A Few Thoughts about Luke 20:41-44

Luke 20:41-44 WEL

41 He said to them, “How can it be said that Christ is David’s son?

42 “David himself says in the book of Psalms, ‘The Lord [Hebrew Yahweh] said to my lord,’ “Sit at my right hand,

43 “Until I make your enemies your footstool [Psalm 110:1],”’

44 “Therefore, David calls him, ‘lord,’ how is he then his son?”

Jesus is speaking to the Jewish crowd in particular to the Jewish leaders—the priests, the scribes, and the influencers.

He has shown them for many months the proofs of His Messiahship authenticated by His miracles. They have rejected Him.

He asks a question of these experts in the Scriptures.

How can Messiah be David’s son? How can David’s son be David’s superior?

They never answered.

The quote is from Psalm 110:1.

The LORD is Yahweh. The lord is boss, a superior, one who has greater authority than King David. According to the context of Psalm 110, this “Lord” is greater than David.

Yahweh is saying to King David’s superior to sit at Yahweh’s right hand. This is the hand of greatest honor. The Messiah has greater honor than King David.

Messiah sits there until Messiah’s enemies submit to Messiah. Yahweh will accomplish this. Yahweh does not say how long Messiah was sit there before He begins to rule.

The greatest religious scholars of the day could not answer Jesus’s question because their method of Bible interpretation was incorrect.

In studying the context of the Psalm and Jesus’s message, it becomes clear that Psalm 110 is Messianic.

We learn

• Jesus authenticates His credentials of Messiahship but fulfilled prophecy, message, life, and deeds.

• Context is important.

• Truth is important.

• We can believe a lie or the truth. We can accept what is most reasonable or make excuses for the truth.

• We can have confidence that Jesus is Messiah.

The Jewish interpretation is here. (Note how they miss the context).

The Christians interpretation is here and here.

A Few Thoughts about Luke 20:41-44

Bible study, David’s son, Jesus