Dwell in the Word Mark 12:35-37

Consider these questions as we dwell in Mark 12:35-37:

1. How does Jesus' quotation of Psalm 110:1 challenge the traditional understanding of the Messiah as merely a human descendant of David? What does this imply about Jesus' divine nature and his role as the ultimate King?

2. In what way does Jesus' assertion that David was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write Psalm 110 emphasize the divine origin and authority of Scripture? How does this insight shape our understanding of the Bible's teachings?

3. Jesus points out the apparent contradiction in David calling his descendant "Lord." What significance does this hold in terms of recognizing the Messiah's preeminence and authority? How does this challenge conventional expectations of kingship and lineage in the context of the Old Testament?

Transcript:

So, as we land in this short passage today, we see a very well-known verse quoted for us. Psalm 1:10-1 is what Jesus is quoting here. The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right-hand until I put your enemies under your feet. ' Now, this is the most quoted Psalm from the Old Testament. There is no other verse in the New Testament more than this one. It is alluded to, it is quoted directly. It just isn't even close as far as verses that are quoted from the Old Testament in the New Testament. And it's important that we understand the significance of this. It not only tells us about who Jesus is, but it also lets us know that the ultimate goal here is that Jesus ascends to the right-hand of the Father, that if this is Messianic, then he is arriving someplace. He is going to arrive at the Father's right-hand, and he's going to stay there until his enemies are made a footstool. And so, Jesus is talking here in the temple, and this important verse is what he quotes. Look at what it says here. How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?

David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declares. There's some important stuff in just what Jesus says here. First, they're implying that the Messiah would come, and he would just simply be a man. That's what Jesus is driving at here. But Jesus is saying, How is he just a son? How is he just a descendant? How is he not something greater? And Jesus himself is a, quote, son of David. But Jesus is talking here about the fact that he himself is greater than that. He is divine. And so a lot of times people will say that Jesus never claims to be divine in the New Testament. He doesn't ever claim to be God. But right here, he is implying it. And it's all throughout the Gospels where Jesus is essentially saying very clearly to his first century Jewish audience that he is divine. And so here, what do we see? We see that Jesus is making this claim. But we also have to see one other thing that is important here. Notice what it says in verse 36, David himself in the Holy Spirit. Now, Jesus is not only saying that David authored this Psalm, he's saying that he was inspired.

This isn't David just coming up with random ideas on his own. Jesus is saying that David was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write the Psalm. And so, Jesus is giving us an idea of how scripture works, that it is inspired. It isn't just human ideas, but God himself is speaking through the authors of holy scripture. And so as we think about this, there's some authority to it, right? Jesus is not just offering an opinion here. He is letting us know important things about not only the Messiah, but about scripture itself. And so, Jesus, as we jump down to verse 37, Jesus says, David himself calls Him Lord, so how is he his son? What he's saying is, why would David call the one who comes after Him Lord? That's not how it works. It's not how it works. A king doesn't call the prince Lord. The prince calls the King Lord. It works in the other direction. But clearly David, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, understands who the one who will come after him, who the Messiah is, and so he calls him Lord. It is important for us to remember these things because we want to remember what scripture is, who Jesus is, that he is divine, and also that he has ascended to the right-hand of the Father, to be our great King.

May we remember these things today? May we remember these truths? And that this was the plan all along, that Jesus would arrive at the Father's right-hand to reign. And so may we remember our King and live to serve him and worship him, for he is a good and gracious God and King.