THE SON OF MAN CAME TO SERVE

Passage: Matthew 20:17-28

Key verse: 28

NIV

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time(A)

17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem,(B) and the Son of Man(C) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.(D) They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged(E) and crucified.(F) On the third day(G) he will be raised to life!”(H)

A Mother’s Request(I)

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons(J) came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,(K) asked a favor of him.

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”(L)

22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup(M) I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup,(N) but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant(O) with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(P) 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man(Q) did not come to be served, but to serve,(R) and to give his life as a ransom(S) for many.”

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Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

17 (A)And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, (B)we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will (C)condemn him to death 19 and (D)deliver him over to the Gentiles (E)to be mocked and flogged and (F)crucified, and he will be raised on (G)the third day.”

A Mother's Request

20 (H)Then (I)the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and (J)kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine (K)are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, (L)in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, (M)“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able (N)to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, (O)“You will drink (P)my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, (Q)but it is for those for whom it has been (R)prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, (S)“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles (T)lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 (U)It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,[a] 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,[b] 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but (V)to serve, and (W)to give his life as a ransom for (X)many.”

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 20:26 Greek diakonos
  2. Matthew 20:27 Or bondservant, or servant (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Jesus predicts his death (17-19)

Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. He taught his disciples again that he must suffer, die and be raised to life. This is why he came. His death and resurrection is the good news that saves us from sin and brings us from death to life.

2. A mother's request (2

-28)

The mother of James and John asked Jesus to give her sons the highest places in his coming kingdom. James and John--and the others, too--didn't understand the nature of Jesus' messiahship, or the nature of true greatness. They all thought that to be great was to be like Caesar. Jesus taught them about true greatness. The one who serves others, not the one who lords it over others is truly great. Jesus lived as a humble servant and died as a ransom sacrifice to save sinners. He is truly great. Those who drink his cup by sharing in his suffering are also great.

Prayer: Lord, help me to learn Jesus' loving, serving heart and life so that I may have true greatness.

One Word: He gave his life for me