Matthew 20:21 kjv
And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
Matthew 20:21 nkjv
And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom."
Matthew 20:21 niv
"What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."
Matthew 20:21 esv
And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom."
Matthew 20:21 nlt
"What is your request?" he asked. She replied, "In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left."
Matthew 20 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 110:1 | The Lord says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool." | The ultimate position of authority for the Messiah. |
| Mat 16:21-23 | From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer… | Jesus predicts suffering before glory. |
| Mat 18:1-4 | At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" | Disciples' repeated concern for greatness. |
| Mat 20:23 | He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup... but to sit on My right hand and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father." | Authority for positions belongs to the Father. |
| Mat 23:11-12 | The greatest among you shall be your servant... | True greatness found in humility and service. |
| Mat 26:39 | He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me..." | The 'cup' signifies suffering and God's will. |
| Mar 9:33-35 | He came to Capernaum… he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?" They were silent, for on the way they had debated with one another who was the greatest. | Disciples' ongoing debate about prominence. |
| Mar 10:35-40 | James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask..." | Parallel account where the sons directly ask. |
| Mar 10:42-45 | Jesus called them to Him and said... "Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant." | True greatness is servant leadership. |
| Luk 9:46-48 | A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as greatest. | Another instance of the disciples' ambition. |
| Luk 14:7-11 | When He noticed how the guests picked the places of honor... | Jesus teaches about choosing humble places. |
| Luk 22:24-27 | There arose a dispute among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. | Dispute at the Last Supper re-emphasizes service. |
| Jhn 18:36 | Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world..." | Jesus clarifies His spiritual Kingdom. |
| Rom 8:17 | If we are children, we are heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. | Suffering precedes sharing in Christ's glory. |
| Phil 2:3-8 | Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit... but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. | Call to humility, mirroring Christ's example. |
| Col 3:1-2 | Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. | Redirecting focus from earthly to heavenly. |
| 1 Pet 1:11 | They inquired what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. | Prophets spoke of Christ's suffering and glory. |
| 1 Pet 5:5 | Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." | Command for humility within the church. |
| Rev 3:21 | To the one who conquers I will grant to sit with Me on My throne... | Rewards in Kingdom involve shared reign, implies overcoming. |
Matthew 20 verses
Matthew 20 21 Meaning
In Matthew 20:21, Jesus directly questions the ambition of the mother of James and John (Zebedee's sons), who petitions Him to grant her sons the two highest positions of honor and authority—one on His right hand and the other on His left—within what she understands to be His earthly kingdom. This request underscores the disciples' persistent misunderstanding of the true nature of Jesus' kingdom, focusing on worldly power rather than humble service and suffering, a concept Jesus had repeatedly emphasized just prior to this conversation.
Matthew 20 21 Context
This verse is set during Jesus' final journey to Jerusalem, leading up to His passion. Immediately before this interaction (Mat 20:17-19), Jesus has just given His third, most detailed prophecy of His imminent suffering, betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection. The mother's request directly follows this grave prophecy, highlighting the disciples' (and their associates') significant spiritual blindness and continued focus on an earthly, powerful kingdom, rather than the spiritual, self-sacrificing nature of the Messiah's reign. This incident is further clarified by Jesus' subsequent teaching on servant leadership (Mat 20:25-28), which directly contrasts with the worldly ambition displayed in the request. It also echoes earlier disputes among the disciples about who would be the greatest (Mat 18:1, Mk 9:34).
Matthew 20 21 Word analysis
- He said: (Greek: Ephē - ἔφη) – A concise term indicating Jesus' direct and authoritative response.
- to her, 'What do you want?': (Greek: autē, Ti thelete? - αὐτῇ, Τί θέλετε;) – Jesus addresses the mother, but remarkably uses the plural "you" (θέλετε). This implies He perceives the request as emanating from both the mother and her ambitious sons (James and John), or possibly extends the question to include the underlying desires of the disciples who share similar aspirations.
- She said to him, 'Grant': (Greek: Legei autō, Eipe - Λέγει αὐτῷ, Εἰπέ) – The mother responds. The Greek term for 'Grant' (Εἰπέ) is an imperative form of "to say" or "to command." This indicates she expects Jesus to decree or authoritatively command that her request be fulfilled, reflecting a misunderstanding of how such authority and positions in God's Kingdom are conferred.
- that these two sons of mine: (Greek: hina houtoi hoi dyo huioi mou - ἵνα οὗτοι οἱ δύο υἱοί μου) – This clarifies the specific subjects of the petition. The sons, James and John (implied from the context, as the "sons of Zebedee"), are central to the mother's request for preeminence.
- may sit: (Greek: kathisōsin - καθίσωσιν) – Refers to taking a seat, specifically in a place of authority or honor. It signifies their desire for positions of judgment, rulership, or close counsel in Jesus' anticipated kingdom.
- one on your right hand and the other on your left: (Greek: heis ek dexiōn sou kai heis ex euōnymōn sou - εἷς ἐκ δεξιῶν σου καὶ εἷς ἐξ εὐωνύμων σου) – These signify the positions of ultimate honor, power, and trust in ancient Near Eastern and Roman courts. The right hand was consistently the most favored place, indicating prime minister status or highest advisor. The left hand was also a highly esteemed position. This reveals a desire for supreme authority.
- in your kingdom: (Greek: en tē basileia sou - ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου) – This phrase defines the context of their ambition. They envision Jesus' kingdom primarily as an earthly, political reign of power, anticipating immediate governmental positions, rather than grasping its spiritual nature, its future fulfillment, and the path of suffering associated with entering it.
Matthew 20 21 Bonus section
The parallel account in Mark 10:35-37 directly attributes the request to James and John themselves, without mention of their mother. Matthew's inclusion of the mother making the request could serve to soften the blow for the disciples' reputation while still highlighting the core issue of ambition. This incident, combined with the subsequent indignation of the other ten disciples (Mat 20:24), further emphasizes that the desire for preeminence was a widespread struggle among the apostles, serving as a perpetual lesson on humility and service for believers across all ages. Jesus uses this common human failing to teach a foundational truth about servant leadership.
Matthew 20 21 Commentary
Matthew 20:21 presents a critical moment revealing the stark contrast between human ambition and divine truth. Despite Jesus' clear prophecy of His suffering and death, the mother of James and John approaches Him with a request born of worldly aspirations for her sons. Her petition for the most esteemed seats "on your right hand and on your left" in His kingdom betrays a deep-seated misconception shared by many of Jesus' contemporaries and even His closest disciples, who still clung to the popular notion of a triumphant, earthly messianic reign free from suffering.
Jesus' direct question, "What do you want?", while simple, probes the core of her desire and by extension, the aspirations of the sons. His use of the plural "you" (though addressing only the mother) hints at His divine discernment of the sons' true involvement. The mother's subsequent reply, using "Grant" (command), reflects a perception of Jesus as one who can simply decree positions of power, failing to grasp that true authority in God's Kingdom is established by humble service, and ultimate positioning is ordained by the Father. This incident serves as a powerful reminder that spiritual insight is often overshadowed by human desires for status, and that the Kingdom of God operates on principles fundamentally opposite to those of the world.