Jesus rebukes the Pharisees

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

“The son of David,” they replied.

Jesus said to them,

“Then how is it that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.’ If David calls him ‘Lord’, how can he be his son?”

No one could say a word in reply and from that day forward, no one dared to test him with any more questions.

What the story means to us today

The son of David and/or the son of God

Jesus quoted a passage from Psalm 110:1. Written by David himself, it says, “The Lord said to my Lord. Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

Jesus Denounces the Scribes and Pharisees - etching by Friedrich Ludy (Unknown date) thumb

It was common belief at the time that the Messiah would come from the lineage of David. This was supported by Old Testament passages such as 2 Samuel 7:13, Isaiah 11:1, and Jeremiah 23:5.

Jesus however, points out that the popular interpretation of the verse is accurate only on the surface. The Messiah is more than just a human son of David and regardless of how Jesus descends from David’s lineage, he is more accurately, the son of God.

Additional thoughts and considerations

The Lord said to my Lord

Psalm 110:1 was a confusing verse to ancient Israelites. To some, it was a contradiction, almost as if David were speaking to himself. The point Jesus makes is not that the Messiah is a descendant of David but rather, that David acknowledges there is someone on the horizon who is greater than he.

Jesus’ ability to confound detractors

Jesus’ statement turns the Pharisees on their heads. The writings indicate they were stunned into silence by Jesus’ answer. The New Testament is full of examples of Jesus confounding others with his artful intelligence and insight. The should come as no surprise to Christians. As God’s spokesperson, his wisdom would be infinite.

Bible Text

NIV

22:41–46pp—Mk 12:35–37; Lk 20:41–44

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

“The son of David,” they replied.

43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

      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 can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

The New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011. Print.

The NET Bible

22:41 While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus asked them a question: 22:42 “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said, “The son of David.” 22:43 He said to them, “How then does David by the Spirit call him ‘Lord,’ saying,

Pharisees Question Jesus - James Tissot (1886-1894)

    22:44 ‘The Lord said to my lord,

    “Sit at my right hand,

    until I put your enemies under your feet” ’?

22:45 If David then calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 22:46 No one was able to answer him a word, and from that day on no one dared to question him any longer.

Biblical Studies Press. The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press, 2006. Print.

New King James Version

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 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 then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:

    44      ‘The LORD said to my Lord,

    “Sit at My right hand,

    Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’?

45 If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” 46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982. Print.

The Message

      41–42 As the Pharisees were regrouping, Jesus caught them off balance with his own test question: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said, “David’s son.”

      43–45 Jesus replied, “Well, if the Christ is David’s son, how do you explain that David, under inspiration, named Christ his ‘Master’?

           God said to my Master,

             “Sit here at my right hand

             until I make your enemies your footstool.”

      “Now if David calls him ‘Master,’ how can he at the same time be his son?”

      46 That stumped them, literalists that they were. Unwilling to risk losing face again in one of these public verbal exchanges, they quit asking questions for good.

Peterson, Eugene H. The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005. Print.

King James Version

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009. Print.

Sources: NIV, The Message, The NET Bible, King James Version, NET Bible Notes, Faithlife Study Bible, The Apologetics Study Bible, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary, The Bible Reader’s Companion, Matthew Henry’s Commentary, Holman Concise Bible Commentary, The Bible Exposition Commentary, The Teacher’s Bible Commentary, The Teacher’s Commentary, The Bible Guide, Word Studies in the New Testament, Holman Bible Handbook, Calvin Commentaries, Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines, The New Manner and Customs of the Bible, Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, The Lexham Bible Dictionary, Easton’s Bible Dictionary, Harper’s Bible Dictionary, Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible, The Archaeological Encyclopedia, Biblical Archaeology Review, The New Bible Dictionary, The Lexham Analytical Lexicon, Glossary of Morpho-Syntactic Database