Matthew 22:41-46

Matthew 22:41-46     Deepening Insight into “David’s Son”

(Mk 12:35-37; Lk 20:41-44)
 
41 The Pharisees were gathered together, and Jesus asked them, saying,
42 “What is your idea about the Christ?  Whose son is he?”  
They said, “David’s”.

In reply to the three tests proposed to Jesus, Jesus himself moved to take the initiative.  He questioned the Pharisees who had been seeking to destroy his personal honour in the sight of the crowd.

Their answer reflected one of a number of theories circulating about the Christ/Messiah.  Within the context of the Gospel narrative, their answer was correct.  However, their insight was incomplete.  They refused to accept Jesus as son of David, and they missed other more important aspects of his identity.  So Jesus challenged them.

43 So he said to them,
“How then does David, under inspiration, address him as ‘Lord’,
when he says,
44      ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
   Sit at my right while I put your enemies under your feet’?
45 If David calls him ‘Lord’, how is he his son?”

Quoting from Psalm 110:1, Jesus pointed to the anomaly that David, the presumed author of the Psalm, referred to his son also as his Lord.

For Matthew, Jesus’ question did not deny that the Messiah was Son of David, but affirmed that he was much more than that: a Messiah of another order, and immeasurably superior to David.

The argumentation seems strange and inconclusive to the ear of the modern reader.  However, it was the kind of argument much loved by rabbis at the time of Jesus.  At least for them, it would have served to engage their interest, even if not to convince them.

46 No one could answer him a word; nor, from that day on, did anyone dare to question him again.

The mood changed, and, in the light of their defeat, so, too, did the tactics of his adversaries.  But before they would move into action, Jesus had more to say to the crowds and to his disciples.

Next >> Matthew 23:1-12