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Matthew 22:41-46 NIV
Whose Son Is the Messiah?
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.
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When teachers encourage students to ask questions, they often say, "There is no such thing as a bad question." However, there are certainly good questions, useful questions, and questions that benefit others. Some people ask questions but already have their own ideas in mind, so they won't change regardless of whether they get an answer. Such people are difficult to teach. Most of the Pharisees and Sadducees were like this. When Jesus saw through their hearts and answered their questions, they were left speechless and didn’t dare ask further questions to avoid embarrassment. Yet, Jesus surely knew that there were some who were more open-hearted. So, Jesus told them the questions they should be asking. He aimed to point out the crucial truths that these so-called biblical experts didn’t know, exposing their blind spots. He began the conversation by asking about whose descendant the Messiah was. This was something all Israelites knew: the descendant of David. But that answer was only half correct. Yes, Jesus, who is perfect and sinless, was born from David's lineage. However, their partial or even erroneous understanding of the Messiah led them to believe that the Messiah would establish an earthly kingdom like David's once again.
Jesus wanted to guide them, through God's Word, to recognize His divine nature. He sought for them to accept that the kingdom over which Jesus reigns is the Kingdom of Heaven, an eternal kingdom, unlike the temporary earthly rule they anticipated. Thus, Jesus used Psalm 110, a passage describing the Messiah, to question these religious leaders. He challenged them to understand it, and if they didn’t, why weren’t they asking the truly good and beneficial question? Psalm 110:1 says, "The Lord said to my Lord." If the Messiah was merely David’s descendant, why then did David call the Messiah “Lord,” meaning God? Then God continues, saying, “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” The author of Hebrews says that the Messiah, Jesus, “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 1:3), meaning the Messiah holds equal status with God. The Messiah is God. The Apostle Paul says that the Messiah, “being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped” (Philippians 2:6). Jesus wanted them to truly understand that the Messiah is not only fully human but also fully God. This is the faith that followers of Jesus Christ must have. It is the core of the Christian faith, and it is a fact presented throughout the entire Bible. David left this truth for us because the Holy Spirit inspired him to do so, so that all believers would be saved by recognizing the divinity of Jesus (John 20:31). Psalm 110:1 is the most frequently quoted verse in the New Testament. Not only does it help believers understand the Triune God, but it also confirms the divinity of Jesus Christ. This conversation was the last time Jesus had a face-to-face debate with these religious leaders. After this, they needed to find another way to kill Jesus. But Jesus was not avoiding death; He was in complete control, knowing that the Passover Lamb must be sacrificed during Passover. Jesus willingly went to the cross. His love is beyond measure.
Do you believe that Jesus is God? Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus?
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