Mark 10:38 Meaning and Explanation
“But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus tells them they do not know what they ask, and speaks of the cup he must drink and the baptism he must undergo.
What Does Mark 10:38 Mean?
Jesus answers with two pictures of what lies ahead of him. The cup, in the prophets, is the portion God appoints, often a portion of suffering; it is the image Jesus will take up again in Gethsemane. The baptism is an overwhelming plunge, a going under the flood.
Ye know not what ye ask: the seats they want stand on the far side of a suffering they have not imagined. Glory in the kingdom is reached through Gethsemane's cup and Calvary's flood. Before asking to share his throne, we must let him teach us what nearness to him involves.
Mark 10:38 in the Original Language
baptizo (βαπτίζω), 'baptized' -- to plunge or immerse, here into overwhelming suffering.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 10:38
What does Mark 10:38 mean?
Jesus tells them they do not know what they ask, and speaks of the cup he must drink and the baptism he must undergo.