Mark 10:37

Chapter VII.—Of the Fact that from This Point on to the Lord’s Supper, with Which Act the Discussion of All the Narratives of the Four Evangelists Conjointly Commenced, No Question Calling for Special Examination is…

“This step of humility those two disciples were loth to have an eye to, who said, “Lord, bid that one of us may sit at Thy right hand, and the other at the left in Thy kingdom.”” — editor's note: Mark x. 37.

““We desire,” it is said, “that one should sit on Thy right hand, and one on Thy left.”” — editor's note: Matt. xx. 21. Comp. Mark x. 37.

The disciples hearing Christ oftentimes speaking of His kingdom, thought that this kingdom was to be before His death, and therefore now that His death was foretold to them, they came to Him, that they might…

Now the abovementioned disciples thought that He was going up to Jerusalem, to reign there, and then to suffer what He had foretold. And with these thoughts, they desired to sit on the right hand and the left hand.…

Matthew has expressed that this was said not by themselves, but by their mother, since she brought their wishes to the Lord; wherefore Mark briefly implies rather that they themselves, rather than their mother, had…

Or we may fitly say that both took place; for seeing themselves honoured above the rest, they thought that they could easily obtain the foregoing petition; and that they might the more easily succeed in their…

Then the Lord both according to Mark, and to Matthew, answered them rather than their mother. For it goes on: “But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask.”

It will not be as ye think, that I am to reign as a temporal king in Jerusalem, but all these things, that is, these which belong to My kingdom, are beyond your understanding; for to site on My right hand is so great…

Or else, they know not what they ask, who seek from the Lord a seat of glory, which they do not yet merit.

Or else He says, “Ye know not what ye ask”; as if He said, Ye speak of honours, but I am discoursing of wrestlings and toil; for this is not a time of rewards, but of blood, of battles, and dangers. Wherefore He…

But by the cup and baptism, He means the cross; the cup, that is, as being a potion by Him sweetly received, but baptism as the cause of the cleansing of our sins. And they answer Him, without understanding what He…

And they answered thus quickly, because they expected that what they had asked would be listened to; it goes on: “And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of, and with the baptism that…

A question is raised, however, how James and John drank the cup of martyrdom, or how they were baptized with the baptism of the Lord, when the Scripture relates, that only James the Apostle was beheaded by Herod…

Where two questions are raised, one is, whether a seat on His right hand is prepared for any one; the other, whether the Lord of all has it not in His power to give it to those for whom it is prepared. To the first…

Or else, it is not mine to give to you, that is, to proud persons, for such as yet they were. It is prepared for other persons, and be ye other, that is, lowly, and it is prepared for you.

Matthew 20:21 and Mark 10:37 share the same wording (10 words).

Cited together in John Chrysostom on Mark 10:35–40 (5) (Catena Aurea).

Mark 10:37 takes up the words of Ezekiel 16:46 (8 words in common).