Mark 10:40

Listen to Mark 10:40
40 But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom [a] they have been 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.
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Mark 10:40 In-Context

38 “You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I will drink, or be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?”
39 “We can,” the brothers answered. “You will drink the cup that I drink,” Jesus said, “and you will be baptized with the baptism that I undergo.
40 But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.

Footnotes 1

  • [a] Literally Mine to grant, but for whom
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