Salome, Mother of The Zebedees

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

    “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 20:20-21

What did James's and John's mother really want?  Do you think she was asking only for honor for her sons, or did she also want something for herself?

• honor for her sons\

How do you react when your child is honored?  How do you react when your child is passed over for some honor?  How are you like Salome?

• with great happiness
• a little disappointed but still happy for the other person
• I act just as hopeful as she does

“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.

  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 20:22-23

What "cup" is Jesus talking about here?  Do you think the disciples answered the question glibly or seriously?

• his ministry?
• they answered the question seriously

Would it be wise to prevent all suffering in the lives of your children?  Why or why not?

• not really because we all must endure a time of sorrow or defeat to learn any lessons in life

When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.

~Matthew 20:24

Why were the other disciples upset with James and John instead of with James's and John's mother?  Do you think James and John had some part in their mother's actions?

• Because James and John were not saught out by Jesus
• no

If you had been there, what would you have said to Salome?  Have you ever said something similar to the mother of one of your child's friends, perhaps not to her face but at least to yourself?  Why are mothers so eager to protect and elevate their own children?

• I probably would have reacted with the same answer
• I am not a mother yet, so this question doesn't exactly apply to me right now
• They want to make sure that they have everything they need in life

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—

~Matthew 20:25-27

With these words, Jesus totally overturns the natural reaction of his culture and ours.  How do you think his disciples and Salome reacted to his words?  What do you think Salome might have been thinking at this point?

• they probably felt stood corrected
• how thankful she was for Jesus' words

How easy or hard is it for you to play the role of servant?  Define servant leadership.  What has to change in your life for you to truly become a servant leader?

• pretty easy, I guess
• leading a group of people to help serve others
• nothing that I can think of at this point