Unexpected Companions
One on his right and one on his left
They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. (Mark 15:27, NIV)
An Impossible Request
In his gospel, Mark tells the story of James and John, the sons of Zebedee.
“Teacher,” they say to Jesus one day, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” (Mk 10:35, NIV)
My initial reaction when I read this is, Come on, guys, stop being so adolescent! You’ve gotta know better than that! And then I am quickly reminded of how often my prayers are the same, though I never say those exact words.
Lord, please help me!
Do what I need you to do!
And then it doesn’t take long before my words devolve into:
Lord, I need this, so do this for me!
Bless my plan…give me good things!
I’m praying in Jesus’ name, so you’ve got to do whatever I want, right?
Am I the only one?
Jesus’ response
So, how did Jesus respond? The story continues in Mark 10:36–45 (paraphrased):
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked the two men.
“We want to be the ones to sit at your right and left hand in glory. Come on, whaddaya say?” they respond with great enthusiasm.
“You have no idea what you are asking for,” Jesus says. I imagine those words being said with a twinge of pain, knowing what was to come. “Are you ready to drink the cup that I will drink or be baptized as I will be?”
“Absolutely!” they respond with great confidence. “We are ready!”
Of course, neither James nor John knew that Jesus was talking about a cup of suffering and a baptism of death.
“Well,” Jesus continued, “you will drink this cup and you will be baptized with this same baptism, but sitting at my right or left hand? That’s not for me to decide. These places belong to those who are being prepared for those places.”
Later, when talking with all of the disciples, Jesus said,
Whoever wants to become great must become a servant, and whoever wants to be first must become a slave to everyone. Even the Son of Man did not come be served, but to serve, and to give his life for a ransom for many. (Mk 10:43b-45)
Living and dying with humanity
Jesus came to live among humanity; the same humanity that turned its back on him. Moving quickly forward to the cross, this same Jesus who ate with sinners and tax collectors, touched the sick, spoke kindly to the lowest people in society, and wept over the masses of people, is now hanging on the cross between two men — one on his right and one on his left.
Who are these men? They’re not James or John or any of the disciples.
They had all fled the scene.
Jesus hangs on the cross between two rebels, two criminals who “heaped insults on him” (Mt 27:44) along with everyone else. The irony of the situation, when compared to the earlier scene with James and John, cannot be ignored. James and John, two of Jesus’ closest friends, had asked to be on his right and left. Instead two of the most unlikely and unworthy people imaginable find themselves on either side of Jesus at one of the most critical moments in human history!
These two nameless figures, crucified on the right and left of Jesus, represent me, you, and every man, woman, boy, and girl on the planet. We are the sinners, we are the outsiders, and we are the ones in need of forgiveness.
