Posturing for Power

I worry when Christianity becomes cozy with political power.

There’s an interesting story in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Mark, where two of Jesus’ young followers approach him with a rather presumptuous request:

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Appoint us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”

But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to appoint, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”(Mark 10: 35-40)

In Matthew’s version of the story, it is the boys’ helicopter mother who makes the plea, which might have proved embarrassing to her sons. Nevertheless, the request is made.

It seems that these young fellows interpreted Jesus’ words about the Kingdom of God as an earthly set up, one that would mirror what might have been common in the ancient near east. A king would have advisors, and the most important ones would be to the monarch’s right and left, closest to each ear. And James and John wanted to be the first to apply for the positions.

Jesus lets them know that they are not actually clear-headed about what they are asking. And after challenging them with a few key questions that are actually about Jesus’ impending suffering and death, he reminds him that the kind of power that is seen in the surrounding nations is one of tyranny. And then he makes this declaration:

But it is not so among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. (10:43-44)

I’ve thought a lot about the “it is not so among you” statement. It’s not that it wasn’t so, because James and John seemed to think that it was (the other disciples got mad when they heard the exchange, probably because they didn’t think to ask first). But the point is, that among the people known as followers of Jesus, understanding power the way that national leaders do is not to be the shared ethic of leadership.

Jesus says that assigning those positions of power is not up to him. That must have made the boys’ heads spin. And who are for “those for whom it has been prepared”? Is there someone else who needs to be lobbied? Mark, the gospel writer, tips his hand at the end of the story:

And with him they crucified two rebels, one on his right and one on his left. (Mark 15:27)

The authority to assign the places to the right and left of Jesus was in the hands of the government, represented by Pontius Pilate. The places alongside Jesus were not what his friends expected. They were places of suffering and death. They were places of apparent powerlessness.

Christians should be very cautious about political power. If they want to be at the right and left of a governmental authority, they’ll get what they paid for. But it probably won’t be the way of Jesus. As he said,

“It is not so among you.”

At least, it shouldn’t be. And if it is, then God help us.