Scripture: Mark 12:35-37
35 And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, "How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, declared, `The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I put thy enemies under thy feet.' 37 David himself calls him Lord; so how is he his son?" And the great throng heard him gladly.
Meditation: What kind of ruler does the world need today? Who
can establish true peace and justice? When the people of Israel settled
into the promised land, they wanted a king to unite and rule them like
the other nations around them. Their first king, Saul, failed to
establish a dynasty. But when David was annointed king God established
a covenant with him and promised that his dynasty would last forever.
Among the Jews the
most common title for the Messiah (the Hebrew word for
Christ
or the Anointed One) was the Son of David. The
Jews looked forward to the long-expected Savior who would come from the
line of David. Jesus was often addressed with that title,
especially
by the crowds (Mark 10:47ff, Matthew 9:27; 12:23).
Why did Jesus question the Jews on the claim that their Messiah or
Christ would be the son of David? After all the New Testament makes
clear that Jesus himself is a direct descendant from the line of
David's throne (Romans 1:3, 2 Timothy 2:8, Matthew 1:1-17, Luke
3:23-38). Jesus posed the question to make his hearers understand that
the Messiah is more than the son of David. Jesus makes his point in
dramatic fashion by quoting from one of David's inspired psalms, Psalm
110: The Lord said to my Lord, Sit
at my right
hand,
till I put your enemies under your feet. How can the son be the
lord of his father? Jesus, who took upon himself our human nature for
our sake, is not only the son of David, he is first and
foremost the Son of God eternally begotten of the Father. The
Messiah King whom God promised to send would not only come from David's
line, but would be greater than any earthy ruler who came before or
would come after. Jesus claimed a sovereignty that only God can claim -
a sovereignty that extends not only to the ends of the earth but
to the heavens as well. But the way Jesus would establish his kingdom
was far different from any of the expectations of the tiny nation of
Israel. Jesus came to rule hearts and minds not lands and entitlements.
He
came to free people from the worst tyranny possible - slavery to sin,
Satan, and a world ruled by greed and lust for power and wealth.
"Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of David and the Son of God. You are my Lord and I willingly submit myself to your rule in my life. Be Lord and King of my life, my thoughts, heart, home, relationships, work, and all that I do."
Psalm 119:157,160-161,165-166,168
157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, but I do not swerve
from thy testimonies.
160 The sum of thy word is truth; and every one of thy righteous
ordinances
endures for ever.
161 Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe
of thy words.
165 Great peace have those who love thy law; nothing can make them
stumble.
166 I hope for thy salvation, O LORD, and I do thy commandments.
168 I keep thy precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before
thee.