James and John still do not understand the requirements of the school of Jesus. In any other context it might be perfectly reasonable for students to expect special honor; and since Mark presents Jesus and his school as connected with the end time, academic honor and political honor are not easy to separate. In this case Jesus’ reply does not urge the students to outdo one another in martyrdom but, rather, makes it clear that martyrdom is the outcome of discipleship, not royal honors.
Jesus’ students, on the other hand, are to deny themselves the honors of the academy and of political prestige. Denial of self (a)parnhsa/sqw e(auto\n) involves loss of life, loss of social/academic standing and suffering. If one would “follow Jesus,” be a disciple, then the cost of that matriculation will be one’s life, one’s position, and one’s well being.
- From http://www.wfu.edu/~horton/r327/Chapter%204.pdf
From the same source:
The purpose of instruction, the goal of study, is always action. On this point there was general agreement among the Rabbis who, ironically, decided that study was greater than action because study led to action:
R. Tarfon and the Elders were reclining on the upper level of the house of Nithza in Lydda. The following question arose among them: “Is study greater, or action?” R. Tarfon gave answer and said: “Action is greater.” R. Akiba gave answer and said: “Study is greater.” Then they all gave answer and said: “Study is greater, for it leads to action.” (t. b. Kiddushin 40b)
The action to which Jesus invites his students now is the same action he himself takes, much to their amazement and distress. The action is not martyrdom for a moral or legal principle. Instead, it is a loss of life that is consistent with Jesus’ reckless disregard of his own safety in the Gospel, his reckless disregard for the rulings of the Pharisees and Sadducees, his reckless lack of concern for the workings of the Temple cultus, and his reckless willingness to face certain death.
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