James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were brothers. James was the first of the 12 to die. John was the last of the 12 to die.
We read in Matthew 20:20-23:
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 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.
The cup Jesus is referring to is persecution/martyrdom.
Picture Jesus and His disciples sitting at a table, and a cup is being passed from person to person, making its way around the table. The person sitting on Jesus’ left would be the first to take the cup, and the person sitting on Jesus’ right would be the last.
Considering James and John were the first and last to enter the Kingdom, one wonders if the brothers were, indeed, granted those special seats at the Master’s table. Maybe God honored their mother’s earnest request.
A thought from D. T. Lancaster
