ARE YOU GROWING? (15)

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*ARE YOU GROWING? (15)*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Matt 20: 20-28

v20 *Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.*

v21  *And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.*

v22  *But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.*

v23  *And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.*

v24  *And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.*

v25 *But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.*

v26 *But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;*

v27 *And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:*

v28 *Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

Christian growth and blood relation

*Scripture Commentaries.*

Salome's request to Jesus exposes how closeness, connection, blood relatives are often used as a pathway to power.

Her closeness as a devoted follower who supported Jesus' ministry financially and personally may have played a role in her request to Jesus. She was also noted for her presence at the crucifixion and the empty tomb of Jesus. She was a dedicated woman and according to Mark 16:1, Salome was one of the women who bought spices to anoint Jesus' body after the Sabbath.

She was in the company of Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and John.

She was recorded as a blood relative, likely the sister of Mary (Jesus's mother) and going by this relation, she would be Jesus' aunt.

There are three gospel accounts that may have suggested Salome's relation to Mary the mother of Jesus.

First, John records four women who stood by the cross of Jesus namely Mary (Jesus' mother) and Jesus' *"....mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.*

John 19:25 *Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.*

Mark records a wider picture of the women who were at the cross. Other than Mary the mother of Jesus and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses (who was also the same as the Mary the wife of Cleophas in John 19:25) there was also Salome;

Mark 15:40 says *There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;*

Matthew records Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Cleophas (who was also Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses), and the mother of Zebedees children (who was Salome). All three with Mary the mother of Jesus were at the cross.

So looking at John's account of records John 19:25, four were mentioned to have been present at the cross of Jesus

First was Jesus' mother.

Second was *"...his mother's sister...*

(That is, Jesus' mother's sister).

Third was *Mary the wife of Cleophas*,

Fourth was, *Mary Magdalene.*

If John's identification of "his mother's sister" is a separate person from

Mary wife of Clophas and Mary Magdalene

then Salome is fitly identified as that sister, making her Mary's sister and the mother of James and John (the "sons of Zebedee" or "sons of thunder").

This clarification became necessary to illustrate what may have informed her opinion and direct Access to persuade with the intention to prevail over Jesus with a bold request regarding her sons' positions in his kingdom.

While family blood, ties, closeness have often played roles in choosing people to positions of high places in the Church, Jesus showed in His answer to Salome that proximity of relations is not a determinant of Kingdom choice.

Mature Christians will not choose based on how close you are to leadership but will only choose from how close you are to the Spirit.

Salome was not just an aunt to Mary the mother of Jesus she was, to many of us, according to gospels' records of her, was too good to ignore but Jesus would have none of her request.

He must do what the Father told Him to do.

In John 5:19 Jesus said *"......Verily, verily, I say unto you The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.*

This is what made Him and His Father one, John 10:30.

Christian maturity goes beyond committed and dedicated services.

Christian maturity is doing what the Spirit says, (Rev 2:7, 3:22) regardless of blood relations.

Are you a mature Christian?

Are you growing?

*Remorse corner.*

A mature Christian will do what Jesus says.

*Call to Word action.*

No one was too close or too good to Jesus for Jesus to honour what they told Him over what God told Him to do.

*The Christian clarion duty.*

No blood relation is thicker or more honorable than the blood of Jesus.

*Prayer.*

Help me to mature enough to obey what the Spirit tells me to do, in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.