But they said to him: We can. And Jesus saith to them: You shall indeed drink of the chalice that I drink of; and with the baptism wherewith I am baptized you shall be baptized.
οι δε ειπον αυτω δυναμεθα ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτοις το μεν ποτηριον ο εγω πινω πιεσθε και το βαπτισμα ο εγω βαπτιζομαι βαπτισθησεσθε
8 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The disciples, lacking comprehension of the Lord’s message, pledge their loyalty, mistakenly believing He refers to a physical cup and the ritual washing practiced by the Jews before meals. He responds, saying, “You will partake in the experience of martyrdom and lay down your lives for the truth…”
When they realized that this position must be earned through righteous deeds, the Lord spoke further, saying, "If you understand that this place is to be obtained by works, it is possible that some may have performed greater acts than you. He who surpasses all others through his actions and is chosen in the Father’s judgment, for him that place has been prepared." Therefore, since they approached Him seeking to gain that position without the necessity of works, relying solely on election, the Lord turned them away and indicated that He had no authority in the matter, aiming not to discourage them, just as it is written, “Of... the hour... no one knows” (cf. Matt. 24:36). “It is not for you,” He says, “to know the times or the seasons” (cf. Acts 1:7).
The request of the sons of Zebedee was presented by the Lord to His followers as the reward bestowed upon the most valiant in the spiritual battle fought for Him. "And He will reveal," He says, "the intentions of the heart, and... each of us will be commended by God" (cf. 1 Cor. 4:5).
No request could have been more unsettling to the current disposition of the God-Man, who was preoccupied with His impending suffering. The only possible justification for the actions of James and John may be their misunderstanding of His foretelling and their desire to remain close to their Lord. This was likely motivated not solely by affection but also by a deep-seated fear of being distanced from Him during His moment of glory. The Lord’s response serves as a powerful example of His graciousness as He corrected the significant misconceptions of His followers. Rather than chastising them, He replied gently, saying, "You do not know what you are asking.
Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink, or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" Here, the Lord sought to guide His disciples away from fixating on the reward due to the faithful and instead to focus on the means through which such a reward is attained. The disciples responded, likely driven more by a desire to achieve their request and demonstrate their worthiness than by a true understanding of the necessity of suffering for glory, as indicated in Matthew 20:22. At that time, they lacked a clear comprehension of the cup and baptism to which He alluded, but the Master, perceiving their hearts, anticipated that their words, though spoken with limited understanding, would come to fruition. Indeed, the sons of Zebedee would eventually share in His sufferings, and thus, in prophetic spirit, He declared: "You will drink my cup, and with the baptism I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." This concluded their exchange. Clearly, the Lord intended to impart essential teachings to the sons of Zebedee, yet He did so with gentleness rather than the severity their request warranted. They were to understand that in the critical matter of establishing God's Kingdom on earth, personal desires or favoritism held no weight; instead, it was governed by divine law and justice. Their Lord and Master could not bestow any favor without their inherent ability and merit. Ultimately, they were to realize that even regarding that matter, they did not truly understand what they were requesting.
The apostles consented to endure similar trials and death, and the God-Man affirmed this, as evidenced by the events that unfolded; for Herod executed James with a sword, and John faced death in prison under Domitian's orders. Yet Christ stated, "Know ye not that those thrones at my right hand and on my left hand, that is, that preferential glory, is not mine to give" — meaning that it does not fall within my righteous authority to bestow such glory upon you, as you may assume, merely because you are my followers or friends. This kind of honor is not granted through mere friendship or pretense, but reserved for those whose virtuous excellence merits it. As the holy Matthias expressed, “But to them it is prepared from My Father” (Matthew 20:23).
However, do not interpret this, like the Arians, as the Son revealing His inferiority to the Father; for elsewhere He proclaimed, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). When He spoke this way, He did so as a man. For as God, He prepared a kingdom for the righteous alongside the Father and the Spirit from the dawn of creation (Matthew 25:24); but as man, He possessed the authority to judge and to prepare the kingdom and glory, not by His own will, but through God the Father. Thus, He also declared, “Unto Me is given all authority in heaven and on earth” (Ch. 28, 18). How did the other ten apostles react upon hearing the request made by James and John and the response from Jesus Christ?
The Lord spoke to them, saying, “You do not understand the request you are making. Had you realized that sitting at the right and left of the Lord during His forthcoming presence in Jerusalem implied enduring suffering alongside Him on a painful cross, you would have refrained from asking such a thing.” He then questioned, “Are you able to drink from the cup that I am about to drink (Matt. 26:39, 42), or to be baptized with the baptism that I am to receive?” James and John, lacking insight into the full significance of the Lord's figurative words but eager for Him to grant their request, answered, “We are able.” Foreseeing that the sons of Zebedee would indeed be equipped to share in His tribulations, the Lord acknowledged the truth of their response.
