Mat 22:41-45 | KingComments | STEP | Then it is the time and turn for the Lord Jesus to take the initiative and ask a question. He asks this question not only to a single Pharisee, but to a whole group. His question puts His own position in the light. This question is the crucial question that every human being must answer, for it relates to His Person as the Christ. First the Lord asks of whom Christ is the Son. They know how to answer that question correctly: He is the Son of David. Then the Lord continues to ask questions about the Christ. If He is the Son of David, how is it possible that David, in the Spirit, calls Him ‘Lord’? How can someone be the son of a person and at the same time be called by that person with respect ‘lord’? To support His question, He quotes a word from the Scriptures which they think they know so well. The quoted word refers unambiguously to the Messiah ( ). The Pharisees confess that too. Here, too, Christ quotes the whole verse to make its power sink into His hearers. This verse speaks of the glory of the Messiah in heaven, a glory that God gives Him. After He has quoted the verse, the Lord Jesus repeats His question. They know that the Christ will be the Son of David. But they don’t know why David calls him ‘Lord’ in Psalm 110. The solution to the problem is given at the beginning of this Gospel. He is “Messiah [Christ], Son of David” ( ) and also “Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us”” ( ). As Man, He is the Son of David, born of Mary, of the family of David. At the same time He is and remains God before Whom David bows down. The Messiah, the Lord Jesus, is God “revealed in the flesh” ( ). For those who believe this, everything is clear. He who does not believe this, lives in darkness. Although He is the Son of David, He must go to heaven to receive the kingdom. While He waits for the kingdom on earth, He sits at the right hand of God in accordance with the rights of His excellent Person: the Lord of David and the Son of David. The Pharisees cannot answer. Because of their pride they are blind to the glory of the Person Who stands before them. He answered all their questions and then asked His question, which they cannot answer. The Lord Himself has the last word. It is extremely serious, searching and probing. It is like the old, flaming sword that goes back and forth in all directions ( ) to guard all that is of God in His Person and shows the highest authority of Him over Whom they want to pour out all the hatred of their hearts. The defeat of His opponents is complete. They are out of words. But the Lord has not finished with them yet. The time has come for these hypocrites to take off the masks and do so in the presence of the people under their influence. He does so in the next chapter.

‏ Matthew 22:41-45

The Son of David

Then it is the time and turn for the Lord Jesus to take the initiative and ask a question. He asks this question not only to a single Pharisee, but to a whole group. His question puts His own position in the light. This question is the crucial question that every human being must answer, for it relates to His Person as the Christ.

First the Lord asks of whom Christ is the Son. They know how to answer that question correctly: He is the Son of David. Then the Lord continues to ask questions about the Christ. If He is the Son of David, how is it possible that David, in the Spirit, calls Him ‘Lord’? How can someone be the son of a person and at the same time be called by that person with respect ‘lord’? To support His question, He quotes a word from the Scriptures which they think they know so well.

The quoted word refers unambiguously to the Messiah (Psa 110:1). The Pharisees confess that too. Here, too, Christ quotes the whole verse to make its power sink into His hearers. This verse speaks of the glory of the Messiah in heaven, a glory that God gives Him.

After He has quoted the verse, the Lord Jesus repeats His question. They know that the Christ will be the Son of David. But they don’t know why David calls him ‘Lord’ in Psalm 110. The solution to the problem is given at the beginning of this Gospel. He is “Messiah [Christ], Son of David” (Mt 1:1) and also “Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us”” (Mt 1:23). As Man, He is the Son of David, born of Mary, of the family of David. At the same time He is and remains God before Whom David bows down.

The Messiah, the Lord Jesus, is God “revealed in the flesh” (1Tim 3:16). For those who believe this, everything is clear. He who does not believe this, lives in darkness. Although He is the Son of David, He must go to heaven to receive the kingdom. While He waits for the kingdom on earth, He sits at the right hand of God in accordance with the rights of His excellent Person: the Lord of David and the Son of David.

The Pharisees cannot answer. Because of their pride they are blind to the glory of the Person Who stands before them. He answered all their questions and then asked His question, which they cannot answer. The Lord Himself has the last word. It is extremely serious, searching and probing. It is like the old, flaming sword that goes back and forth in all directions (Gen 3:24) to guard all that is of God in His Person and shows the highest authority of Him over Whom they want to pour out all the hatred of their hearts.

The defeat of His opponents is complete. They are out of words. But the Lord has not finished with them yet. The time has come for these hypocrites to take off the masks and do so in the presence of the people under their influence. He does so in the next chapter.