"Ye shall drink indeed of My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with," Christ declared-- before Him a cross instead of a throne, two malefactors His companions at His right hand and at His left.James and John were to be sharers with their Master in suffering--the one, destined to swift-coming death by the sword; the other, longest of all the disciples to follow his Master in labor and reproach and persecution."But to sit on My right hand, and on My left," He continued, "is not Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of My Father." Matthew 20:21-23.
Jesus understood the motive that prompted the request and thus reproved the pride and ambition of the two disciples: "The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many." Matthew 20:25-28.
In the kingdom of God, position is not gained through favoritism.It is not earned, nor is it received through an arbitrary bestowal.It is the result of character.The crown and the throne are the tokens of a condition attained--tokens of self-conquest through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Long afterward, when John had been brought into sympathy with Christ through the fellowship of His sufferings, the Lord Jesus revealed to him what is the condition of nearness to His kingdom."To him that overcometh," Christ said, "will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne." Revelation 3:21.The one who stands nearest to Christ will be he who has drunk most deeply of His spirit of self-sacrificing love,--love that "vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,.
..seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil" (1Corinthians 13:4, 5),--love that moves the disciple, as it moved our Lord, to give all, to live and labor and sacrifice even unto death, for the saving of humanity.
At another time during their early evangelistic labors, James and John met one who, while not an acknowledged follower of Christ, was casting out devils in His name.The disciples forbade the man to work and thought they were right in doing this.But when they laid the matter before Christ, He reproved them, saying, "Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in My name, that can lightly speak evil of Me." Mark 9:39.None who showed themselves in any way friendly to Christ were to be repulsed.The disciples must not indulge a narrow, exclusive spirit, but must manifest the same far-reaching sympathy which they had seen in their Master.James and John had thought that in checking this man they had in view the Lord's honor; but they began to see that they were jealous for their own.They acknowledged their error and accepted the reproof.
The lessons of Christ, setting forth meekness and humility and love as essential to growth in grace and a fitness for His work, were of the highest value to John.He treasured every lesson and constantly sought to bring his life into harmony with the divine pattern.John had begun to discern the glory of Christ--not the worldly pomp and power for which he had been taught to hope, but "the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14.
The depth and fervor of John's affection for his Master was not the cause of Christ's love for him, but the effect of that love.John desired to become like Jesus, and under the transforming influence of the love of Christ he did become meek and lowly.Self was hid in Jesus.Above all his companions, John yielded himself to the power of that wondrous life.He says, "The life was manifested, and we have seen it." "And of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." 1 John 1:2; John 1:16.John knew the Saviour by an experimental knowledge.His Master's lessons were graven on his soul.When he testified of the Saviour's grace, his simple language was eloquent with the love that pervaded his whole being.
It was John's deep love for Christ which led him always to desire to be close by His side.The Saviour loved all the Twelve, but John's was the most receptive spirit.He was younger than the others, and with more of the child's confiding trust he opened his heart to Jesus.Thus he came more into sympathy with Christ, and through him the Saviour's deepest spiritual teaching was communicated to the people.
Jesus loves those who represent the Father, and John could talk of the Father's love as no other of the disciples could.He revealed to his fellow men that which he felt in his own soul, representing in his character the attributes of God.The glory of the Lord was expressed in his face.The beauty of holiness which had transformed him shone with a Christlike radiance from his countenance.In adoration and love he beheld the Saviour until likeness to Christ and fellowship with Him became his one desire, and in his character was reflected the character of his Master.
"Behold," he said, "what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God....Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." 1John 3:1, 2.
