SEV Biblia, Chapter 20:22
Entonces Jess respondiendo, dijo: No sabis lo que pedís; ¿podis beber el vaso que yo tengo de beber, y ser bautizados del bautismo de que yo soy bautizado? Y ellos le dicen: Podemos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 20:22
Verse 22. Ye know not what ye ask.] How strange is the infatuation, in some parents, which leads them to desire worldly or ecclesiastical honours for their children! He must be much in love with the cross who wishes to have his child a minister of the Gospel; for, if he be such as God approves of in the work, his life will be a life of toil and suffering; he will be obliged to sip, at least, if not to drink largely, of the cup of Christ. We know not what we ask, when, in getting our children into the CHURCH, we take upon ourselves to answer for their CALL to the sacred office, and for the salvation of the souls that are put under their care. Blind parents! rather let your children beg their bread than thrust them into an office to which God has not called them; and in which they will not only ruin their souls, but be the means of damnation to hundreds; for if God has not sent them, they shall not profit the people at all. And to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized, &c.] This clause in this, and the next verse, is wanting in BDL, two others, (7 more in ver. 23,) Coptic, Sahidic, Ethiopic, Mr. WHEELOCK'S Persic, Vulgate, Saxon, and all the Itala, except two. Grotius, Mill, and Bengel, think it should be omitted, and Griesbach has left it out of the text in both his editions. It is omitted also by Origen, Epiphanius, Hilary, Jerome, Ambrose, and Juvencus. According to the rules laid down by critics to appreciate a false or true reading, this clause cannot be considered as forming a part of the sacred text. It may be asked, Does not drink of my cup, convey the same idea? Does the clause add any thing to the perspicuity of the passage? And, though found in many good MSS., is not the balance of evidence in point of antiquity against it? Baptism among the Jews, as it was performed in the coldest weather, and the persons were kept under water for some time, was used not only to express death, but the most cruel kind of death. See Lightfoot. As to the term cup, it was a common figure, by which they expressed calamities, judgments, desolation, &c.
They say unto him, We are able.] Strange blindness! You can? No: one drop of this cup would sink you into utter ruin, unless upheld by the power of God. However, the man whom God has appointed to the work he will preserve in it.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 22. But Jesus answered, and said , etc.] To her two sons, ye know not what ye ask. They were ignorant of the nature of Christs kingdom, which is spiritual, and not of this world: or they would never have asked such a question, or sued for that which will never be enjoyed by any and supposing that Christs kingdom had been such as they imagined, yet in asking for honours and riches, they might not know what they asked for; they might promise themselves much pleasure and happiness in the enjoyment of them, and yet, if indulged with them, might be disappointed, and find unexpected troubles and uneasiness. It would have been much more proper and seasonable, on hearing of Christs being mocked, scourged, spit upon, and crucified, if they had put such a question to themselves, Christ here directs to, are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with? meaning his reproaches, sorrows, sufferings, and death; which because of the disagreeableness of them, he compares to a bitter cup of vengeance, wrath, fury, and indignation; and because they were appointed to him, and allotted for him, they were his portion, therefore he expresses them by a cup; and because they were so many and great, of such an overwhelming nature, that he seemed to be plunged into them, and covered with them, therefore he likens them to a baptism and which the ordinance of water baptism, performed by immersion, is a lively representation of. Now Christ suggests to these disciples, that instead of indulging their ambitious desires of worldly grandeur, that they would do well to consider what a bitter cup he had to drink of, and what a sea of sorrows and sufferings he was about to be plunged into, and drenched in; and whether they could think of enduring anything of the like kind, for his sake, which was most likely to be in a short time, what they would be called unto, and not to honours, ease, and pleasure; and what they must be sure, more or less, to undergo, before they entered the everlasting kingdom of glory: they say unto him, we are able ; not considering the nature of these sufferings, and their own weakness; but partly through ignorance of themselves, and a vain confidence which possessed them; and chiefly through a vehement desire of the places in his kingdom, they asked for, and which they thought drinking his cup, and being baptized with his baptism, were the condition, and the means of enjoying; and so rashly affirm their ability, and which includes their willingness to comply herewith.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 20-28 - The sons of Zebedee abused what Christ said to comfort the disciples Some cannot have comforts but they turn them to a wrong purpose. Prid is a sin that most easily besets us; it is sinful ambition to outd others in pomp and grandeur. To put down the vanity and ambition of their request, Christ leads them to the thoughts of their sufferings It is a bitter cup that is to be drunk of; a cup of trembling, but no the cup of the wicked. It is but a cup, it is but a draught, bitte perhaps, but soon emptied; it is a cup in the hand of a Father, Jo 18:11. Baptism is an ordinance by which we are joined to the Lord i covenant and communion; and so is suffering for Christ, Eze 20:37; Is 48:10. Baptism is an outward and visible sign of an inward an spiritual grace; and so is suffering for Christ, for unto us it is given, Php 1:29. But they knew not what Christ's cup was, nor what his baptism. Those are commonly most confident, who are least acquainte with the cross. Nothing makes more mischief among brethren, than desir of greatness. And we never find Christ's disciples quarrelling, but something of this was at the bottom of it. That man who labours mos diligently, and suffers most patiently, seeking to do good to his brethren, and to promote the salvation of souls, most resembles Christ and will be most honoured by him to all eternity. Our Lord speaks of his death in the terms applied to the sacrifices of old. It is sacrifice for the sins of men, and is that true and substantia sacrifice, which those of the law faintly and imperfectly represented It was a ransom for many, enough for all, working upon many; and, is for many, then the poor trembling soul may say, Why not for me?
Greek Textus Receptus
αποκριθεις 611 5679 V-AOP-NSM δε 1161 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM ιησους 2424 N-NSM ειπεν 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3S ουκ 3756 PRT-N οιδατε 1492 5758 V-RAI-2P τι 5101 I-ASN αιτεισθε 154 5731 V-PMI-2P δυνασθε 1410 5736 V-PNI-2P πιειν 4095 5629 V-2AAN το 3588 T-ASN ποτηριον 4221 N-ASN ο 3739 R-ASN εγω 1473 P-1NS μελλω 3195 5719 V-PAI-1S πινειν 4095 5721 V-PAN και 2532 CONJ το 3588 T-ASN βαπτισμα 908 N-ASN ο 3739 R-ASN εγω 1473 P-1NS βαπτιζομαι 907 5743 V-PPI-1S βαπτισθηναι 907 5683 V-APN λεγουσιν 3004 5719 V-PAI-3P αυτω 846 P-DSM δυναμεθα 1410 5736 V-PNI-1P
Robertson's NT Word Studies
20:22 {Ye know not what ye ask} (ouk oidate ti aiteisqe). How often that is true. aiteisqe is indirect middle voice, "ask for yourselves,"a selfish request." {We are able} (dunameqa). Amazing proof of their ignorance and self-confidence. Ambition had blinded their eyes. They had not caught the martyr spirit.
