Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshiping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
All Commentaries on Matthew 20:20 Go To Matthew 20
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Yet none of these things that he had done caused them to be courageous, even when they were continually hearing about his resurrection. It troubled them deeply to hear not only about his death but about him being mocked and scourged and the like. For when they considered his miracles just done, the possessed persons whom he had delivered, the dead whom he had raised, all the other marvelous works which he was doing, and then heard about his death, they were amazed, if it should be the case that he who did these works would then be destined to suffer. Therefore they fell even deeper into bewilderment. They now believed, now disbelieved, and could not understand his sayings. So far at least were they from understanding clearly what he said that the sons of Zebedee simultaneously came to him and spoke to him of precedence. “Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” The Gospel of Matthew, Homily
