“Strange Command”

Matthew 20: 21b: “[The mother of James and John said to Jesus]’Command that in Your Kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and one on your left.’” Think about it: if Jesus gives a command based on the command that the mother of His disciples gave to Him, who is really giving the command? What’s behind this? If the disciples argued among themselves about who was the greatest, surely their mothers (or mothers-in-law, in Peter’s case) did the same. Even today, this is the context of far too many church “discussions”, which end in sheep commanding their shepherd to give the commands they as sheep deem proper and suitable. Oddly, we call it prayer....