Matthew 20:22 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Mark hath the same, Mark 10:38,39. Our Saviour gently reproves them for their unadvised petition, and again minds them, that he was first to suffer, and then to enter into his glory, and that by much tribulation they also must enter into the kingdom of God; which was a thing fitter for their present thoughts, than sitting at his right hand and left hand, for we must suffer with him, if we will be glorified together, Romans 8:17. How ready are we to ask we know not what! Are ye able to drink of the cup, & c.: the sense is, Are you able to suffer what I am to suffer? Hereby our Saviour intimates that those who are the freest and greatest sufferers for Christ shall have the greatest rewards from him. Christ here expresses his sufferings under the notion of drinking of a cup, and being baptized with a baptism. A cup is an ordinary metaphor in holy writ, by which a man's portion in this life is expressed, whether it be a portion of good things or evil, Psalms 11:6 Isaiah 51:17 Jeremiah 25:15 Lamentations 4:21 Matthew 26:39, 3 John 18:11. Drinking of a cup is usually put for suffering, Jeremiah 49:12 Ezekiel 23:32 Obadiah 1:16. The metaphor being, as some think, taken from a custom in some nations, to put malefactors to death by giving them a cup of poison to drink; or, as others think, from the lewd custom, at competitions to force men to drink off their cups. To be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with hath the same import: see Luke 12:50. Afflictions are ordinarily compared in Scripture to waters: to be baptized, is to be dipped in water; metaphorically, to be plunged in afflictions. I am, saith Christ, to be baptized with blood, overwhelmed with sufferings and afflictions; are you able to be so? They say unto him, We are able. This was as rashly spoken as the other. How little do we know our own strength! When Christ was apprehended, they all forsook him and fled, Matthew 26:56.