Meaning of Matthew 20:17

This verse marks a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry, signaling his intentional movement towards his ultimate purpose in Jerusalem. The phrase "going up to Jerusalem" is geographically and theologically significant; Jerusalem was the holy city, the site of the Temple, and the place where prophetic fulfillment regarding the Messiah's suffering and triumph was to occur. Jesus, fully aware of his impending passion, deliberately takes his closest disciples, the Twelve, aside. This private moment underscores the gravity of what he is about to reveal and the need for them to grasp a truth that will profoundly challenge their current understanding of leadership and power. The "taking aside" suggests a deliberate act of instruction and preparation, setting the stage for a crucial teaching that contrasts the prevailing worldly notions of authority with the divine model he embodies.

Context and Background

Matthew 20:17 is situated within a larger narrative of Jesus' journey towards Jerusalem, a journey that culminates in his crucifixion and resurrection. Immediately preceding this verse, Jesus encounters a mother who asks that her sons sit at his right and left hand in his kingdom (Matthew 20:20-21). This request, along with the subsequent indignation of the other ten disciples, reveals their prevailing understanding of the Messiah's kingdom as one of earthly power and political dominance. They likely envisioned a triumphant earthly reign where positions of honor and authority would be distributed according to worldly merit and influence. Jesus' deliberate act of taking the Twelve aside is a direct response to this misunderstanding, aiming to reorient their expectations and prepare them for the counter-cultural reality of his kingdom.

Key Themes and Messages

The primary theme here is the contrast between worldly leadership and Jesus' model of servant leadership. The disciples are expecting a king who will rule with power and authority in the traditional sense, while Jesus is about to introduce a paradigm shift where true greatness is found in service and self-sacrifice. Another key message is Jesus' foreknowledge and intentionality regarding his suffering. He is not passively moving towards Jerusalem; he is actively going, fully aware of what awaits him. This verse highlights his deliberate instruction of his closest followers, indicating the importance of this particular teaching for their future ministry and understanding of his mission.

Spiritual Significance and Application

Spiritually, this verse calls believers to re-evaluate their understanding of leadership and power within the context of faith. It challenges the human tendency to seek preeminence and authority based on worldly metrics. Instead, Jesus' approach, as revealed in the subsequent verses, emphasizes humility, service, and the willingness to be last in order to be first in God's eyes. The application for contemporary believers lies in cultivating a spirit of servanthood in all aspects of life, whether in the church, family, or secular spheres. It encourages a posture of humility and a focus on meeting the needs of others rather than seeking personal exaltation.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This moment is a crucial stepping stone in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. Jesus' ascent to Jerusalem is the culmination of Old Testament prophecies concerning the suffering Servant (Isaiah 53) who would lay down his life for humanity. His deliberate instruction to the disciples about the nature of his kingdom prepares them to understand the significance of his sacrifice and resurrection, which are the central events of Christian theology. This teaching also sets the foundation for the early Church's understanding of its mission and leadership, which is not to mimic the power structures of the world but to embody Christ's servant heart.

Analogies

Imagine a seasoned general preparing his most trusted officers for a mission that will redefine warfare. He gathers them privately, not to strategize about conquering territory through brute force, but to explain a new doctrine of victory achieved through self-sacrifice and strategic vulnerability. The disciples, like these officers, are expecting to learn tactics of worldly conquest; instead, they are about to be taught the revolutionary principles of the kingdom of God, where the "strength" of the leader is found in his willingness to be broken for the sake of others. Another analogy could be a renowned chef taking his apprentices aside, not to teach them how to hoard the finest ingredients, but to demonstrate the profound art of transforming simple, humble elements into a meal that nourishes and satisfies, symbolizing how Jesus nourishes humanity through his self-giving.

Relation to Other Verses

This verse is intimately connected to the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) which immediately precedes it, illustrating God's generous and unconventional distribution of rewards, challenging human notions of fairness based on labor. It also directly leads into Jesus' announcement of his impending suffering and death (Matthew 20:18-19), where he explicitly states, "The Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the elders, and they will condemn him to death. They will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. The third day he will be raised to life!" This foreshadowing is crucial for understanding the disciples' subsequent confusion and the radical nature of Jesus' teachings on leadership. The theme of servanthood and humility is echoed in verses like Mark 9:35 ("And he sat down and called the twelve. And said to them, 'If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.'") and Philippians 2:5-8, which urges believers to have the same mindset as Christ Jesus, who, though in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.