Get Ready
Who is the most important or most famous person you have met? What were the circumstances of the meeting? Who else was present? How did you feel about the situation? What did you say to the other person? What did they say to you? How do you describe the meeting to others?
The Word
10 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 baptized with the baptism that I am baptized 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 baptized, you will be baptized; 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.”
The healing of blind Bartimaeus
46 They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” 50 So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.”
52 Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way. NRSV
Get into the Word
1. In this section, who approaches Jesus? What do they ask of him? How does Jesus respond to their request? What does he ask them? What do they say? How does Jesus answer them?
2. How do the other disciples react to all this? How does Jesus deal with this situation? What does he say about service? About being first? How might you have reacted if you had been present?
3. Where does Jesus go next? What happens on the road? What does the man ask of Jesus? Why do you suppose he made this request? How does the crowd react to this situation? How well does this work?
4. How does Jesus respond to the man? What does the man ask Jesus to do? How does Jesus answer the man? How does he respond to Jesus’ action?
Get Personal
How do you feel when other people praise you for helping or serving them? How does this affect your relationship with them? How does God help you understand serving him? Serving other people?
Notes . . .
(Cross-references to Matthew and Luke are given in brackets)
10:35-45. James’ and John’s request — Matthew reports that James’ and John’s mother asks for the positions of honor. He also omits Jesus’ reference to his “baptism of suffering.” The rest of the incident is almost identical to Mark, [Matt 20:20-28].
Luke does not include this incident.
10:37. Your glory — James and John are still thinking Jesus is about to establish an earthly kingdom and they want high places in it. The other disciples are just as greedy [v. 41].
10:38. Cup . . . baptism — Jesus is actually using two Old Testament symbols of judgement and suffering.
10:43. Great . . . servant —Luke puts a similar speech after the disciples’ argument about who is the greatest at the Last Supper, but he adds: You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel [Luke 22:27-30].
John includes similar comments after Jesus washes the disciples’ feet: since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master. Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them. You know these things — now do them! That is the path of blessing,
[John 13:13-17].
10:46-52. The healing of blind Bartimaeus — Matthew tells of two blind men (without naming them) shouting at Jesus. Jesus feels sorry for them and touches their eyes to heal them and they follow him, [Matt 20:29-34].
Luke’s version is closer to Mark’s with a single blind beggar, but Luke does not name him either, [Luke 18:35-43].
Luke follows this healing with the story of Jesus and Zaccheus, the tax collector who climbed a tree to see Jesus and ended up hosting him for dinner that night. He also repented and gave his money to the poor and to those he had defrauded, [Luke 19:1-10].
Luke also includes the parable of ten pounds (talents) at this point: A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and said, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.’ He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.’ Then the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made five pounds.’ He said to him, ‘And you, rule over five cities.’ Then the other came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.’ He said to the bystanders, ‘Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’ (And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds!’) ‘I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away, [Luke 22:22-26].
Memory Verse
For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many,” [Mark 10:45]
Next Lesson
Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem — Mark 11
