But Jesus answered, and said
To her two sons,
ye know not what ye ask.
They were ignorant of the nature of Christ's kingdom, which is
spiritual, and not of this world: or they would never have asked
such a question, or sued for that which will never be enjoyed by
any and supposing that Christ's kingdom had been such as they
imagined, yet in asking for honours and riches, they might not
know what they asked for; they might promise themselves much
pleasure and happiness in the enjoyment of them, and yet, if
indulged with them, might be disappointed, and find unexpected
troubles and uneasiness. It would have been much more proper and
seasonable, on hearing of Christ's being mocked, scourged, spit
upon, and crucified, if they had put such a question to
themselves, Christ here directs to,
are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and
to be
baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?
meaning his reproaches, sorrows, sufferings, and death; which
because of the disagreeableness of them, he compares to a bitter
cup of vengeance, wrath, fury, and indignation; and because they
were appointed to him, and allotted for him, they were his
portion, therefore he expresses them by a "cup"; and because they
were so many and great, of such an overwhelming nature, that he
seemed to be plunged into them, and covered with them, therefore
he likens them to a "baptism" and which the ordinance of water
baptism, performed by immersion, is a lively representation of.
Now Christ suggests to these disciples, that instead of indulging
their ambitious desires of worldly grandeur, that they would do
well to consider what a bitter cup he had to drink of, and what a
sea of sorrows and sufferings he was about to be plunged into,
and drenched in; and whether they could think of enduring
anything of the like kind, for his sake, which was most likely to
be in a short time, what they would be called unto, and not to
honours, ease, and pleasure; and what they must be sure, more or
less, to undergo, before they entered the everlasting kingdom of
glory:
they say unto him, we are able;
not considering the nature of these sufferings, and their own
weakness; but partly through ignorance of themselves, and a vain
confidence which possessed them; and chiefly through a vehement
desire of the places in his kingdom, they asked for, and which
they thought drinking his cup, and being baptized with his
baptism, were the condition, and the means of enjoying; and so
rashly affirm their ability, and which includes their willingness
to comply herewith.
