James and John the sons of Zebedee.
James and John the sons of Zebedee.
As we mentioned yesterday James and John were part of the three closest disciples to Jesus with Peter. All three were from the same hometown, Capernaum. All three were fishermen.
I have covered James and John in other BQTT posts. Here is one of my favorites.
https://bharper504.blogspot.com/2018/08/matthew-422-csb-immediately-they-left.html?m=1
James and John have had their troubles while following Jesus.
“Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached Him with her sons. She knelt down to ask Him for something.
“What do you want? ” He asked her.
“Promise,” she said to Him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and the other on Your left, in Your kingdom.”
But Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?”
“We are able,” they said to Him.
He told them, “You will indeed drink My cup. But to sit at My right and left is not Mine to give; instead, it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”
When the 10 disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers.”
Matthew 20:20-24 HCSB
James and John, maybe promoted by their mother, wanted to sit at the first and second most prominent seats in Jesus’ kingdom.
“Jesus said to them, “I assure you: In the Messianic Age, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.”
“Around that throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones sat 24 elders dressed in white clothes, with gold crowns on their heads.”
James and John are sitting on thrones but they a part of a circle of 24 elders judging the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 tribes that are the Gentiles (I don’t know if there are 12 Gentile tribes).
James and John wanting to sit at Jesus' right and left caused jealousy in the other 10. Judas may have said, I keep the money I should be there too. Peter may have said I get to go on all the important missions. Simon the zealot may have said I lead the security division of this rag-tag group I should be there. But Jesus reminded them:
“But Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and the men of high position exercise power over them. It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must 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.”
Matthew 20:25-28 HCSB
The life of a Christian is not to be lived trying to get ahead and pushing others out of the way to get there, but rather a life of service for this is why Jesus came to live among us. This is the reason why I am starting in Mark, to show how to be a servant among the Christians and pre-Christians.
James and John would learn this later but for now, they are the sons of Zebedee who just left their father’s business to follow Jesus.
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