DISCOURSE: 1442
THE AMBITION OF JAMES AND JOHN REPROVED
Mark 10:35-40. And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they say unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
THERE is a fund of instruction in the Scriptures, which the superficial reader entirely overlooks. A thousand little circumstances that are incidentally mentioned in them, serve to confirm each other for the establishment of our faith [Note: This is beautifully illustrated in that masterly work, Paley’s HorζPaulinζ.]; whilst others, that are not mentioned at all, but only supplied by the attentive reader, afford lessons of the greatest importance for the regulation of our conduct. To administer reproof well, is an art exceeding rare and difficult to be attained. When called to attempt it, we in general either pass over the fault so slightly, as to convey no adequate idea of its malignity; or insist upon it so strongly, as to incense, rather than conciliate, the offending person: taking no notice of what we might approve, we are apt to look only at what we disapprove; and to search out occasion for blame, even beyond what the occasion requires. But, instead of this, we should be forward to applaud what is good in the spirit of any person, when we cannot commend the terms in which he speaks; or to put a favourable construction on the terms he uses, when we are constrained to shew our disapprobation of his spirit. Our Lord has set us an example in this respect, which well deserves our imitation. Two of his Disciples, James and John, had come to him with a request, which argued lamentable ignorance and a highly culpable ambition. But how did our Lord correct their folly? Did he expatiate upon their fault, and aggravate it to the uttermost? No: he apparently overlooked it; and annexed to their words a favourable meaning which they were never intended to convey; and then founded on them such instruction as was calculated silently and effectually to counteract the evils of the heart.
In speaking of the request which these Disciples offered to him, we shall notice it,
I. As it was intended by them—
Whether the idea originated with them or their mother, we do not know: perhaps the Disciples, conscious of the unreasonableness of their desires, had engaged the good offices of their mother, to veil their own ambition: or, possibly, the mother, anxious for the aggrandisement of her family, had urged on her sons to unite in the request: but at all events it is evident, that they hoped by their joint influence certainly to prevail.
Notwithstanding all that our Lord had just said about his sufferings and death, his Disciples still expected that he would establish a temporal kingdom. Though he had spoken of his being crucified, yet, as he had talked also of “rising again the third day,” they conceived, that he spoke only of some transient trials, which would issue in a complete triumph over all his enemies. They remembered that promise which he had very recently given them, that they should at a future period “sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel [Note: Matthew 19:28.];” and they concluded, that it must relate to some temporal dominion. Emboldened by this, they presumed to ask that they might be invested with the two highest places of dignity and power in his kingdom. Not a thought did they bestow on his sufferings, though described in such awful terms: nothing found any place in their minds, but a hope of speedy elevation to the highest honours upon earth. Nor did they affect only a superiority over the world at large, but even above their own brethren also, even above all the other Apostles; so blind were they to their own incompetency for such a post, and so regardless of their own eternal interests. Consider their request in this view:
1. How unsuitable to their talents!
[What qualifications had they for such an office as that which they solicited? They might be experienced enough as fishermen; but what preparation of mind had they for statesmen, and for the government of an extensive empire? Foolish and vain men! Well did our Saviour say to them, “Ye know not what ye ask.”]
2. How repugnant to their best interests!
[They had been called from their wonted employment, in order that they might be at leisure to acquire spiritual knowledge; and would they go and undertake an employment that would fill them with ten thousand times greater cares, even if they were qualified to engage in it? Will a man about to run a race, “load his feet with thick clay?” Yet, notwithstanding their Lord had very recently told them, that it was “easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven [Note: Matthew 19:25-26.],” they sought after wealth and honour as the summit of their felicity. Alas! how awfully had Satan blinded their eyes, and deluded their hearts!]
3. How illustrative of the carnality of the human heart!
[Though only two of the Disciples offered this request, all the others shewed by their indignation that they were under the influence of the same ambition. And indeed what they expressed in words, is more or less the language of all our hearts. We would not perhaps utter the sentiment so plainly as they did; but we will indulge it. We long for some further advancement in life; somewhat more of honour, or power, or wealth. We do not indeed wish to govern kingdoms; because of that we have no prospect: but as soon as any elevation in the world appears to be within our reach, we instantly find a drawing of heart towards it: all, from the prince to the beggar, are thus affected: and even those, who profess themselves to be disciples of Christ, are still infected with this fatal malady, the love of this world: yes, if the desire of our hearts were as plainly expressed as theirs was, we should be found, with very few exceptions, to resemble those infatuated and misguided men.]
Let us now proceed to notice their request,
II.
As it was interpreted by our Lord—
He graciously overlooked the true construction of their words, and affixed a sense to them which they were capable of bearing, and which divested them of a great portion of the evil which they contained: and then he formed his answer, as suited to his own construction of them. He supposed the words to relate to that kingdom which he was really come to establish in the world; and as importing a desire after the highest proficiency in grace, and the highest elevation in glory. In conformity with this idea, he speaks to them only of spiritual advancement, and shews them,
1. The way in which it was to be obtained—
[It is not by a bare request that any person can arrive at eminence in the divine life. The soul is to be disciplined by conflicts, and to be purified by afflictions. Perfect as the Lord Jesus himself was, “he learned obedience by the things which he suffered,” and “was made perfect through sufferings:” and in like manner must all his people be — — — Hence he put the question to them, “Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” As though he had said, ‘You see what bitter trials I endure, that I am overwhelmed even with a sea of troubles [Note: See 1 Corinthians 10:2.];’ and it is ordained that all who will be distinguished either here, or in heaven, must arrive at that distinction by the same path: “they must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of heaven,” and “suffer with me here, if they would be glorified with me in a better world.” This is a solemn and important truth: it has been verified in every age and corner of the world: from righteous Abel to this very hour, every saint has experienced it; and those whose situations have required them to take the lead, have not only borne the brunt of the battle, but frequently have been called to sacrifice their very lives in the cause of Christ. Persecution is a cup which every saint must drink of; and a baptism which every follower of Christ must expect to be baptized with.]
