The Sons of Zebedee

Matthew 20:20-28

The cup that Jesus says James and John will share is the cup of His blood, and our Lord ends His discourse by saying that He will give His life as a ransom for many.

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The word of the Lord is sweet on my lips. Blessed be the Lord. I love the writings of St. John Chrysostom[see below]. At the moment, I cannot tell if the above thought is mine or his. [I meant linking Matthew 20:20ff to Matthew 26:28. I was a bit light headed from having spent too many hours uninterrupted at the keyboard] Blessed uncertainty that joins me to this great saint, if only for a moment and only in my own mind. O my Lord, grant me a heart more like his, and a soul to praise Thee.

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[The "both" that St. John refers to below are martyrs and those that give away their worldly possessions]

St. John Chrysostom
Homily XXXII on First Corinthians

But the point proposed for enquiry above is, How, after Christ had said that both these belong to perfection, Paul affirms, that these without charity are imperfect? Not contradicting Him, God forbid: but harmonizing with Him, and that exactly. For so in the case of the rich man, He said, not merely, "sell thy goods, and give to the poor," but He added, "and come, follow Me." Now not even the following Him proves any man a disciple of Christ so completely as the loving one another. For, "by this shall all men know," saith He, when He saith, "Whosoever loseth his life for My sake, shall find it;" (S. Matthew chapter 10, verse 39 and Matthew chapter 10, verse 35) and, "whosoever shall confess Me before men, him will I also confess before My Father which is in heaven;" He means not this, that it is not necessary to have love, but He declares the reward which is laid up for these labor, Since that along with martyrdom He requires also this, is what He elsewhere strongly intimates, thus saying, "Ye shall indeed drink of My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with;" (S. Matthew chapter 20, verse 23) i.e., ye shall be martyrs, ye shall be slain for My sake; "but to sit on My right hand, and on My left, (not as though any sit on the right hand and the left, but meaning the highest precedency and honor) "is not Mine to give," saith He, "but to those for whom it is prepared." Then signifying for whom it is prepared, He calls them and saith, "whosoever among you will be chief, let him be servant to you all;" (S. Matthew chapter 20, verse 26) setting forth humility and love. And the love which He requires is intense; wherefore He stopped not even at this, but added, "even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many;" pointing out that we ought so to love as even to be slain for our beloved. For this above all is to love Him. Wherefore also He saith to Peter, "If thou lovest Me, feed My sheep." (S. John chapter 21, verse 16)