SECTION XIV.

THE DEPARTURE OF JESUS TO JERUSALEM.

(Mark x. 32-45.)

When the Lord and His disciples took their departure for Jerusalem, where death now awaited Him, the contrast between the frame of mind and hopes of His disciples, and the frame of mind in which He Himself, with clear prescience of the future, willingly went to meet His death, appeared in all its strength.

Certainly the hope of the disciples was not altogether an undivided one. When they started on that journey which should conduct to the great decision, and the Lord — calm and firm — walked on before, they were moved by a heavy anxious foreboding; and although they willingly followed the Lord, their fear greatly increased on the road (ἀκολουθοῦντες ἐφοβοῦντο). This state of mind the Lord now sought to clear up; and calling the Twelve around Him, He announced to them more distinctly than ever the sufferings which were before Him. For He could not conduct His followers, without forewarning, into the very midst of His last sufferings: they should, and must now know, in the most explicit manner, what awaited Him in Jerusalem, and must then freely decide whether they would follow Him there. Thus did He act towards them with divine openness and truthfulness.¹ 'Behold,' He said, 'we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes (shall be betrayed into their hands); and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him; and the third day He shall rise again.'

However, notwithstanding this terribly distinct announcement regarding His impending sufferings, hope still maintained the upper hand in the company of the disciples. This hope lets itself be seen in the request of the sons of Zebedee, which at this moment must excite extraordinary surprise. James and John, namely, came unto Him, and said, 'Master, we would that Thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.' And He said unto them, 'What would ye, that I should do for you? 'They said unto him, 'Grant unto us, that we may sit, one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left, in Thy glory.' Then said Jesus unto them, 'Ye know not what ye ask! Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 'They said unto Him, 'We can.' Then spake Jesus, 'Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of, and with the baptism that I am baptized with shall ye be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left hand, that I have not to give (in the form of an outward act), but to them for whom it is appointed (already appointed according to the eternal purpose of God, and to whom it shall be imparted in the form of historical development).' And when the ten heard it, they began to express their displeasure at James and John. But Jesus called them to Him, and said unto them, 'Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the nations, exercise lordship over them, and that their great ones exercise high authority on them. But not so shall it be among you. But whosoever will be great among you, he shall be your minister; and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, he shall be the servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.'

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