Questions and Answers                                                                              

By

Shelby G. Floyd

May 20, 2007

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Like many religionists today, the disciples did not understand the nature of the kingdom Jesus came to establish. They were looking for an earthly kingdom after the style of the kingdom of David. Jesus came to establish a spiritual kingdom not of this world (John 18:36).

 

            Failing to understand this, James and John came to Jesus and made an unreasonable request through their mother (Mark 10:35; Matthew 20:20). Jesus wisely refrained from making any promises until he heard the specifics of their request. They asked for the right and left hand positions in the kingdom that Jesus would establish. This was a selfish pursuit of worldly power and prestige.

 

            We must not make unreasonable demands of other people and we must not make rash promises to others that we cannot keep. Check out the rash promises some made to follow the Lord (Luke 9:57-62).

 

            In the Old Testament, Adonijah made an unreasonable request through the queen to King Solomon. The wise king did not promise to carry out Bathsheba’s request, because it was not the right thing to do (1 Kings 2:19-25).

 

            King Herod made a rash unconditional promise to Salome, the daughter of Herodias. “When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you." And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom” (Mark 6:22-23). Her mother hated John the Baptist and so she had her daughter ask for John’s head on a plate. Her request was immoral. Herod had John beheaded to honor his vow, rather than to do the right thing.

   

            These examples illustrate the need for God’s people to refrain from making unreasonable and immoral requests. We also learn that it is not wise to make rash emotional promises that may come back to haunt us. Evidently, Herod’s rash promise came back to haunt him, because later when he heard about the work of Christ, he thought John the Baptist had come back from the dead. His guilty conscience condemned him (Mark 6:14-20).

 

            Let us remember the words of Solomon,

 

“Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:2). Copyright © 2007 Shelby Floyd All Rights Reserved