35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly. (Mark 12:35-37 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
The Pharisees had often put forth several questions maliciously unto Christ, and now Christ puts forth one question innocently unto them; namely, What they thought of the Messiah whom they expected?
They reply, that he was to be the Soul of David: that is, a secular prince descending from David, who should deliver them from the power of the Romans and restore them to their civil rights. This was the notion they had of the Messiah, that he should be a mere man, the son of David according to the flesh, and nothing more.
Our Saviour replies, Whence is it then that David calls the Messiah Lord? The Lord said to my Lord, Sit though on my right hand Ps 110:1. How could he be both David’s Lord and David’s son; no son being lord to his father?
Therefore, if Christ were David’s Sovereign, he must be more than man, more than David’s son: as man, so he was David’s son; as God-man, so he was David’s Lord.
Note, hence, 1. That although Christ was truly and really man, yet he was more than a bare man; he was Lord unto, and the salvation of, his own forefathers.
Note, 2. That the only way to reconcile the scriptures which speak concerning Christ, is to believe and acknowledge him to be God and man in one person; the Messiah as man, was to come forth out of David’s loins; but as God-man, he was David’s Sovereign and Saviour: as man, he was his father’s son; as God he was Lord to his own father.
BURKITT : | Mark 12:1-8 | Mark 12:9-12 | Mr 12v13-17 | Mr 12v18-27 | Mr 12v28-34 | Mark 12:35-37 | Mark 12:38-40 | Mr 12v41-44 | KJV Comm