Can you Drink the Cup?

Matt. 20:20-23 NRSV

“Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 

While we all want what’s best for children Salome took it a little farther. But a part of this was keeping herself elevated. In that patriarchal society if her sons were elevated, she would be elevated. Jesus asked, “Can you drink the cup I’m going to drink?”  Now that was clue to back off, to rethink what they were asking. But no, they answered yes. And Jesus said, “oh you will.” And they did. 

To drink the cup was not only about servanthood, but to  participate in the suffering. “Cup” is an Old Testament metaphor for “suffering.” Although the Sons of Thunder, James and John greatly helped to spread the gospel, James was martyred by the hands of Herod Agrippa, and John, the one who cared for Mary, was exiled to isle of Patmos.

The question, “Can you drink the cup?” Is loaded. We must be careful how we respond. Too often people want the power and glory they see, but don’t realize the pain and suffering it took to get there. Each of you - someone has looked at where you are and envied that. But they don’t know what it took to get there. They don’t know the time, the sacrifices, the lonely moments.  But you do.  None of us have a clue of what Jesus went through in his time on earth, but he did - for us. 

Yes, we too have a cup. We can’t be so brash to think that we can drink from his cup, but from  the one he has given us, in order to achieve our mission on this journey. enough for now