Reading the Word

Matthew 22:41–46 (ESV)

41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,

44 “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet” ’?

45 If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

Parallel Texts: Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44

Understanding and Applying the Word

After receiving multiple questions from the religious leaders, Jesus asked one of his own. He quizzed the leaders about the identity of the promised Messiah. Jesus asked, “Whose son is he?” The response of the Pharisees was that the Messiah was David’s son, which was true on one level. However, Jesus went on to ask why David would call the Messiah his “Lord” if the Messiah was David’s son. Jesus quoted from Psalm 110:1 to make his point, which was a psalm written by David and speaking of the Messiah.

The reason for Jesus’ question was to point out that while the Messiah was a son of David, he was also more than that. David himself points to this truth in a psalm he wrote “in the Spirit.” That David was in the Spirit tells us that his words were Scripture and authoritative truth given by God. The Messiah would also be the Son of God. This would make him David’s Lord. Jesus is that Lord.

Many in Jesus’ day had their own idea of what the Messiah would be and what he would do. Jesus was not the Messiah they expected and he tried frequently to help the people see from the Scriptures that they were mistaken. Some heard Jesus and recognized him as the promised Messiah. Many were never able to accept that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. We must be willing to turn to the Scriptures to see what they say about this matter. Read the four Gospels with an eye on how Jesus fulfills the Messianic promises. He is the one the world has been waiting for.

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