Sons of Thunder

Jesus re-named three of the Apostles. To James son of Zebedee and his brother John he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder. According to the NIV Study Bible foot note the name is, “Probably descriptive of their dispositions.” I can’t help but think that these two nuts didn’t fall far from maternal tree. The brashness of their mother and her sons to ask Jesus for positions of authority and respect cannot be understated. “Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father” (Matt 20:20-23 NIV).