Hard to Think
A Sermon on Mark 10:32-44 for Pentecost 22, 2024
Today’s Gospel passage presents us with a situation that we are probably supposed to find kind of funny. But it is seriously dark humour.
Jesus has told his followers – again! – that when they get to Jerusalem he is going to be condemned and killed then rise again in three days. This is hard information to take in.
They don’t want to believe it.
They also don’t want to conclude that he is mistaken, because then they might have to leave him, and they don’t want that.
And they remember what Jesus said to Peter when he argued with Jesus about it. None of them wants Jesus to say “Get behind me, Satan!” to them.
So, they are stuck in a sort of cognitive limbo. Their brains are not allowing their thoughts to come into focus because a clear focus would reveal something they don’t want to see.
And we know what that is like.
We look at the escalating violence in the Middle East and we see sufficient evidence to conclude that at least one of the governments involved would be quite happy to draw the entire world into their vortex of escalating revenge.
We see it but we don’t see it. It is just too awful to believe.
We find ourselves in cognitive limbo.
We look at the very clear evidence for climate change and hear the predictions of sea levels continuing to rise, and natural disasters continuing to increase in frequency and severity.
We see it but we don’t see it. It is just too awful to believe.
We find ourselves in cognitive limbo.
We look at all the people being left behind because of our economic system – people without homes, people without livelihoods, people without hope for themselves or their children.
We see it but we don’t see it. It is just too awful to believe.
We find ourselves in cognitive limbo.
I know I have brought your minds to an uncomfortable place, but that is where you need to be to understand what is going on for Jesus’ disciples as he tells them he is going to die.
We can stand back from them and laugh at their stupidity. OR we can empathise with their cognitive limbo – with their struggle to get their heads around something too awful to believe. But in order to feel empathy for them we would need to admit to ourselves that our mental state is not so very different from theirs, that when we face the problems of our world, we also tend to be a bit stupid. We feel stupid because there doesn’t seem to be anything we can do to make things better. We feel stupid because our brains are in limbo and are under too much stress for us to think clearly.
Imagine being the disciples. The answer to centuries of desperate prayers is right there in front of them: the one who can heal and unite and liberate their people. They are sure of that, and have given up everything to follow him, and work with him: to play their part in the healing, the uniting, the liberating.
And that living, breathing answer to prayer is telling him that what is actually going to happen is defeat, death, disintegration.
That’s too much to get their head around.
This is no time for games, but here are James and John trying to trick Jesus into agreeing to their request before he knows what it is. “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
This is a common motif in ancient stories. Someone approaches a king and asks for a favour. The king, feeling generous, says Yes! Anything you want! And then the trap is sprung. This is how John the Baptist came to be beheaded; we are told. After Herod had promised to do whatever was asked, he couldn’t back down without dishonour.
Jesus avoids the trap, of course. He does the sensible thing and asks them to tell him what they want before he will decide about giving it.
“Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
This appears to be just about the least appropriate thing for them to have asked at that point. After everything Jesus has said and done… they are still on about who gets the best seat and the most power?
Where were they when Jesus told them that the first must be last and the servant of all? Weren’t they there when Jesus told them that the Kingdom of God belongs to little children? Didn’t they hear Jesus say they are heading to Jerusalem for him to be executed?
We could find it funny, until we remember how many times the church has made this same mistake, with disastrous consequences. When Christian communities have sought power in the world, rather than maintaining the status of a servant. We have all seen the damage that causes.
How does it happen that followers of Jesus keep making this mistake?
I think trying to understand James and John’s perspective, might help us understand our own.
Just a few verses back, Jesus had said, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”
So… James and John may think: We have left everything; that's a lot! If our reward is a hundred times that, well that’s huge. So, let’s put it to the test. Let’s find out just how much Jesus intends to give us.
“Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
And then in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus had said, “if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” I can imagine James and John hearing that and saying, well, there are two of us. Let’s give it a try.
“Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
It is also possible that they are being less mercenary than they seem. If there is a battle ahead, and a kingdom to rule on the other side of it, what does it take to earn the right to rule the new kingdom?
Isn’t it those who have fought best in the battle that become the leaders after victory? Isn’t it the generals who have supported the king in strategizing and led the troops in victory. Even in recent history, that seems to be how it works when there is a revolution.
So, it is just possible that what James and John are saying is this:
So, Jesus, you are telling us that when we get to Jerusalem the leaders there are going to fight us. OK, then, lets organise! Let’s give ourselves the best chance of success by forming ourselves into an army. Let’s start strategizing and drilling the troops. You’ll need generals. Here we are! We believe we can achieve victory for you, we believe we can bring you glory. So, make us your generals and we will make it happen. And on the other side of victory, we will still be right there to rule your kingdom with you.
But Jesus says, “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 baptised with?”
They think they can. And one day they will.
James would go on to become one of the first Christian martyrs and John became one of the few disciples who survived into old age – but that old age was filled with suffering, exile and humble service. They both eventually understood Jesus’ words and his actions. And they did follow. They did drink from the same cup as Jesus. They would follow his path of self-giving love.
But they don’t understand that now. They are thinking about battles and victories and glory. But that is not how Jesus will establish his kingdom.
Jesus is not going to form an army to fight for him. He will do the opposite. He will go to a Roman cross alone. He will do everything to ensure his followers do not join him there. He intends to die for them. He will not ask them to fight for him.
On the day when Jesus established his kingdom, there was someone on his right and on his left. Not James and John, but unnamed people declared guilty and condemned to death by the same unjust legal system that condemned Jesus. On Jesus’ right and left were people who did not choose to be there, and who did not appreciate the honour, who were not expecting promotions.[1] As Jesus drank to the end the cup of human suffering, he was drinking the same cup as the ones on his left and right. The same cup we all drink from when we suffer. The cup James and John will drink from in time. But not yet.
Jesus was telling them that he was not intending to fight, not planning to defend himself, but planning to allow himself to be falsely accused and unjustly executed. And he was choosing to suffer alone – for them, not with them.
They heard him but they couldn’t hear him. It was just too shocking to believe.
They were in cognitive limbo.
And we can understand that.
In our experience of cognitive limbo, in response to the violence, damage and injustice in our world, we can understand James and John. We can understand the stirrings of the heart to grab a metaphorical sword and lead troops into battle – to fight for peace, healing and justice. We know what it is to dream of a new dispensation on the other side of that battle – a new reality in which good, sensible, peace-loving people like us are in charge.
But we are the body of Christ, called by him to follow on his path, to drink his cup.
The path of NOT fighting.
The cup of choosing to suffer instead of others, so that others won’t have to.
The baptism of choosing the life of peace without any guarantee of victory.
Because peace is not something we will establish on the other side of battle. Peace is something we practice every day as we follow Jesus in focussing our minds on bringing safety for others rather than glory for ourselves.
So, let’s pray:
May God bless your confusion As you endeavour to bring Reality and hope into alignment. May God bless your mistakes As you do all you can But find it insufficient to the task. And may God form in you The courage, strength and resolution To follow Jesus to the cross, Empowered by the God who created you for peace; Accompanied by the God walked the path of peace; And sustained by the God who lights the road to peace.
With Love from Rev Margaret
[1] In Luke’s gospel one of them was given the promise of paradise. That was not because he fought at Jesus’ side, though. It was because he recognised in Jesus the innocent, suffering servant king.
Thank you Margaret