However, regarding their specific request, He replied, “To grant that they sit at My right hand and at My left is not for Me to determine, but for those whom My Father has prepared.” God the Father entrusted the Son with life in Himself and bestowed upon Him authority to judge; the Son raises to life whom He chooses (John 5:21-22, 26-27). Therefore, the allocation of rewards in the kingdom of the Messiah is entrusted to Christ, who operates in alignment with the Father's will (John 5:19-20, 30). In this instance, however, the Lord had to withhold this honor; fulfilling the request of Zebedee's sons would have stirred resentment among the other apostles, who were already displeased with the ambitious aspirations of their peers (Matt. 20:24, Mark 10:41). To deny the petition outright would also cause offense to the brothers. As a result, the Lord provided an ambiguous answer. The foundation of James and John's plea stemmed from their belief that Christ held a special affection for them, bringing them closer than the other apostles. Yet, the Lord explained that their greater or lesser honor in eternal life did not rely on His personal feelings towards each one, but rather on what had been prepared for them by the Father. With the Father, each person’s fate was determined by their own deeds.
The passionate ‘sons of thunder’ responded affirmatively to Jesus’ challenging inquiry; indeed, we can. Aware that the apostles would one day endure suffering for His honor, thus making it possible for them to partake in the cup of affliction and experience the baptism of blood, Jesus spoke prophetically to James and John: ‘The cup that I drink you shall drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized you shall be baptized (Mark 10:39). Nevertheless, the privilege of sitting at my right hand or left is not mine to grant but belongs to my Father: to whom it has been designated by my Father.’ No man, regardless of his piety, can sit beside Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in His Kingdom or His Glory, which equates to sharing in His divinity.
Why did Jesus not address James and John in this manner? Why did He not dismiss their unrealistic ambition outright? According to John Chrysostom, Jesus chose not to do so in order to inspire His disciples to ground their aspirations for salvation and honor in genuine good deeds rather than relying merely on their status as chosen apostles. By responding in this way, He tailored His answer to align with the understanding of those questioning Him, gently accommodating their limitations.
Christ addressed their self-centeredness and misconceptions with gentleness. In their lack of insight, they sought a position that would soon be filled, as they would witness, in humiliation and anguish by two thieves crucified alongside Him. Their minds envisioned twelve thrones, while He conversed with them about three crosses. They aspired to earthly diadems, but He spoke of a cup of suffering and a baptism of pain. Could they share in this cup with Him, or undergo this baptism? Perhaps, with a deeper comprehension of His message, they replied confidently, “We can.” He then affirmed that they would indeed have to prove their claim, but emphasized that only those designated by the Father in heaven would have the honor of sitting at His right and left.
The Saviour responded gently, saying, "I am uncertain about what I am asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am drinking and receive the baptism with which I am being baptized?" The metaphor of a cup brimming with wine, as depicted by the ancient prophets, symbolizes the hardships bestowed by God for the growth of His people (Ps. 74:9; Is. 51:17, 22). Moreover, the concept of baptism, previously mentioned by the Lord, alludes to His forthcoming suffering and death (Lk. 12:50). Thus, the cup Christ references is the same one for which He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mt. 26:39), and this baptism signifies, as St.
Philaret of Moscow elucidates, "a baptism in the blood shed on the Cross." The inquiry posed to the sons of Zebedee compelled them to reflect on whether they were prepared to endure the sufferings and the cross of Christ, rather than simply expecting glory. The Lord remarked, "You speak of honor and crowns, but I direct your attention to the trials and efforts that await you: the time for reward has not yet arrived, and My glory is not revealed at this moment; the present is a time marked by death, struggle, and peril" (St. John Chrysostom).
Events to follow indicated how unprepared the disciples were to share in the cup and baptism of the Divine Redeemer (Mk. 14:50). Still, "in the fervor of their zeal," as the holy father notes, consumed by a desire to respond affirmatively, James and John declared, "We can," unaware of the implications of their words. The Omniscient One understood that this response, given without full awareness, would ultimately find its fulfillment. Consequently, He foretold both apostles the destinies that awaited them, while clarifying that heavenly rewards are given to those who endure until the end (Matt. 24:13) and triumph over all trials (Rev. 3:21). "The cup I drink, I drink; and the baptism I receive, I receive; but to sit at My right hand or at My left is not Mine to grant - that privilege is reserved by My Father." It is not for me, a righteous judge, to bestow such honor out of mere affection without merit; otherwise, I would cease to be just. This type of honor is designated only for those who strive diligently (Blessed Theophylact). As Venerable Isidore Pelusiot emphasizes, I cannot bestow such gifts simply upon request, nor can I reward those who do not labor for them.
Heavenly rewards are intended for all who have faith and express their belief through good works. These will be allocated at the Last Judgment by Christ the King in accordance with the Father's will, who has entrusted the Son with all judgment (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:22). As St. Basil the Great states, "It is up to those receiving the reward to be deemed worthy to sit at the right hand of the Lord, not the one who can bestow it, even if the request is unwarranted." Sitting at the right hand of the ineffable majesty of God, as it is said of the Lord seated at God's right (Mk. 16:19), according to St. John Chrysostom, is accessible to no one; this includes not only humans, such as saints and apostles, but also angels, archangels, and all higher powers. The Church visually represents the architecture of salvation in icons, where the Most Holy Mother of God, as Queen, and St. John the Baptist, the greatest of all prophets, stand at the right hand of the Throne of God’s Majesty.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 23 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS