35   And there come near unto him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, saying unto him, Teacher, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall ask of thee.
      36   And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?
      37   And they said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy glory.
      38   But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink? or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
      39   And they said unto him, We are able. And Jesus said unto them, The cup that I drink ye shall drink; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
      40   But to sit on my right hand or on my left hand is not mine to give; but it is for them for whom it hath been prepared.
      41   And when the ten heard it, they began to be moved with indignation concerning James and John.
      42   And Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them.
      43   But it is not so among you: but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister;
      44   and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all.
      45   For the Son of man also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Questions and Brief Comments.

Verse 35. The two sons of Zebedee did not come in person at first. See Matt. 20:20, 21.

Verses 36, 37. Did Jesus promise to grant them something before they had told Him what it was? What was their request? What did they mean by this? (See Notes).

Verse 38. If they wanted the highest place and honors in Christ's Kingdom what must they be able to do?

Verse 39. Did they think themselves able? When did one of the two drink the cup? (Acts 12:2).

Verse 40. Even so could the Lord Jesus guarantee them the desired places? Why not? Will somebody obtain that place and honor? Who?

Verse 41. What was there in this to make the ten angry?

Verse 42-44. How is it among the Gentiles? Are the same principles controlling among Christ's followers? How only can anyone become great among them? Who shall be first among them?

Verse 45. For what did the Lord not come? For what did He come? Does the same law hold good for the disciples as for the Lord? How did the Lord Jesus give a ransom for us?

NOTES AND TEACHING-POINTS.

THE REQUEST OF THE SONS OF ZEBEDEE.

      These two men wanted nothing less than the chief places in the kingdom when the Lord would assume His authority and reign. (Notice "in thy kingdom." Matt. 20:21; and "in thy glory," Mark 10:37. Comp. Mark 8:38 and Matt. 25:31). But their conception of the kingdom was both right and wrong. They thought of Christ's kingdom (that is, when He should come in glory to rule and reign) as being similar in nature to human, earthly [153] kingdoms. They were ambitious for the highest place and honor in it. But the principle of that kingdom is not, as in human kingdoms, the lust of power and man's effort at self-exaltation. Its principle is Love. In the kingdom of love he gets the highest place who takes the lowest and carries the heaviest burden for love's sake. Love forgets self and suffers and serves and sacrifices for others. Therefore in asking for the highest places they asked for the bitterest cup, the sharing with the Lord in His deepest sorrow and pain. They professed themselves willing to assume that. (V. 39). But even so it was the Father's prerogative to bestow these honors. Somebody should indeed have those places and honors in that day; but the Lord Jesus could not promise those to the sons of Zebedee.

THE INDIGNATION OF THE TEN.

      "Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you?" says James (4:1)--"come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members?" The whole explanation of all strife is that the selfish interests and desires of men clash one with another. So we see it here. The ten were greatly wrought up at this effort of the sons of Zebedee to get in ahead of them and cut them out of the best places. Here was all the material necessary for the greatest trouble and conflict, such as has often disgraced the church of God. How did the Lord quell the rising difficulty? By showing them how utterly different is the kingdom of God from the kingdom of men--that selfish ambition and lust of glory and power have no place there, nor the desire to rule and exercise authority. In the kingdom of God the humblest and lowliest stands highest, and he who made himself servant of all becomes the chief among them--"even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give himself a ransom for many." He who went lowest on our behalf is King and Lord of all; and the scale of preferments in His kingdom is according to resemblance to this wondrous Pattern.

      The world says, "There's always room at the top."

      The Word says, "There's always room at the bottom."

      Would you be greatest in the Kingdom? Do what no one else wants to do.

      For in Christ Jesus nothing availeth save faith working by love.

      And seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not. For whosoever would seek his life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake the same shall find it.

QUESTIONS FOR CLASS USE.

      The questions along side of the printed text are in this lesson well suited for class use. We omit therefore the special questions at the end of this lesson.

Source: First Lord's Day Lesson of May. Lesson 6. May 6, 1928. Greatness through Service (Mark 10:35-45).