Then translates the particle with which Matthew begins this section. By the use of this particle he makes a closer association between the question of greatness and the third prediction of Jesus’ suffering and death than does Mark, who uses the conjunction “And” (10.35). Barclay has “It was then,” and others have said “After that.”

For whatever reason, Matthew indicates that it was the mother of the sons of Zebedee (Good News Translation “the wife of Zebedee”) who approached Jesus and made the request in behalf of her two sons. Mark (10.35) specifically states that it was “James and John, the sons of Zebedee” who came to Jesus with the request. It is also significant that Matthew further protects these two disciples by designating them as the sons of Zebedee without mentioning their names. By this alteration of the Marcan narrative, Matthew reveals that he is more interested in the teaching to be gained from the story by his readers than he is in specifically identifying the two disciples. To mention the disciples by name, as does Living Bible, immediately shifts the intended focus of Matthew’s account. It is possible to render her sons as “her two sons,” however, since the number is specified in verse 21.

Some translators retain the form, the mother of the sons of Zebedee. This is acceptable as long as it does not give readers the impression that she was the mother of Zebedee’s children but not his wife. If that is the case, then translators should do something similar to Good News Translation: “the wife of Zebedee.”

Him is Jesus, and it may be necessary to identify him by name (so Good News Translation).

Kneeling before him translates the same verb used in 18.26 (see comments there); New English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible have “bowed low.”

Asked him for something (Good News Translation “asked him for a favor”) is more literally “asked something from him.” New American Bible has “begged a favor,” while New Jerusalem Bible inverts the order of the two verb constructions: “to make a request of him, and bowed low.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .