Suffering and Service for the Son of Man

Michael Gao | Apr 07, 2024

Scripture: Matthew 20:17-33

The Third Prediction of His Death

17 While going up to Jerusalem,(A) Jesus took the twelve disciples aside privately and said to them on the way, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death.(B) 19 They will hand him over to the Gentiles(C) to be mocked, flogged,[a] and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised.”[b]

Suffering and Service

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached him with her sons.(D) She knelt down to ask him for something.(E) 21 “What do you want?” he asked her.

“Promise,”[c] she said to him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your kingdom.”(F)

22 Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?”[d](G)

“We are able,” they said to him.

23 He told them, “You will indeed drink my cup,[e] but to sit at my right and left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”(H)

24 When the ten disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. 26 It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(I) 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,(J) and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(K)

Two Blind Men Healed

29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him.(L) 30 There were two blind men sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd demanded that they keep quiet, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” (M)

32 Jesus stopped, called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”

33 “Lord,” they said to him, “open our eyes.”

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Footnotes

  1. 20:19 Or scourged
  2. 20:19 Other mss read will rise again
  3. 20:21 Lit Say
  4. 20:22 Other mss add and (or) to be baptized with the baptism which I am baptized?”
  5. 20:23 Other mss add and be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.

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