Matthew 20 22

Matthew 20:22 kjv

But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

Matthew 20:22 nkjv

But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able."

Matthew 20:22 niv

"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" "We can," they answered.

Matthew 20:22 esv

Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able."

Matthew 20:22 nlt

But Jesus answered by saying to them, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?" "Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!"

Matthew 20 verses

Matthew 20 22 Meaning

Matthew 20:22 reveals Jesus' profound question to James and John, posed through their mother, regarding their ambitious request for prime positions in His kingdom. Jesus confronts their ignorance, indicating that they do not understand the true cost of following Him, which involves profound suffering and sacrifice, symbolized by "drinking His cup" and being "baptized with His baptism." Their hasty affirmation, "We are able," highlights their spiritual immaturity and their worldly perception of the Messiah's kingdom as one of earthly power and glory, rather than one founded on redemptive suffering and humble service.

Matthew 20 22 Context

This verse is embedded in the narrative of Jesus' final journey to Jerusalem, leading up to His passion. Chapter 20 begins with the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, emphasizing God's sovereignty in dispensing grace. Immediately preceding this specific verse, Jesus had just once again predicted His suffering, death, and resurrection to His disciples (Mt 20:17-19), the third such clear prophecy. Despite this, James and John (through their mother) immediately approach Jesus with a request for positions of honor and power in His kingdom (Mt 20:20-21), demonstrating their profound misunderstanding of the nature of His kingdom and His impending mission of sacrificial redemption. Their focus was on earthly prestige, while Jesus' focus was on divine purpose through suffering. The larger historical and cultural context reflects the widespread Jewish expectation of a political Messiah who would liberate Israel from Roman rule and establish an earthly, glorious kingdom, an expectation the disciples still clung to. Jesus consistently redefined this expectation, portraying true greatness and messianic identity through suffering, service, and sacrifice, directly countering prevailing contemporary beliefs of earthly power.

Matthew 20 22 Word analysis

• But Jesus answered and said,: Marks a pivotal moment, as Jesus authoritatively responds to a deeply mistaken request, shifting the focus from worldly ambition to divine truth. His reply corrects their presumption directly.
• Ye know not what ye ask.: Jesus highlights their ignorance (Greek: ouk oidate hot pou eisthai) regarding the true nature and immense cost of His kingdom. Their request stemmed from worldly ambition, not spiritual understanding. They sought glory without comprehending the necessary suffering that precedes it.
• Are ye able to drink of the cup:
  • "drink of the cup" (πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον - piein to potērion): A biblical metaphor often symbolizing suffering, destiny, or God's judgment and wrath. It represents the full measure of experience, whether of blessing or judgment, here specifically the experience of profound suffering and even death.
  • This "cup" points prophetically to Jesus' atoning sacrifice, His agonizing experience of bearing the sins of humanity and enduring God's wrath in Gethsemane and on the cross.
• that I shall drink of,: This specifies the cup is uniquely His own; it refers to the entirety of His mission that culminates in His sacrificial death on the cross, the ultimate act of expiation that only He could perform.
• and to be baptized with the baptism:
  • "baptized" (βαπτισθῆναι τὸ βάπτισμα - baptisthēnai to baptisma): In this context, "baptism" refers not to water baptism, but to an overwhelming immersion or submersion in intense suffering and affliction. Jesus had earlier used this metaphor for His own impending death (Lk 12:50). It signifies being completely enveloped or overwhelmed by something, here, by the ultimate suffering required for redemption.
• that I am baptized with?: Again, the emphasis is on His unique experience. Jesus alone bore the full weight of humanity's sin and death in His crucifixion.
• They say unto him, We are able.: This is a presumptuous and eager affirmation stemming from their profound ignorance. They quickly respond in the affirmative, eager for positions of honor, without truly understanding the agony and sacrifice Jesus refers to. They likely thought of an immediate sharing in political power or earthly rule, not in crucifixion and suffering for righteousness.
• Word-group analysis:
  • "cup that I shall drink of, and... baptism that I am baptized with?": These two parallel phrases use vivid metaphors (cup, baptism) to emphasize the magnitude and depth of the suffering Jesus was about to undergo. Both images powerfully convey a total immersion in the appointed suffering and death that awaited Him. They are prophetic references to His crucifixion and atonement.
  • "Ye know not what ye ask... They say unto him, We are able.": This sharp contrast highlights the vast gulf between the disciples' worldly ambition and ignorance, and Jesus' profound understanding of His redemptive mission and the true cost of following Him. Their confidence is built on a complete misunderstanding, showcasing the ongoing need for Jesus to educate His followers about the true nature of His kingdom and discipleship.

Matthew 20 22 Bonus section

The uniqueness of Jesus' cup and baptism lies in their redemptive and atoning nature. While believers are called to share in Christ's sufferings (persecution, self-denial for the gospel, Philippians 3:10), they do not share in the atoning wrath of God or the expiatory death that Jesus uniquely endured to pay the price for sin. The disciples would experience suffering for His name, but only Jesus bore the penalty for humanity. This verse serves as a reminder that the path to Christian glory is invariably through the path of sacrifice, reflecting the Lord's own pattern. It challenges followers to assess their true motives for seeking influence or position, urging a deep examination of their readiness to embrace humility and suffering for the sake of Christ and His kingdom, rather than pursuing earthly recognition or power.

Matthew 20 22 Commentary

Matthew 20:22 exposes the heart of spiritual ignorance and misguided ambition among Jesus' closest disciples. Despite repeated clear prophecies of His suffering and death, James and John (via their mother) clung to a worldly vision of the Messiah's kingdom as one of earthly power and privilege. Jesus' rhetorical question skillfully turns their request for glory into a stark confrontation with the reality of His mission: it demands suffering. The "cup" and "baptism" are powerful metaphors for profound and complete immersion in affliction, pointing directly to His atoning death. Jesus clarifies that His path to kingship is through the cross, not through political ascent, and true greatness in His kingdom is achieved through identification with His suffering and servant-hood, not through earthly hierarchy. The disciples' naive "We are able" reveals their spiritual immaturity at this moment, but Jesus' subsequent confirmation that they will indeed share in His cup (Mt 20:23) indicates a future reality for them—James' martyrdom (Acts 12:2) and John's eventual exile and suffering for the Gospel confirm this truth, showing that true discipleship entails a readiness to embrace suffering for Christ's sake, though never participating in His unique redemptive suffering. The verse, therefore, is a pivotal teaching on the costly nature of discipleship and the redefinition of kingdom leadership, calling followers to humility, sacrifice, and identification with Christ's mission of suffering.