Jesus teaches that those who are greatest in his community are the ones who serve others, not the ones who are served by others. In the midst of hearing Jesus say he is the Messiah, this mother and her sons are thinking about how to use the situation to their advantage to get power and status. They are ignoring that Jesus said he is also about to be executed. Instead, they have heard Jesus say to ask for whatever you want and it will be granted. And this is what they want... to be powerful in the Messiah's community...
Matthew 20:20-28 20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. 21 And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." 22 But Jesus answered, "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." 23 He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." 24 When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 26 It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."
What these three don't understand is that those who are closest to Jesus are not those who the world gives power to... not the ones voted into office... not the rock stars or the football heroes... not the ones most admired. The ones who sit closest to Jesus are the ones who have a servant's heart. The kind of heart that will endure the worst persecution in Jesus' name. The institutional structures of the world (including politics, government, and even the church) are nothing like the power structures in the Messiah's community. The greatest in the Messiah's community are the ones who willing accept the role of slave... the ones willing to give up their lives for others.
Jesus declares here again, that he will die and that his life will be given as a ransom for many. This is the ultimate example of how we are to live.
Do we ignore Jesus' teaching that as his followers, our goal is to be like slaves? How can we be slaves to each other? to our enemies? to those we don't like? to those who don't treat us well? Having a servant's heart furthers the Kingdom of God. Demanding our own preferences and well being harms the Kingdom of God.
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