Mark 10:39, commentary and pictures

The cup and the baptism mean sharing Christ's suffering in trials, humiliation, self-denial, sacrifice and death in His mission. James and John confidently answered that they were able while asking for the highest places in glory, without understanding what sharing His glory would cost. Jesus foretold that they would indeed drink of His cup and be baptized with His baptism, which James fulfilled when put to death by the sword and John fulfilled through a long life of toil, reproach and persecution. Their request reproves pride and ambition for position, for greatness is not exercising lordship like the Gentiles but becoming minister and servant of all, since even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and give His life a ransom for many. All His followers pledge the same by denying self, taking up the cross and following Him, for the cross comes before the crown and only those who thus share His humiliation and sacrifice prove themselves fit to share His glory.

Words and Setting

The cup and the baptism mean sharing Christ's suffering in His mission, including trials, agony, humiliation, self-denial, infinite sacrifice, shedding of blood, enduring the cross and despising the shame, and death itself, whose joy and glory is to see souls saved. They point to the trials and death He was about to endure, and to the baptism of suffering and trial His followers must undergo for following Him. Jesus Himself accepted that bitter cup in Gethsemane in submission to His Father's will, knowing it could not pass from Him if He was to save the world, choosing to drink it at the cost of His own life. He accepted a baptism of blood, willingly suffering the consequences of sin and giving Himself as the propitiation for a sinful race, so that perishing people may receive everlasting life.

The saying belongs to His prediction of His betrayal, suffering, death and resurrection. The disciples did not understand His words because they expected God's kingdom to be established soon, so His prediction of suffering seemed vague to them. In that setting James and John asked for the highest places in His glory and confidently answered that they could drink His cup and be baptized with His baptism, expressing willingness to prove their loyalty through suffering. They did so without understanding what the baptism signified or what sharing His glory would cost, not yet grasping the agony and sacrifice involved in His mission.

Their confident claim meant sharing His supreme sorrow and suffering in His agony, betrayal and death. Their failure in Gethsemane to watch even one hour while He wrestled alone exposed their self-confidence and weakness before that test, for they yielded to sleep when the prospect of His suffering and death came before them. If asked then they would no longer have dared to claim ability, and would not have answered so readily. Jesus met their weakness with pity and sympathy rather than stern rebuke, fearing they could not bear the test of witnessing His betrayal and death. He warned them of the test they must undergo and urged them to watch and pray against temptation, because the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

Sitting on His right hand and left was not His to give to them for asking, but will be given to those for whom it is prepared by the Father. Their willingness to accept suffering did not give them authority to choose places of honor, for those places were prepared for others and honor in God's kingdom is not decided by reputation, talent, skill, professional standing or human approval. Their request stirred jealousy and argument among the disciples over who was greatest, when they should have learned humility rather than competing for rank.

Promise to James and John

Jesus told James and John that they would indeed drink of His cup and be baptized with His baptism, meaning that they too would suffer for following Him. The cup and the baptism signify the agony and sacrifice involved in His mission, the trials and death He was about to endure, even infinite sacrifice, humiliation, agony, shedding of blood, and enduring the cross and despising the shame. That suffering is the price of sharing His glory, whose joy and glory is to see souls saved, yet when they asked for places of honor they did not yet understand what the baptism signified or what their prayer would cost. Their willingness to accept this suffering did not give them authority to choose places of honor in His kingdom, for sitting on His right hand and left was not His to give for their asking but will be given to those for whom it is prepared by the Father. Honor in God's kingdom is not decided by reputation, talent, skill, professional standing, or human approval.

James fulfilled this prediction when he was imprisoned and summoned to execution, dying by the sword, and his death was the suffering Jesus had spoken of. He had agreed with John to share the suffering Jesus described as drinking His cup and undergoing His baptism, expressing confident willingness to prove loyalty through suffering. When imprisoned and put to death he understood those words about the cup and baptism more fully. His execution fulfilled the warning that following Christ could mean suffering and death.

John likewise fulfilled the foretelling through a long life of toil, reproach, and persecution as Christ's follower.

Sharing Christ's Suffering Today

The request for the highest places stands as a rebuke to pride and ambition, for greatness in Christ's kingdom is not exercising lordship and authority over others as the Gentiles do. True greatness is becoming minister and servant of all in close following of Christ's life and example, for even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many. Willingness to drink His cup does not give authority to choose places of honor, for sitting on His right hand and left is not His to give to those who ask but will be given to those for whom it is prepared by the Father. That desire for worldly honor was contrary to following Christ and is an error not to be imitated.

Honor in God's kingdom is not decided by reputation, talent, skill, professional standing, ability, or human approval, but is prepared by the Father. The disciples should have learned humility rather than competing for rank and stirring jealousy and argument over who was greatest. The cross must not be pushed aside for worldly advancement or status or for seeking worldly dignity and honors.

Sharing Christ's glory requires first bearing hardship in His service, for the cross comes before the crown. Those who ask for the highest place must wear His yoke and carry His burdens and daily learn His meekness and lowliness. Great spiritual blessings such as the baptism of the Holy Spirit are given only on God's stated conditions, after the heavenly Father first tries whether people can live without dishonoring Him.

All Christ's followers pledge to drink His cup and share His baptism by denying self, taking up the cross and following Him, walking as He walked in suffering, humiliation, self-denial and sacrifice for others' good. His self-sacrificing love must control the spirit and actuate the service. Such endurance is needed before people are prepared to help others in God's work, and it is deepened by going to difficult fields of labor and bearing hardship and reproach, as missionaries do when they do not avoid trial.

This means willingly choosing to be co-workers with God and the heavenly angels to labor for the salvation of mortals around. It follows the suffering Son of God who came to die to save and exalt the fallen race to the throne of God, yet was met with scorn, indignity and at last the cross. Those who are partakers of the heavenly benefit prove it by keeping at work for the unsaved even when efforts bring wounding and rejection, instead of becoming weary and fainting and giving up helping others.

Fitness for the blood-bought inheritance is tested during this probationary life. Those who thus share His humiliation, self-denial, sacrifice, meekness and lowliness of heart prove themselves fit subjects for the family above and for the mansions Christ has gone to prepare. They will share in the glory of the Redeemer and enter into the joy of the Lord with the eternal heavenly reward. Those who are selfish and grasping and eager for gain prove themselves unworthy, unfit and disqualified for any position of trust in the kingdom and courts above.

In the final crisis God's faithful people must share this suffering and endure their appointed trial before deliverance comes, for they are not rescued immediately. They must endure fearful anguish and pass through distress in entire submission to God's will, trusting Him until His appointed time, and this trial is not proof He has abandoned them. Though they stand approved of God and trusting in Him with power and light, they will be surrounded by darkness and rage and appointed to death, crying day and night in deep sense of unworthiness for a way of escape to glorify God's name while angels are held back. They must first endure perplexity and earnest pleading and wrestling for deliverance like Jacob.

In the closing warfare over the law of God, when church and world unite to make that law void, many will see the evidence for truth yet refuse the bitter cup and baptism of suffering. They will refuse because they lack moral courage to brave the consequences. They desire heaven but want it by an easy way, seeking the favors of the world and the favor of Christ together, which is impossible.