Tension is in the air as Jesus & his friends move towards Jerusalem. He's already given fair warning of what lies ahead. No doubt the tension builds as he goes on to develop in more detail what's going to happen to him, & by association, maybe to them. That kind of tension is completely lacking in the churches to which most of us belong. From an Australian point of view, Christians in our neighbour Indonesia probably come closest to knowing what Jesus really means. In the face of Islam run amok with churches burnt & bombed, Christians murdered, racial hatred feeding the flames of a new intolerance foreign to both Islam & Christianity when they are true to the One God & not crazed fanatics - on either side. Of course, those in other lands where Christians are a (maybe) persecuted minority, also know what Jesus means. As do 'classes' of Christians who don't measure up to the qualifications some other Christians want to impose upon them.

Tension can be creative, but as it unfolds during Our Lord's passion, & in past or current bouts of persecution, there is little creative about it. Mainly destruction. Sure, when the young church grows post- Jesus, tension under persecution builds strength & vitality into its bones, even if that becomes, unfortunately, only too literally true! The tension issue may serve as a reminder that there are lots of people out there in our margins who live under constant tension. Often, society's response appears to be to persecute them some more! Whereas the One who moves steadfastly towards Jerusalem to hand himself over is always wanting to 'sit where they sit' in the person of us, his compassionate Body.

Like most commentators I reckon James & John did it, as per MK. Not their mother, as MT tells us, as he tries to cover for two such pillars of the church getting it so wrong! Jesus, in connecting baptism with blood, takes us beyond the easy come easy go water baptism that 'won't wash' much longer. Bearing as it does little relationship to what Jesus really stands for - & against. Servanthood. At any & all costs.