- The natural human concern with status and importance is clearly one of the most fundamental instinct which must be unlearned by those who belong to God’s kingdom.
- Whether the mother herself misguided by pride in her sons, made the request or from the personal ambition of the two disciples, the request was made with the brother’s full consent.
- This story is also an indication that there were people other than the twelve travelling with the Lord during his ministry. The mother of the sons of Zebedee will be named among the women at the cross) 27: 56), and is presented there as one of ‘many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after him (27: 55)
- The place on the king’s right is traditionally that of highest honour and authority, but where two people are concerned that on the left is necessarily also included without any sense of inferiority (2 Kgs 22: 19). But true nature of Jesus’ kingship is such that they are ready to be crucified along with him one on the right and the other on the left.
- Servant here means to be subservient, dependent on the master, owned, lacking any self-determination, at the mercy of their owner, expected to obey, powerless, with few legal rights, beaten, alienated from any legitimated social existence, without honour, despised by the elite etc.
Many a times we are utilitarian in our approach. Our relationships, our dealings, our membership in the Church and other institutions have ulterior motive. ‘What will I get out of it?’ The moment we get what we wanted we just ignore the people as if we had nothing to do with them. Even for following Jesus there could be wrong motives. If we keep only our personal salvation or personal sanctification as the central focus we could be actually using Jesus for our benefit. We need to develop communitarian approach in our dealings. We ought to respect people for what they are not for what they have.
Reference
The Gospel of Matthew – R.T France
Matthew and the Margins – Warren Carter
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