Mark 10:39

39 And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, 1"The cup that I drink 2you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, 3you will be baptized,

Mark 10:39 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 10:39

And they said unto him we can
That is, drink of Christ's cup and be baptized with his baptism which is another instance of their ignorance; for as they knew not the glorious state of things and the nature of it they desired places in so they were unacquainted with themselves; they were ignorant of their own weakness as well as of the greatness of the sufferings Christ should endure or even they should be called unto: had they had a just notion of either, they would not have expressed themselves in this manner without any mention of the grace of God or any dependence on the strength of Christ; (See Gill on Matthew 20:22).

And Jesus said unto them, ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I
drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be
baptized;
meaning, not that they should undergo the same sufferings he did and much less for the same end and purpose: he trod the winepress alone and bore the whole punishment due to the sins of his people himself; and of them there were none with him to take a part: but that they should endure sufferings in some sort like to his for his sake as they both afterwards did; (See Gill on Matthew 20:23).

Mark 10:39 In-Context

37 And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."
38 Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"
39 And they said to him, "We are able." And 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 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.

Cross References 3

  • 1. [Romans 8:17; Philippians 3:10]
  • 2. Acts 12:2; Revelation 1:9
  • 3. [Romans 6:3]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.