Mark

By Joyce Webb 2023

Chapter 10     Verses 32-45

Verse 32,33 Jesus and his disciples were traveling to Jerusalem.
He began to tell them what things would happen to him, soon.

He said that he would be taken before the Jewish leaders—the chief (highest) priests, and the scribes (men who copied the scriptures onto the scrolls).

Jesus said that they would blame him and say he was guilty and he should die.

They would take him to the Gentile rulers (Roman leaders). They would mock (make fun of him) and beat him and spit on him. They would kill him.

And on the 3rd day, he would come alive again.

(Can you imagine what the disciples thought when they heard this?

They had been following Jesus for almost 3 years. They listened to his teaching, saw him do miracles, saw him raise up dead people.

Now he says he was going to be taken by the leaders and killed.
And that he would come alive again !!

We know from reading all of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) that even though Jesus told them several times that those things would happen to him—–they could not believe it to be true.)

Verse 35 Two of the disciples—-James and John (the sons of Zebedee) came to Jesus to ask him to do something for them.

Verse 36 Jesus said, What do you want me to do?

Verse 37 They said, Let us sit with you—one on your right, one on your left—when you come in your glory.

(The disciples all thought that Jesus would be a king. They wanted to be leaders in his kingdom. They were asking to sit next to Jesus when he was on his throne.)

Verse 38 Jesus said, You do not understand what you are asking for.

Can you “drink from the cup of what I drink from” or be “baptized with what I will be baptized with” ?

Verse 39 They said, Yes, we can.

Jesus said, It may be true that you will “drink of the same cup” and be “baptized the same”, but it is not for me to say who will sit on my right or left. It will be given to the person who has been chosen for that place.

(James and John—are thinking like the other men—that Jesus will become an earthly king. They want to be given important leadership places in his kingdom.

Jesus knows that he will not be a king on earth at this time.

Jesus knows that he will be killed and die like a criminal.

Some day —a long time in the future—- Jesus will return to earth and then he will be King over all the earth.

The people who will rule with Jesus then—-will be people– God the Father has chosen to be worthy to be leaders.

When Jesus speaks of the “cup” he will drink and the “baptism”—he is talking about what is soon to happen to him.

The “cup” he will drink will be pain, blame, sorrow, death.

The disciples have no idea about this now.       Later, they will understand.

And later, they will go through things that people do to them—for preaching about Jesus—they will suffer pain, blame, sorrow, and death.)

Verse. 41 When the other disciples heard what James and John asked of Jesus —they did not like it.

Why should James and John be special leaders more than the rest of them?

Verse 42 Jesus tells them how they should be thinking.

He said, The Gentile leaders who rule over you—have leaders—some have higher authority than others—some are lower in authority.

Verse 43 This is not the way you disciples are to be leaders.

Whoever will be thought of to be “great” among you—-will be the person who serves others and ministers to them.

Verse 44 Whoever will be the “greatest” must be the servant of all.

Verse 45 Even I, The Son of Man, did not come into this world to have others minister to me. I came to minister unto them.

( The word “minister” means to serve. To help others, to do things for them that they need.)
The Son of Man came to give his life as a “ransom” to save others.

A “ransom” is money paid to let another person go free.

Because of sin —a person’s life was to be given up—they were to die—-for their sin.
Jesus said he would give his life—instead of them giving their life.

Jesus said he would die to pay for the sin. Then they could go free and not have to die for their sin.

That is what the “gospel” is all about. The word “gospel” means “good news”. It is “good news” that we do not have to die eternally in hell for our sin.

Jesus died for us. We get to go free from death in hell. We get to go to heaven and live forever.