On the Right or Left

 

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK

ON THE RIGHT OR LEFT

Mark 10:35-40

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." 36 "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. 37 They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." 38 "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"  39 "We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared." 

NIV

This is somewhat a strange request by James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Matthew records that their mother was the one who made this request. This would not be out of place in the sense there were women among the group, even just when it was the twelve traveling with him. Women were there, perhaps doing the cooking, or darning a torn garment, or as in some cases anointing Jesus with perfume, or sitting at his feet, such as Mary did, while Martha was preparing a meal. Some women may have been of substance who gave to the ministry. Nevertheless, this request was strange in itself. To sit at the right and left of Jesus when he came in his glory. What did they understand was his glory? Were they still thinking he was going to set up an earthy kingdom? Were they thinking about his being in heaven and they wanted to die alongside him and thus sit with at his sides in the heavenly kingdom? We cannot be sure just what they were thinking as we are not told other than this request. The response of Jesus tells us that they will indeed follow him in death, and even be crucified. All the disciples except for John died some horrible death for the sake of the gospel. So then what Jesus said about them both drinking the cup he drank and being baptized with the baptism he was may not be referring to their kind of deaths, but they're being raised from the dead into enteral life. He will offer them a cup to drink from, the one he drank from at the dinner they would have later in that upper room. They would also be baptized with the same Spirit Jesus was baptized with at the Jordon when he was with John the Baptist. Of course, our scholars of old may make more of this than we have, but we are always not in agreement with their assessment of things, for they are but men as we are. However, this right side and left side of Jesus and the fact he said that was not for him to grant, for those places belong to those whom they have been prepared. Some would say this implies that Jesus does not have the authority to give rewards yet that is not the case. Jesus will be given all authority to judge all men, and all will receive their due reward. What may well be the meaning here is that when Jesus sits upon his throne in Heaven and all men will stand before him to receive their reward, He will divide the people, the goats on his left and the sheep on his right. There are the right and the left sides of Jesus which have been prepared as promised. The difference is that those on the left will not remain there, for they will be cast into the lake of burning sulfur, while those on the right will enter into his peace, and will remain with Jesus for all eternity. Jesus was right, as always, in that the places on his left and right belong to those for whom they have been prepared.