If we look at the apostles in awe, assuming their spiritual superiority, these verses will give us a shock.  Coming immediately after Jesus' third announcement of His imminent death, including details of how He would be whipped, ridiculed, spat upon and then crucified (Mark 10:32-34), we might have expected the disciples to respond in loving sympathy for Jesus, as one woman did (Mark 14:3-9).  But, no.  The fishermen brothers were callously self-seeking.  James, who was the first to be martyred, and John, who described himself as 'the disciple Jesus loved' (John 21:20) … did not care about Jesus; they only cared for themselves.  

It may be that their mother's ambition for her boys encouraged the encounter, as Matthew 20:20-21 adds details to the narrative.  But the fishermen were fully complicit.  They wanted the top jobs in Jesus' government.  Despite Jesus' previous teaching about the way of the cross (Mark 8:31; 9:31), and the spiritual dangers of worldly values that vie with the way God runs His kingdom (Mark 8:34), they still want to be top dogs.  They wanted Jesus to give them authority, power and glory: He would help them to advance their careers!  They tried, clumsily, to trap their Master into agreeing to do anything they ask.  What did they take Him for?  He, who saw the heart of every question, knew exactly what they were up to!  But it shows how little they really knew about the Lord.

It is not unusual for believers to want to grab the glory, but the naïve blatancy in this passage is dreadful.  Mark wanted us to be appalled.  The shameless use of their privileged position as 'close companions' was wrong.  Especially so, when you realise that they were trying to manipulate God to cut out their fellows.  The supposedly private interview was soon well-known, and the other disciples were furious (Matthew 20:24).  James, the half-brother of Jesus may have remembered this encounter when he wrote to condemn favouritism in the church (James 2:1-13).

The picture of James and John, and their mother, is not at all attractive.  It is meant to repel us, so that we may examine ourselves and be serious about our own motives.  Is there no glory lust?  Is there competition with fellow believers?  Do we somehow (even subconsciously) use our relationship with Christ for our own ends?  Is there any hint at trying to manipulate the Almighty?  Such questions have more weight than may be lifted in a rushed lunch hour.  But they need to be asked and resolved to God's satisfaction.  The episode is also to encourage us that although James and John were like that, they were transformed by the indwelling Christ and the Spirit after Pentecost.  So, examine your heart: this prayer may be a helpful start.