Commentary - Matthew 20:20-28

Bird's-eye view

In this passage, we see the disciples still thoroughly tangled up in worldly ways of thinking. Jesus has just finished His third and most detailed prophecy of His coming passion in Jerusalem, and the very next thing that happens is a mother lobbying for her sons to get the chief seats in the kingdom. This is not just a faux pas; it is a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of Christ's kingdom. Jesus uses this awkward moment to teach one of the most revolutionary principles of His kingdom: true greatness is not found in being served, but in serving. The way up is down. He contrasts the domineering power structures of the Gentile world with the humble, sacrificial service that must characterize His followers, culminating in the ultimate example of His own life, given as "a ransom for many."

Outline

Context In Matthew

This episode occurs on the road to Jerusalem, immediately following Jesus' stark prediction of His betrayal, condemnation, mocking, scourging, and crucifixion (Matt 20:17-19). The disciples' inability to grasp the necessity of the cross is on full display here. Their minds are still filled with visions of an earthly, political kingdom where positions of power are to be handed out. This incident serves as a crucial corrective, forcing them to confront the profound difference between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of men. It sets the stage for the final week in Jerusalem, where Jesus will perfectly model the servant leadership He describes here.

A Request for Status

Matthew 20:20

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Him with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him.

The petitioner here is Salome, the wife of Zebedee and mother of James and John. She comes with her boys in tow, which tells you this was a coordinated family effort. She approaches Jesus with the proper external posture of worship, bowing down before Him. She recognizes His authority. But the request that follows shows that while her knees are bent, her heart is still aiming for earthly glory. This is a picture of much of our own worship. We come to God with outward reverence, but our petitions are often attempts to leverage His power for our own carnal ambitions. She wants something, and she is trying to get the King to sign off on it.

Matthew 20:21

And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.”

Jesus, knowing her heart, asks her to state her business plainly. Her request is breathtaking in its audacity. She is not asking for a minor favor. The positions at the right and left hand of a king are the highest places of honor, power, and authority. She is asking for her sons to be co-regents, the prime ministers of the coming kingdom. She wants Jesus to make a binding, royal decree. This reveals how thoroughly the disciples had misunderstood Jesus' mission. They heard "kingdom," and they thought of thrones, crowns, and political clout, not a bloody cross and an empty tomb.

Matthew 20:22

But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.”

Jesus' response is a gentle but firm rebuke. "You are out of your depth. You have no idea what is involved." He then turns to the sons, because this was their ambition as much as their mother's. He reframes the issue of glory entirely. The path to a throne in His kingdom runs straight through suffering. The "cup" in the Old Testament is a frequent symbol of God's wrath against sin (Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17). Jesus is asking them, "Are you prepared to endure the outpouring of divine judgment that I am about to absorb?" Their answer, "We are able," is spoken from a position of profound ignorance. It is the easy bravado of men who have not yet counted the cost. They think they are signing up for glory, but Jesus is telling them the entrance fee is agony.

Matthew 20:23

He said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”

Jesus makes two things clear. First, He prophesies that they will indeed share in His suffering. And they did. James was the first of the apostles to be martyred, beheaded by Herod (Acts 12:2). John endured a long life of persecution and exile on Patmos. They would drink the cup of suffering, though not the cup of wrath in the atoning sense that Christ drank it. Second, Jesus subordinates His own authority to the Father's sovereign plan. The honors of the kingdom are not spoils to be handed out to the most aggressive lobbyists. They are appointed by the Father from before the foundation of the world. This is a sharp rebuke to any who think they can manipulate their way into spiritual prominence. God's honors are gifts of His grace, distributed according to His perfect and unchangeable will.

Matthew 20:24

And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers.

The reaction of the other ten disciples is telling. They were not indignant because James and John had a sinful, worldly ambition. They were indignant because James and John had tried to get ahead of them in the queue. Their anger was fueled by the exact same sin: a jealous desire for preeminence. It was the indignation of competitors who felt that someone else had tried to cheat. This shows that the disease of pride had infected the entire group. They were all jockeying for position, and this clumsy move by the Zebedee family simply brought it all out into the open.

Matthew 20:25-26

But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,

Jesus gathers all twelve for a foundational lesson in kingdom leadership. He starts by pointing to the world's model, the Gentile way. Their rulers "lord it over" their subjects. Their great men "exercise authority." This is power from the top down. It is coercive, domineering, and self-serving. It is about being big and making others feel small. Then Jesus draws a sharp, absolute contrast: "It is not this way among you." He completely inverts the pyramid of power. In His kingdom, the desire to be great is not sinful in itself, but it must be pursued through a radically different path. If you want to be great, you must become a servant (diakonos). The way up is to go down. Greatness is measured not by how many serve you, but by how many you serve.

Matthew 20:27-28

and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Jesus intensifies the requirement. To be first, you must be a slave (doulos), the lowest and most menial position in society. A slave has no rights, no agenda of his own. His life is entirely for the benefit of his master. This is the paradoxical secret to being first in the kingdom of heaven. And then He provides the ultimate foundation and example for this principle: Himself. The "Son of Man," a title of messianic authority from Daniel 7, did not come to establish a Gentile-style court with people waiting on Him hand and foot. He came to serve. And the apex of that service was to "give His life a ransom for many." The word "ransom" (lutron) is a substitutionary term. It means to pay a price to purchase someone's freedom from slavery or captivity. Christ's death was the payment that bought us back from our slavery to sin and death. His ultimate act of service was His atoning sacrifice. This is the gospel. True greatness is not just being helpful; it is sacrificial, redemptive service that lays down its life for others, just as Christ did for us.

Application

The temptation to seek status, honor, and position is as alive in the church today as it was on the road to Jerusalem. We still have our own versions of Salome's request, maneuvering for influence, recognition, and the chief seats in the assembly. This passage is a direct assault on that entire mindset. Jesus redefines greatness for us. It has nothing to do with titles, positions, or power in the worldly sense. It has everything to do with humble, sacrificial service.

The world's model of leadership is about climbing a ladder and getting others to serve your vision. Christ's model is about descending the ladder to wash the feet of others. This is the fundamental difference between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of man. Are we building our lives, our families, and our churches on the Gentile model of domination, or on the Son of Man's model of the ransom? The cross is the ultimate pattern for all Christian leadership. It is in giving our lives away in service to God and others that we find true greatness, true honor, and true joy.