As Jesus was teaching in the temple area he said, “How do the scribes claim that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 David himself, inspired by the holy Spirit, said: ‘The Lord said to my lord, “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet.”’ 37 David himself calls him ‘lord’; so how is he his son?” [The] great crowd heard this with delight.
After the earlier challenges in the temple, Jesus now takes the initiative. Others had questioned Him about His authority, taxes, the resurrection, and the greatest commandment. Now He asks a question that leads the people deeper into the identity of the Messiah.
The scribes, who were teachers and interpreters of the Law, taught that the Messiah would be the son of David (v. 35). God had promised David that his royal line would endure, and that one of his descendants would have a kingdom established by God (2 Sam. 7:12-14). Matthew begins his Gospel by identifying Jesus as “the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Mt. 1:1), and Paul teaches that Jesus is descended from David according to the flesh (Rom. 1:3). The angel Gabriel tells Mary that her Son will receive “the throne of David his father” and reign forever (Lk. 1:32-33). Jesus is truly the promised Son of David.
Jesus’ question shows that this title does not say enough. He quotes Ps. 110:1: “The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet’” (v. 36). Jesus says that David spoke these words “inspired by the holy Spirit” (v. 36). David’s words are inspired Scripture, spoken under the guidance of God.
The question turns on the word “Lord.” In the psalm, David speaks of someone greater than himself. He says, “The Lord said to my lord” (v. 36). The first “Lord” refers to God. The second “lord” refers to the one whom David himself honors. Jesus then asks, “David himself calls him ‘lord’; so how is he his son?” (v. 37). A son of David would normally be viewed as David’s descendant and heir. Yet David calls this figure “my lord,” which shows that the Messiah is greater than David.
Jesus is revealing that the Messiah is both David’s son and David’s Lord. He is David’s son because He truly enters David’s family line. He is David’s Lord because He is the Son of God who has taken our human nature and entered history for our salvation. This is why the title “Son of David” is true, yet the title “Lord” reveals more fully who He is.
Psalm 110 became very important in the early Church’s proclamation of Jesus. After the Resurrection, Peter used this same psalm to announce that God had made the crucified and risen Jesus both “Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:34-36). The Letter to the Hebrews also uses Ps. 110:1 to show the unique dignity of the Son, seated at God’s right hand (Heb. 1:13). The image of sitting at God’s right hand expresses royal authority, victory, and closeness to God.
Mark has been gradually showing who Jesus is. Peter confessed Him as the Messiah (Mk. 8:29). Bartimaeus called Him “Son of David” and asked for mercy (Mk. 10:47-48). The crowds welcomed Him as the one who came in the name of the Lord (Mk. 11:9). Now, in the temple, Jesus leads the crowd to see that the Messiah’s identity reaches higher than they expected. He is the promised king from David’s line, and He is also the Lord who reigns with divine authority.
The crowd hears Him “with delight” because Jesus speaks with authority about the long-awaited Messiah, the promised Son of David, whose identity is greater than the scribes had explained (v. 37). His words draw the people toward a fuller understanding of the Messiah. The promised king from David’s line is also David’s Lord, whose authority comes from His divine identity.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of David, deepen our faith in who You are. Teach us to hear the Scriptures with humility, to receive Your word with trust, and to follow You as Lord in all that we do. Amen.
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Sources and References
- The New American Bible, Revised Edition. Mark 12:35-37 and note on Mark 12:35-37.
- Hahn, Scott, and Curtis Mitch. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010. Page 90.
- José María Casciaro, gen. ed. The Navarre Bible: New Testament, Expanded Edition. Dublin: Four Courts Press; New York: Scepter Publishers, 2008. Page 210.
- Brown, Raymond E., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, eds. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990. Pages 622-623, paragraph 60.
- Aguilar Chiu, José Enrique, et al., eds. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. New York: Paulist Press, 2018. Page 1013.
- Collins, John J., Gina Hens-Piazza, Barbara Reid OP, and Donald Senior CP, eds. The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, with a Foreword by Pope Francis. London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2022. Page 1275.
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