The Gospel of Matthew
Servant of All: Mt 20,17-28
The Fate of Jesus: 20,17-19
The passage opens with two references to Jerusalem, mentioned in 16,21 as the place of destiny. In 19,1, Jesus finally left Galilee as we saw. Now Jesus and his disciples are definitely on their way up to Jerusalem. The next stop will be Jericho, 20,29.
Compared with the other two predictions, this is the most detailed. We are told specifically that Jesus will be "mocked and scourged and crucified". The Passion is described in three words.
As with the other predictions, Jesus "will be raised on the third day" - the passive indicating that it is God who will raise Jesus. Mark has instead "after three days" (Mk 10,34)
I gave you a string of references to link this prediction to the account of the passion and resurrection:
- 26,57: arrested
- 26,66: condemned
- 27,2: handed over to the Gentiles
- 27.26-30: scourged and mocked
- 27, 31-35: crucified
- 28,1-10: raised from the dead
Return so that we can continue to the second part of the reading, verses 20-28.
The Zebedee Request: 20,20-28
Matthew's major alteration to Mark is to introduce the mother. She now makes the request on behalf of her two boys. As we have seen, Matthew is kinder to the disciples than Mark so introducing their mother softens the impact of their request. That this intervention is quite artificial is that she immediately fades from the scene. From verse 22 Jesus replies directly to the disciples.
"Then" at the beginning of verse 20 indicates that this is a follow up to the prediction just given. We saw in chapter 17 how Matthew inserted a story about taxation into Mark's account between the prediction and the disciples' question about who is the greatest. Here Matthew makes the point immediately after the prediction and even here he brings in an intermediary. The underlying premise is that stated by St Paul: we must share his sufferings if we are to share his glory (Rm 8,17).
The cup anticipates Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane "let this cup pass from me" (26,39). It is the cup of suffering as used a number of times in the Old Testament. Thus Jeremiah "take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath" (Jer 25,15) or "you who have drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath" (Is 51,17).
The disciples may reply "We can" but when it comes to the point in Gethsemane, all they will do is sleep (26,36-46).
In the end, Jesus defers to his Father, verse 23. The throne of his glory must first be the throne of the cross, with criminals crucified to right and left of Jesus (27,38).
The disciples of course are envious of the sons of Zebedee (20,24). They are thinking in terms of greatness in this world.
In verse 25, Jesus therefore uses strong language to express the powers of the lords of this world. By contrast, the leadership he wants which follows his own example is to be a servant of all and a slave of all. That's the only way to true greatness.
In verse 28 therefore Jesus holds himself up as the example who came to serve and not to be served. Matthew has made the point more strongly than Mark by changing the verse to begin "even as ..." This means Jesus will freely give his life as a ransom for many. "For many" has caused controversy because of its use in the Mass. It is best understood in an inclusive sense which fits the servant song in Isaiah, Is 53,12. "Ransom" usually means a deliverance with a payment. It's an image which must not taken so far as to ask to whom the payment is made. Ransom is one of a number of ways of expressing our salvation and redemption through the cross.
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