The Request of James & John (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A): Revision Note
Exam code: 8062
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with?” 39 They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptised, you will be baptised; 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
41 When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. 42 So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:35–45)
What was the request of James and John?
After Jesus had made his third Passion prediction, James and John had a request: They asked to sit at his right and left sides in heaven when he returned there
They were trying to show their devotion to Jesus and their faith that he would overcome death and be in glory in heaven
However, they were trying to make themselves the most important of his disciples and position themselves as the closest to him
Jesus responded with a question: “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with?”
This is one of many times when Jesus responded to a question with a question of his own
The “cup” was a sign of something given by God
It is a common description in the Old Testament of the events a person has to go through
Therefore, Jesus was asking the two if they were able to go through the same experiences that he was going to endure
James and John replied that they could
The other disciples were angry at James and John, according to Mark
They did not like the idea that the two wanted to be more important than them
Jesus then taught them all about the importance of serving others
“Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.” (Mark 10:43–44)
Jesus makes it clear that to be “great” in heaven, you must be a “servant” and even a “slave” on earth
It is those who are humble on earth who are considered great and rewarded in heaven
Jesus was soon to demonstrate this himself through his death
Suffering and discipleship
By asking the disciples if they were prepared to go through what he was going to go through, Jesus was preparing them for his death
He wanted them to be ready for his sacrifice, even though they did not yet understand fully what he was going to go through
In fact, many of the disciples went through the same: They suffered and even became martyrs
Jesus wanted his disciples to be unselfish and to focus on helping others instead of trying to glorify themselves
Christians today try to follow this teaching
Many people make acts of sacrifice, giving their time, talents and even money to help others
Some do this through careers that help others, e.g. health care or education
Some dedicate their whole lives to service in the Church, for example, as a priest, monk or nun
Worked Example
According to Jesus, what must someone do if they want to be “great” among his followers?
[1 mark]
A. Become rich and powerful
B. Perform many miracles
C. Be a servant to others
D. Sit at his right hand in heaven
Answer:
C. Be a servant to others
Jesus taught that true greatness comes from serving others (Mark 10:43–44).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
This passage is important for understanding what Jesus meant by discipleship. If you are answering any exam question about how a Christian today can show dedication to God, it is important to be able to explain Jesus’s teachings here about service to others.
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