The disciples’ question shows their focus on the coming messianic kingdom of peace (see Matthew 16:28), rather than with the imminent suffering and death of the Messiah (Matthew 17:22–23). Mark notes that they had argued about it along the way. They applied earthly concerns with power and rank to that kingdom, and so looked more to themselves than to the King (Matthew 20:20–28). As children of Palestinian Judaism, they focused on rank in the world to come. Their sin was serious, striking at the heart of the kingdom’s concern with the justice and the rule of the Lord (John 18:36). Jesus’ response shows that he saw the matter as driven by their hearts’ envy and selfish ambition.
The question of the disciples reveals that they are still far more occupied with the promise of the coming messianic kingdom of peace (see Matthew 16:28) than with the imminent suffering and death of the Messiah (Matthew 17:22–23).1
The disciples had also clearly been discussing among themselves the kingdom of heaven, concerning which Jesus had spoken so often. They did so in their own manner, however, applying earthly questions and concerns regarding power and rank to that kingdom. The earthly-minded strive for power and argue over who is the greatest, and it seems as though the disciples too had been quarreling among themselves about who was first—the following verses suggest as much. They looked more to themselves than to the King of the kingdom (Matthew 20:20–28). Their sin was all the more serious because it struck at the very heart of the kingdom of God, which is concerned with the justice and the rule of the Lord (John 18:36).2
The disciples’ question is clearly largely driven by envy and selfish ambition. They had begun to think in terms of rank within the kingdom of heaven, contemplating who, apart from the Son of the King, is the greatest? This question is rooted in their hearts. As children of Palestinian Judaism, they were quick to think about precedence in the world to come. In Mark’s Gospel, we are told that they had argued about it along the way; Matthew does not mention this, but from Jesus’ response, it is clear that he treats the matter as one arising from the deep and dangerous impulses in their hearts.3
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”