Jesus’ Kingdom

James; and John’s Request

Matthew 20:20–28 ESV

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will drink my cup, 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.” And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:35–45 ESV

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Luke 9:51–56 ESV

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.

A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, Volume 3 (ii) Sources

(ii) Sources

There are three facts more than consistent with the priority of Mk 10:35–45 over Mt 20:20–8.1 (i) The prophecy of baptism appears only in Mark. Omission by Matthew is understandable: commentators have long struggled with Mark’s words. (ii) ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός μου (v. 23) is Matthean redaction. Its addition is natural: Mark’s ἡτοίμασται cries out for an addition (cf. Mark’s textual tradition). A postulated omission is less natural. (iii) Whereas Jesus addresses the mother of the sons of Zebedee in v. 21, he addresses the sons themselves in v. 22. The sudden shift is a sign of the imperfect editing of Mark.2

Separating Sheep from Goats

Separating Sheep from Goats

Matthew 25:31–46 ESV

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Jesus on the cross

Luke 23:32–34 ESV

Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

luk

Luke 23:39–43 ESV

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Jesus’ Kingdom = Paradise

The “Son of God”

Solomon

1 Chronicles 22:8–10 ESV

But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’

David’s Son

Matthew 22:41–46 ESV

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet” ’? If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Matthew 22:41–45. From Mk 12:35–37a

41–45. From Mk 12:35–37a

(M) 41. And when the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying.] Mk. has: “And Jesus answered and said, as He taught in the temple.” For the emphasis on the Pharisees, cf. on v. 35. The collocation of συνήχθησαν, v. 34, with περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, v. 42, suggests that very possibly the Evangelist had in mind Ps 2:2.

(M) 42. What think ye about the Messiah? Whose Son is He? They say to Him, David’s.] Mk. has: “How say the scribes that the Messiah is David’s Son?”—τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ] cf. on 17:25. For λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, cf. 19:7, 21:31, 22:21.

(M) 43. He saith to them, How then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord, saying?] Mk. has: “David himself in the Holy Spirit said.”—ἐν πνεύματι] i.e. by divine inspiration. Cf. “David said in the Holy Spirit,” Schir ha-Schirim 21 (Wünsche, p. 54), and see Bacher, Exeget. Termin. ii. 202.

(M) 44. The Lord said to My Lord, Sit at My right hand until I place Thy enemies underneath Thy feet.] So Mk. That is to say, “there is a Psalm of David in which the writer speaks of the Messiah as Lord.” It is assumed that the Psalm is Davidic, and that it deals with the Messiah. The reference is to Ps 110:1. Both Mt. and Mk. differ from the LXX. in omitting the article before κύριος, and in substituting ὑποκάτω for ὑποπόδιον.

(M) 45. If, therefore, David calls Him Lord, how is He His Son? Mk. has: “David himself calls Him Lord, and whence is He His Son?” Christ here raises a difficulty which He does not solve. If the Messiah is David’s Son, how is it that David, speaking by divine inspiration, ascribes to Him a divine title and divine prerogatives? The solution suggested, though not expressed, is that the Messiah is not only Son of David, but Son of God. See Dalm. Words, pp. 285 f.

(M) 46. And no one could answer Him a word, nor did any one dare from that day to question Him any further.] Mk. has: “And no one any further dared to question Him.”

Mark 12:34–37 ESV

And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.

Luke 20:41–44 ESV

But he said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is David’s son? For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”