Matthew 22:42
saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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When Jesus asks the Pharisees about the Christ, he's not just asking for a casual opinion; he's probing their understanding of Scripture and their expectations of the Messiah. Their immediate, confident answer, "The son of David," reveals they've embraced the popular, earthly lineage but have completely missed the deeper, divine truth about who that Son of David truly is.
Jesus is in the temple, engaging in a series of challenging questions with the religious leaders, following his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. After they fail to answer his questions about the Messiah's identity and David's relationship to him, Jesus poses a direct question about their understanding of the Christ. They readily reply with the common belief that the Messiah would be a descendant of David, reflecting the prophecies they knew.
The Pharisees had a ready answer when Jesus asked about the Christ's lineage. But did they truly understand the implications of their own reply?
When Jesus asks the Pharisees, 'What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?' and they confidently reply, 'The son of David,' they're reciting a widely accepted belief. For centuries, it was understood that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David. This was a cornerstone of their messianic expectation.
However, Jesus isn't just testing their knowledge of genealogy. He's probing the depth of their understanding. The Pharisees' answer, while factually correct according to prophecy, reveals a limited perspective. They see the 'Son of David' as primarily a human, earthly king who would restore Israel's kingdom.
Jesus' question is designed to expose this narrow view. He's about to reveal that the Christ is far more than just a descendant of David; he is David's Lord.
How can someone be both a descendant and a Lord? This apparent contradiction is the key to unlocking Jesus' divine identity.
Jesus intentionally follows up the Pharisees' 'Son of David' answer with a crucial question: 'How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord?' (Matthew 22:43). He's immediately highlighting a theological puzzle.
The Pharisees understand 'Son of David' to mean a human descendant, born in a specific royal line. But Psalm 110:1, which they acknowledge as messianic prophecy, has David speaking of the Lord saying to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.'
This presents a paradox: If the Christ is merely David's descendant, how can David himself call him 'Lord'? This means the Christ must possess a nature that transcends human lineage. He is both fully human, a 'Son of David,' and fully divine, David's 'Lord.'
Jesus uses this to point towards his own divine nature, which the Pharisees, with their limited 'Son of David' view, refused to acknowledge. They were focused on an earthly king, not the eternal Son of God.
Understand the original words
Christos · Greek Noun
A term derived from the Greek 'Christos', meaning 'the Anointed One'. It refers to the promised Messiah of the Old Testament, the Savior and King sent by God to redeem His people and establish His eternal kingdom.
huios Dauid · Greek Noun phrase
A royal designation referring to the messianic king promised to come through the lineage of King David. It carries the weight of the Davidic Covenant, signifying the one who would reign on David's throne forever.
Jesus presses the religious leaders on their understanding of the Messiah. They readily identify Him as the 'Son of David,' reflecting a common expectation of a human king from David's line. However, Jesus uses Psalm 110 to reveal that the Messiah is also David's Lord, hinting at His divine nature and authority beyond earthly kingship.
c. 1000 BC
King David Reigns
David is established as the king of Israel, uniting the tribes and establishing Jerusalem as his capital. This sets the stage for prophecies about a future descendant who would rule eternally.
c. 950 BC
Temple in Jerusalem Completed
Solomon, David's son, completes the First Temple in Jerusalem, solidifying the religious and political center of Israel. This further anchors messianic expectations to the Davidic line and the city of Jerusalem.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports elite Jews, including members of the royal family and scribes, to Babylon. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile and the loss of the independent Davidic monarchy.
c. 516 BC
Return from Exile and Temple Rebuilt
After the Persian conquest of Babylon, many Jews return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. Messianic hopes are rekindled, focusing on the restoration of David's line and kingdom.
This passage details God's promise to David concerning an everlasting dynasty, directly linking the Messiah's lineage to David and setting the stage for the 'Son of David' expectation.
Psalm 110:1Jesus himself quotes this Psalm immediately after, showing how David, inspired by the Spirit, refers to the Messiah as both his 'Son' and his 'Lord,' a paradox that challenges the Pharisees' limited understanding.
Isaiah 11:1This prophecy explicitly states that a shoot will come from the stump of Jesse (David's father), reinforcing the Messianic expectation of a descendant of David.
John 7:42This verse echoes the common understanding that the Christ (Messiah) was expected to be a descendant of David, confirming the Pharisees' answer was the widely held belief.
Romans 1:3Paul reiterates that Jesus was 'descended from David according to the flesh,' highlighting the importance of his Davidic lineage while also pointing to his divine nature as the Son of God.
barnesMatthew 22:42: "Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David."
What think ye of Christ? - What are your views respecting the Messiah, or "the Christ," especially respecting his "genealogy?" He did not ask them their mews respecting him in general, but only respecting his ancestry. The article should have been retained in the translation - the Christ or the Messiah. He did not ask them their opinion respecting himself, his person, and work, as would seem…
calvinMatthew 22:41-46: "While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,"
- And when the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus asked them, 42. Saying, What think you of Christ? whose son is he? They say to him, David's. 43. He saith to them, How then doth David by the Spirit call him Lord, saying, 44. The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I have made thy enemies thy footstool? [79] 45. If David then calleth him Lord, how is he his son? 46. And no man could make any reply to h…
When Jesus asks the Pharisees about the Christ, he's not just asking for a casual opinion; he's probing their understanding of Scripture and their expectations of the Messiah. Their immediate, confident answer, "The son of David," reveals they've embraced the popular, earthly lineage but have completely missed the deeper, divine truth about who that Son of David truly is.
Jesus is in the temple, engaging in a series of challenging questions with the religious leaders, following his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. After they fail to answer his questions about the Messiah's identity and David's relationship to him, Jesus poses a direct question about their understanding of the Christ. They readily reply with the common belief that the Messiah would be a descendant of David, reflecting the prophecies they knew.
Jesus is in the temple, engaging in a series of challenging questions with the religious leaders, following his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. After they fail to answer his questions about the Messiah's identity and David's relationship to him, Jesus poses a direct question about their understanding of the Christ. They readily reply with the common belief that the Messiah would be a descendant of David, reflecting the prophecies they knew.
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c. 20 BC - AD 30
Roman Rule in Judea
Judea is under Roman occupation, with a Davidic descendant (Herod the Great, then his successors) often installed as a client king. This political climate heightens expectations for a divinely appointed Messiah to liberate Israel.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Temple Confrontation
Jesus, claiming to be the Messiah, enters Jerusalem during Passover and confronts religious leaders in the Temple. He challenges their understanding of the Messiah's identity, particularly their focus on a purely human, Davidic king.
"saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.”" — When Jesus asks the Pharisees about the Christ, he's not just asking for a casual opinion; he's probing their understanding of Scripture and their expectations of the Messiah. Their immediate, confid…
