How do you think about the love of the two sons

of the mother of the apostles James and John?

As Jesus went up to Jerusalem, He said to His twelve disciples,

"There I will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law,

who will condemn me to death.

They will hand me over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified.

But I will rise again on the third day."

At that time the mother of Zebedee's sons (James and John)

came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

She asked that her two sons might sit,

one at Jesus' right hand and the other at his left, in his kingdom.

She did not understand what she was asking

(Matthew 20:17-22).

I believe the love shown towards the two sons

of the mother of the apostles James and John was not based on proper understanding.

The reason I think this way is that she did not know what she was asking Jesus for.

Furthermore, the love of that mother for her children was not based on proper priorities.

The reason I think this way is that she desired her two sons, James and John,

to be exalted and esteemed more than Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection

(Matthew 20:26-27).

I believe the love shown towards the two sons

of the mother of the apostles James and John was not based on sound judgment.

The reason I think this way is that she asked Jesus for what she wanted,

causing the ten disciples to become indignant when they heard about it

(Matthew 20:24).

It seems she didn't even consider that her request to Jesus

would break the unity among the twelve disciples

and provoke anger towards her two sons from the rest of the disciples.

In short, her lack of proper judgment was a failure to grasp Jesus' teachings:

"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

and whoever wants to be first must be your slave"

(Matthew 20:26-27).

I believe the love shown towards the two sons

of the mother of the apostles James and John was not a love of service

but rather a love that did not imitate Jesus.

The reason I think this way is that Jesus said,

"I did not come to be served, but to serve,

 and to give my life as a ransom for many"

(Matthew 20:28).

However, that mother wanted her two sons to be served.

Such a love of a mother not only fails

to set an example for her children to follow Jesus

but also fails to set an example for Jesus' disciples.