Jesus certainly has made believers of his followers, they are convinced of his lordship. James and John are so fired up, they’re already trying to plan out the throne room. But they’ve missed the point. Jesus is heading to a throne, but he won’t rise to power by stepping on the backs of others. His ascent is backwards: he will lower himself, suffer humiliation, and die. Only then will be be elevated. In Christian tradition, it’s interesting to note that James was thought to be the first to be martyred, and John was the last. The cup of suffering for James certainly didn’t last as long as John’s, but they did fully take up the mantle of discipleship.