Breaking the Word

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My cup you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left (, this) is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mt 20:20-28)

The mother of James and John asked Jesus for places of importance for her sons. She wanted one to be on his right (place of honour, respect, importance etc) and the other to be on his left (place of affection, love etc). The mother was not just for the places (physical). She was for the relevance of those places. She wanted her sons to be in places of honour and respect and affection and love and esteem.

Jesus’ reply to the mother was unexpected. The mother was thinking in social context but Jesus wanted them to think in terms of the kingdom. In the kingdom there is only God and his plans, will and decision. Man cannot think of deciding in the kingdom. In the kingdom man can only live and live by following the example of Jesus: drink the cup that he was to drink.

Followers of Jesus are to build the kingdom. Kingdom is not built by exercising authority over others or by feeling jealous of the others. Authority will only show one above the other. In the kingdom it is not so. Jealousy will only prove that one is better than the other or one is preferred to the other. In the kingdom all are equal. In the kingdom there are preferences; no first and the last; no one above the other etc. In the kingdom there is only service when we come to talk of relationship among the disciples.

"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. "Do you understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes." And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old." (Mt 13:44-52)

The truths about the kingdom of heaven are mysteries. They are revealed through parables. Though they are mysteries yet they are not unimaginable. They are not beyond our grasps. They can be imagined and communicated through stories and realities of this world. They are like seeds sown in the fields; they are like mustard seeds; they are like leaven etc.

Another truth about the kingdom is that it is like a treasure. Treasures are always hidden and that is why they ate reassures. They are buried. They are not easily visible and available. Anyone who wants to possess this treasure will not make it known to everyone until he buys it. He will be ready to sacrifice anything and everything to possess the kingdom. Kingdom is a treasure that demands sacrifice.

Yet another truth about the kingdom is that it is like fishing net that hauls all sorts of fish. There are varieties of fish and there are also good ones and bad ones. Good fish and bad fish live together and they are hauled in to the same net (kingdom). It is at the end of times that they are separated. No net hauls only good fish. Kingdom is not the place of only good people. Kingdom will also have evil ones. But it is at the end of times that they are separated.