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Listen "#168 | In the Footsteps of David: The Messiah is both Lord and Son of David...Huh?"
Episode Synopsis
In this episode, we dive into the scene in Matthew 22:41-46, where Jesus poses a question to the Pharisees that challenges their understanding of the Messiah. Asking, "Whose son is the Christ?" Jesus draws attention to their incomplete view of the Messiah as merely the Son of David. By referencing Psalm 110:1, where David calls the Messiah "Lord," Jesus reveals a deeper truth about the identity and mission of the Christ—one that the Pharisees had failed to grasp.
Far from deconstructing the idea that the Messiah is the Son of David, Jesus exposes the Pharisees’ shallow and inaccurate understanding of what that truly means. Their expectation of a conquering warrior king who would crush Israel’s enemies through military might was shaped by a selective view of David’s life, emphasizing his victories while neglecting his suffering and rejection. Jesus, however, understood his own identity as the Son of David in a fuller sense. He walked not only in the footsteps of David's triumphs but also in the path of David's suffering and rejection—fleeing from Saul and enduring betrayal by Absalom. The brillilance of Jesus' question and response to the Pharisees is that it creates room for a broader, much larger point of reference for what the Messianic profile entails - both suffering and victory.
Yet, this path of suffering was not devoid of battle. Jesus engaged in a profound struggle, not against the external enemies of soldiers and swords, but against his own flesh and human nature. Like David resisting the temptation to kill Saul and take the throne by force, Jesus faced the temptation to choose a self-centered path free from suffering and death. His internal battle was a struggle to remain faithful to God’s mission, overcoming evil not through violence, but by refusing to let it provoke him into a violent response—even in the agony of his trial and crucifixion.
We conclude by exploring how Jesus’ understanding of the Messiah as both a suffering servant and a conquering king reshapes what it means for Jesus to walk in the footsteps of David. By choosing the non-violent path of suffering love, Jesus demonstrates that the true victory over evil—a victory not of force, but of faithful obedience to God - must first take place internally. This challenges us to reevaluate our own understanding of what it means to follow the Messiah and to trust in the power of God’s redemptive plan.
Key Passages:
Matthew 22:41-46
Psalm 110
Key Resources:
For an example of a scholar who casts doubt on the Masoretic vowel pointing system, which can have implications for casting doubt on their decision to vowel point the Hebrew word Adon in Psalm 110:1 to indicate a human rather than a divine, figure, see the comments of John Sailhamer in The Expositor's Bible Commentary on Genesis, Revised Edition, page 185.
Explainer Video on how to use www.biblehub.com and www.blueletterbible.org
Leave us a question or comment at our website podcast page.
* Intro Music: "Admirable" Carlos Herrera Music
Far from deconstructing the idea that the Messiah is the Son of David, Jesus exposes the Pharisees’ shallow and inaccurate understanding of what that truly means. Their expectation of a conquering warrior king who would crush Israel’s enemies through military might was shaped by a selective view of David’s life, emphasizing his victories while neglecting his suffering and rejection. Jesus, however, understood his own identity as the Son of David in a fuller sense. He walked not only in the footsteps of David's triumphs but also in the path of David's suffering and rejection—fleeing from Saul and enduring betrayal by Absalom. The brillilance of Jesus' question and response to the Pharisees is that it creates room for a broader, much larger point of reference for what the Messianic profile entails - both suffering and victory.
Yet, this path of suffering was not devoid of battle. Jesus engaged in a profound struggle, not against the external enemies of soldiers and swords, but against his own flesh and human nature. Like David resisting the temptation to kill Saul and take the throne by force, Jesus faced the temptation to choose a self-centered path free from suffering and death. His internal battle was a struggle to remain faithful to God’s mission, overcoming evil not through violence, but by refusing to let it provoke him into a violent response—even in the agony of his trial and crucifixion.
We conclude by exploring how Jesus’ understanding of the Messiah as both a suffering servant and a conquering king reshapes what it means for Jesus to walk in the footsteps of David. By choosing the non-violent path of suffering love, Jesus demonstrates that the true victory over evil—a victory not of force, but of faithful obedience to God - must first take place internally. This challenges us to reevaluate our own understanding of what it means to follow the Messiah and to trust in the power of God’s redemptive plan.
Key Passages:
Matthew 22:41-46
Psalm 110
Key Resources:
For an example of a scholar who casts doubt on the Masoretic vowel pointing system, which can have implications for casting doubt on their decision to vowel point the Hebrew word Adon in Psalm 110:1 to indicate a human rather than a divine, figure, see the comments of John Sailhamer in The Expositor's Bible Commentary on Genesis, Revised Edition, page 185.
Explainer Video on how to use www.biblehub.com and www.blueletterbible.org
Leave us a question or comment at our website podcast page.
* Intro Music: "Admirable" Carlos Herrera Music
In God we trust