Mark 10:40

40 but to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to give, but it shall be given to those for whom it is prepared.

Mark 10:40 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 10:40

But to sit on my right hand and on my left, is mine to
give
There being no such places in his kingdom in the sense they petitioned; and as for the glories of the heavenly state or eternal life, the gift of these was not to be settled now it being done already: and though he had a power to give yet only to them who were given him of his Father and who were ordained to such happiness as it follows:

but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared;
that is, of his Father as is expressed in ( Matthew 20:23 ) which is not to be understood as excluding these two persons but as including all others with them for whom the kingdom was prepared before the foundation of the world: the Ethiopic version therefore wrongly renders the words "but to sit on my right hand and on my left, I do not give to you, it is prepared for other": the Jew F7 very badly concludes from hence against the deity of Christ and his unity with the Father he not having power to do this; whereas Christ does not say he had no power to give this honour, but only describes the persons to whom he should give it; and these being persons for whom it, is prepared by his Father instead of destroying, proves their unity.


FOOTNOTES:

F7 R. Isaac, Chizzuk Emuna, par. 2. c. 20. p. 409.

Mark 10:40 In-Context

38 Then Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask; can ye drink the cup that I drink? Or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink the cup that I drink, and of the baptism that I am baptized with ye shall be baptized;
40 but to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to give, but it shall be given to those for whom it is prepared.
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be angry against James and John.
42 But Jesus, calling unto them, said unto them, Ye know that those who are seen to be princes among the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those that are great among them wield power over them.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010