2. The way in which they themselves should obtain it—
[In answer to the question put to them by our Lord, the two Disciples, without any hesitation, affirmed, that they could suffer any extremity for him. But what presumption was this! Still however our blessed Lord would not mark what they said amiss; but, passing over it in silence, told them, that they should all partake of this honour, and be rendered conformable to his image. They had been chosen by him to be his messengers to the world, and to lead others in the way wherein they should go; and therefore it was necessary that they in particular should be patterns of that faith and patience which they were to inculcate upon others. Accordingly, the very first of the Apostles that was put to death for the sake of Christ, was James [Note: Acts 12:2.]: and John was soon imprisoned and beaten for the Gospel’s sake [Note: Acts 5:40.]; and, after a life of many trials, was banished to the Isle of Patmos, where he speaks of himself, at the age of a hundred years, as “a companion in tribulation in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ [Note: Revelation 1:9.]. Thus he most effectually counteracted their ambitious views, by shewing them, that, instead of honours in this world, they must look for nothing but tribulations and persecutions even unto death.]
3. To what persons it should ultimately be given—
[In the last verse of our text, there are words inserted in italics by our translators, in order to supply what they supposed necessary to complete the sense; but there was no occasion for that addition; and, in fact, it obscures, instead of illustrating, the meaning of the passage. Our Lord tells his Disciples, that the chief places in his kingdom were to be disposed of by him, not according to his own mere arbitrary will, but agreeably to a plan concerted from all eternity between his Father and himself; and that they only would possess the highest place for whom that place had been prepared [Note: The word ἀλλὰ is used in the sense of εἰ μὴ. Compare Mark 9:8. with Matthew 17:8.]. His words however admit of two distinct meanings; they may be understood as declaring, that his gift of eternal life is limited by the decrees of God, or that it is regulated by the attainments of men. In either of these views, they contain important instruction. God the Father did, from all eternity, enter into covenant with his Son, and give to him a people, whom he should redeem by his blood, and save by his effectual grace; and on whom he should confer everlasting happiness in heaven. Of these our blessed Lord frequently speaks as of persons given to him by the Father; and he plainly declares elsewhere, that his bestowing of eternal life was limited to them [Note: John 17:2; John 17:24.]. But it is equally true, that the degrees of glory which shall be conferred on different persons will be proportioned to their attainments in grace: it is expressly said, that “every man shall receive according to his own labour [Note: 1 Corinthians 3:8.].” Of course, there are higher degrees of glory prepared for those who labour and suffer much for their Lord, and lower degrees for those who are less diligent. The parables of the pounds and of the talents are decisive upon this point. In this sense of the words, our Lord’s reply appears to be more pertinent than in the other; for then the import of them will be to this effect: ‘Do not be looking for earthly honour, but for the honour that cometh of God; and be as ambitious for that as you will: only remember, that the degrees of it which you shall obtain, depend upon your own exertions for the attainment of it: engage heartily in my service, and expect assuredly at my hands a reward proportioned to your diligence and fidelity.’ This is an encouraging consideration to every one of us: the cup we may have to drink of may be bitter at the time; but it shall soon be exchanged for a far different cup, which we shall drink of to all eternity: and though we go through a sea of troubles now, our augmented weight of glory shall abundantly compensate for all the sorrows we have endured.]
Let us learn then from hence,
1.
What we are to desire—
[If we will hear a Prophet, he says, “Seekest thou great things unto thyself? seek them not [Note: Jeremiah 45:5.].” If we will attend to an Apostle, he says, “Set your affections on things above, and not on things on the earth [Note: Colossians 3:2.].” Let us attend to these instructions, and “count all things but loss, that we may win Christ” — — —]
2. What we are to expect—
[If we look for honour and acceptance with man, we shall be disappointed. Which of the Prophets, which of the Apostles, was not an object of hatred and persecution to an ungodly world? Who are we then, that we should expect different treatment from them? Let us bear in mind, that “all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution:” and let us be content to bear our cross, in order that we may hereafter receive a crown — — —]
3. What we are to do—
[God has appointed to every one of us our work: let us be diligent in the performance of it: “whatsoever our hand findeth to do, let us do it with all our might.” But let us be especially careful of the rock which these presumptuous Disciples split upon. When our Lord asked them whether they could “drink of his cup, and be baptized with his baptism,” they confidently answered that they could. And how justly they estimated their own powers, they soon shewed, when, upon our Lord’s apprehension in the garden, they all forsook him and fled. Thus will it be with us, if we attempt to do any thing in our own strength: we shall soon find that “we have not of ourselves a sufficiency even to think a good thought,” much less to do and suffer all the will of God. Our Lord tells us, that “without Him we can do nothing.” Let us remember then, that, whilst we engage in his service, we must derive all our strength from him. If we look to him, we need not fear either men or devils: we may set at nought all the menaces of our most inveterate enemies: a fiery furnace, or a den of lions, need be no object of terror to us; for “our strength shall be according to our day;” and we shall be “enabled both to do ail things,” and “to suffer all things, through Christ who strengthened us.”]