Him, will crucify Him, while on the third day, He will Resurrect. Saint Luke adds that the disciples did not understand any of this, because “this saying was hidden from them.”

It was then that the mother of the Zebedee brothers, James and John, approached the Lord (and according to Saint Mark, together with them both), with a request — for one to sit on His “right hand” i.e. occupy the second place after the Lord in the unfolding (as they imagined) earthly kingdom of the Messiah. At the same time, the other sit on the “left hand,” occupying the third place. The Lord responded to this request with: “You do not know what you ask.” The Apostles at that time truly did not understand that in asking to be first, meant to be in the forefront of self-denial and martyrdom in the Name of Christ; they thought they were asking for only honors, authority and happiness. That’s why the Lord’s question: “Are you able to drink the cup I drink?” specifically shows that the nearness to Him in His Kingdom, will be determined by the comparison to His sufferings. Sufferings here are presented as a cup, which has to be shared with Christ by those who wish to be close to Him. This presentation is taken from the practices of Eastern kings, who used to send a chalice with poison to those condemned to death. The Son of God is presented as One condemned, to Whom a chalice of death is sent by His Heavenly Father (John 18:11).

“Be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” — conveys the following meaning: enduring sufferings is presented as though a person is immersed and washed in them as though in water. “We can,” answered the Apostles, “in the heat of enthusiasm, not realizing what they had said” (Chrysostom) — saying the same thing what was said by all the disciples, promising to follow the Lord, even unto death. “You will indeed drink My cup”….”even though the promise had not been thought through,” was seemingly, the Lord’s answer, “but indeed in the future (seeing this through His Divine eyes), you will be akin to Me in patience and ordeal,” “but to sit on My right hand and on My left,” i.e. in kingdom of glory that is warring in this world and by-passing the Kingdom of God, “is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared” — this means: “it’s not in My power to grant this to every person that desires this, only to those for whom it has been prepared, those that have earned this through their ordeals.” The other Apostles — apparently through jealousy — became displeased, in case somehow the brothers received what they were seeking. The Lord makes this emphasis to everyone, persuading them not to seek primacy.

In response to their display of ambition, the Lord teaches them that the fundamental rule of morality for the member’s of His Kingdom, as opposed to earthly kingdoms, is humility and selflessness. As an example of this humility and selflessness, the Lord points to Himself to the Apostles: He “did not come to be served”; “but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Instead of “all,” the word “many” is used. All people were spiritually enslaved by the devil and functioned in sin. In order to liberate them, a ransom was needed (in Greek “litron”). The Lord this payment, ransom (“apalitrossi”), the price of His cruciferous sufferings and death.