Who Will Sit at Jesus Right and Left?
To sit at Jesus right and left would be a shocking honor, though for some a lot of pressure. Let’s unpack this. What does it say in Mark?
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
39 “We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
It is clear from this that some kind of rank exists in heaven. I must have said before that my wife and I are quite different. I am ESTJ and she is ENFJ. When we were first married, I noticed that she broke all my rules. One was read the Bible daily. She is not habitual and is weak in this area. She is very strong in prayer while I forget to pray.
One day when I was frustrated by her breaking my rules, God opened my eyes. I imagined a long line from first to last in heaven and thought who would be first, me or her?
The Phrase at Jesus Right and Left Helps Us
This helped me a lot. Suddenly, I could let go of my judgement and realize that only God can judge such a question. I guess most of us Christians got something from the words Jesus shared next in Mark.
42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Our normal view that some famous Christian like Billy Graham would be ahead is natural, but Jesus saying “the first will be last” helps us see that God knows and sees what we do not. Our Heavenly Father knows each of us perfectly. He may use more or less rank order in heaven, and he will certainly know how to handle it with us. He made us and raised us, and so he knows.
While we certainly do not know how will be at Jesus right and left, God will handle these things, and we will know he did it right. Surely God has more for us than we can imagine.
