Matthew 20:20

‘Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, worshipping him, and asking a certain thing of him.”

In the context of His speaking of His death the mother of two of His disciples, James and John, seeks Him out, accompanied by her two sons. She bows humbly before Him and indicates that she has a request to make. The mother of the two sons of Zebedee (see Matthew 27:56) was probably called Salome (Mark 15:40). She may well have been Jesus' aunt (John 19:25). This last would explain why she feels that she can intervene here, and why Jesus commits His mother to his cousin's care at the cross.

Matthew has no motive for introducing their mother here (Mark does not mention it) and it therefore suggests an eyewitness testimony by one who was there. ‘Asking a certain thing of Him' indicates that he had noticed the delicacy of her approach. She had probably learned of Jesus' comment about the Apostles as soon to sit on twelve thrones overseeing Israel, and like all mothers she no doubt felt that no one could be more suitable than her boys for a place of honour. So she seeks to ensure that they will have every opportunity. The act is typical of a strongminded mother and she may well have been Mary's elder sister (I could visualise my mother doing the same). But Matthew makes quite clear that James and John are deeply involved, and it is with them that Jesus discusses the matter.