Matthew 20 23

Matthew 20:23 kjv

And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

Matthew 20:23 nkjv

So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father."

Matthew 20:23 niv

Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."

Matthew 20:23 esv

He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

Matthew 20:23 nlt

Jesus told them, "You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen."

Matthew 20 verses

Matthew 20 23 Meaning

Matthew 20:23 describes Jesus' interaction with James and John, affirming their future sharing in His suffering (metaphorically represented by "My cup" and "My baptism") but clarifying that the allocation of ultimate positions of honor and authority in the Kingdom is not His prerogative to grant, but is reserved for those specifically chosen and prepared by God the Father according to His sovereign plan. This verse teaches about the path of suffering in discipleship and God's absolute sovereignty over destiny and honor within His eternal Kingdom.

Matthew 20 23 Context

This verse is part of a broader section in Matthew (and parallels in Mark and Luke) where Jesus continues to teach His disciples about the true nature of the Kingdom of God and the demands of discipleship, often challenging their worldly ambitions and misconceptions. Immediately preceding this verse (Mt 20:20-22), the mother of James and John approaches Jesus, requesting that her sons sit at His right and left in His Kingdom. This request reflects a deep misunderstanding of the Messiah's role, viewing His Kingdom in terms of earthly political power and hierarchical prestige rather than one characterized by suffering, humility, and service. This request is also prompted by Jesus' third explicit prediction of His suffering, death, and resurrection (Mt 20:17-19), indicating the disciples still clung to worldly expectations despite repeated warnings about His sacrificial path. The subsequent verses (Mt 20:24-28) record the indignation of the other ten disciples and Jesus' crucial teaching on servant leadership, emphasizing that true greatness in His Kingdom comes through selfless service and sacrifice, patterned after His own example.

Matthew 20 23 Word Analysis

• And He said to them, "My cup

  • He said (εἶπεν - eipen): Simple past tense, direct address. Jesus engages with their specific request, not dismissing it outright but transforming its meaning.
  • My cup (ποτήριόν μου - poterion mou): A profound metaphor. A "cup" (πότεριον - poterion) in the Bible often represents a person's destiny or appointed lot, particularly a portion of divine judgment or suffering (e.g., cup of wrath, cup of blessing). Here, "My cup" specifically refers to the immense suffering, rejection, and atoning death Jesus was destined to endure, culminating in His passion (as seen in Gethsemane, Mt 26:39). It encapsulates the full experience of God's will for Him on the cross.
    • Significance: Jesus links true discipleship directly to participation in His suffering.

• you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism

  • you shall drink (πίεσθε - piesthe): Future tense, indicative. Jesus affirms their ability and destiny to partake in His suffering. They will indeed share in trials, persecution, and perhaps martyrdom, though not in the unique atoning aspect of His cup.
  • you shall be baptized (βαπτισθήσεσθε - baptisthesesthe): Future tense, passive voice. From baptizō (βαπτίζω), meaning to immerse, plunge, or overwhelm.
  • the baptism (βάπτισμα - baptisma): Not water baptism (as typically understood in Christian ritual) but a metaphor for being overwhelmed by deep suffering, trials, and immersion in a fate or experience.
    • Significance: Just as Jesus Himself speaks of "a baptism to undergo" (Lk 12:50) referring to His overwhelming suffering, here He prophesies that His followers will likewise be immersed in hardship and persecution as a sign of their identification with Him. This is a baptism of affliction and suffering, confirming discipleship through shared experience with the Master.

• with which I am baptized.

  • I am baptized (ἐγὼ βαπτίζομαι - egō baptizomai): Present passive indicative. Refers to Jesus' ongoing or impending immersion in suffering. It points to the experience He is about to undergo, encompassing the fullness of His passion.

• But to sit on My right hand and on My left,

  • to sit (καθίσαι - kathisai): To take a seat, implying a position of honor, authority, and intimacy.
  • on My right hand and on My left: These positions in ancient cultures symbolized the highest honors, closest proximity to power, and preeminent authority (e.g., King's most trusted advisors). The disciples are asking for the most prestigious and authoritative places in His glorious, Messianic Kingdom.
    • Significance: The disciples' request reveals a worldly, power-centric understanding of the Kingdom, contrasting with Jesus' teaching of humble service.

• this is not Mine to give,

  • not Mine to give (οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμὸν δοῦναι - ouk estin emon dounai): Literally "it is not mine to give." This phrase clarifies the nature of Jesus' authority within the divine economy, not a limitation of His divine power. As the Son, Jesus perfectly aligns with the Father's will and plan. He doesn't act independently of the Father's ultimate sovereignty regarding such pre-determined destinies. His role is to perfectly execute the Father's plan. This points to the Father's ultimate supremacy in allocating final positions of glory in the eternal Kingdom.
    • Significance: This is crucial for understanding the Trinity: the Son functions perfectly in accordance with the Father's established decrees. It counters any perception of competition or independent action between them regarding the plan of salvation and final judgment.

• but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.

  • prepared (ἡτοίμασται - hetoimastai): Perfect passive indicative of hetoimazō (ἑτοιμάζω), meaning to prepare, make ready, or arrange in advance. The perfect tense implies a settled, completed action with ongoing results. These positions have been appointed and predetermined from eternity.
  • by My Father (ὑπὸ τοῦ Πατρός μου - hupo tou Patros mou): Explicitly attributes the ultimate sovereignty and predetermination of these high honors to God the Father.
    • Significance: This affirms divine predestination regarding final glorious destinies. It highlights that God's plan is not haphazard but is a sovereign, meticulous, and eternal preparation, assuring that those who attain such glory do so entirely by His grace and sovereign decree, not by human ambition, request, or merit. It also implies that these positions are appointed to specific individuals known by the Father from eternity (Eph 1:4).

Matthew 20 23 Bonus section

The scene with James and John's mother illustrates a recurring tension throughout the Gospels: the disciples' struggle to grasp the spiritual nature of Jesus' Kingdom versus their ingrained Jewish eschatological hopes for a literal, earthly, political reign of the Messiah. Jesus' response here further underscores that entrance into His Kingdom, and especially high positions within it, are not about earthly striving or favoritism, but about divinely ordained suffering and humble service that culminates in a glory dispensed by the Father's sovereign design. The idea of the "prepared" positions links this verse to other New Testament teachings on God's foreknowledge and election (Rom 8:29-30, Eph 1:3-5), reinforcing the ultimate authority of God the Father in the distribution of eternal honors.

Matthew 20 23 Commentary

Matthew 20:23 serves as a pivotal correction and profound theological statement within Jesus' teaching. James and John's ambitious request reveals their lingering worldly expectations of a temporal, power-based Messianic kingdom. Jesus confronts this by affirming a different path: true discipleship involves shared suffering with Him—drinking His "cup" and undergoing His "baptism." This is not an optional add-on but an essential mark of identification with the crucified Christ, promising tribulation and persecution for those who follow Him faithfully. However, even though He affirms their participation in His suffering, Jesus reserves the ultimate bestowal of highest honors and positions of glory to the Father. "This is not Mine to give" is not a statement of Christ's limited power, but an profound declaration of His submission to and perfect unity with the Father's sovereign will and eternal decree. The Father has "prepared" these specific exalted places, indicating a divine, preordained plan. These ultimate rewards are not negotiable, nor are they distributed based on human request or ambition, but are given according to God's immutable wisdom and eternal purpose to those whom He has already designated. The passage thereby elevates the Father's sovereignty, teaches the necessity of suffering in Christian life, and redirects the focus of ambition from self-exaltation to humble submission to God's ultimate will, acknowledging that every true reward flows from His grace.