NOTES for Mat 20:22

Jesus is going to Jerusalem, where His Kingdom is to be realized in fullness. And the disciples are ready, as those close to Him, to share with Him the glory due Him: they are ready to recline beside Him at the meal, first performing a ritual washing with Him, and to drink from His royal cup. But He stops them: they have no idea into what depth He must be immersed and what cup He must drink. These lines of the Gospel were written not only to describe the obtuseness and ambitions of the apostles. They were addressed, and are addressed now, to new disciples of Christ who in exactly the same way are ready to share with Him the promised triumph, but do not want to remember that the Kingdom of God is realized in service and self-sacrifice. The Son of God came into this world to serve. Why did we come here?