Is Jesus Christ the Son of King David? — the Messiah

Is Christ the Son of David

Many people are confused when they read that Jesus was both God and man. But that is the teaching of the Bible. Micah 5:2 is one of the Old Testament prophecies that reveal the Messiah was to be both God and man. The verse refers to the city of Bethlehem and then states that from that city “One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.” That is, some man would be born in Bethlehem who would become the ruler of Israel. Both Jews and Christians understand this verse refers to the Messiah. The New Testament identifies that the Messiah was Jesus Christ (Matthew 2:5-6; John 7:42). But we must not miss the last part of Micah 5:2 which states, “His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” The Hebrew word for “eternity” is olam. It can also mean “everlasting,” “forever,” or “perpetual.” That is, the one who would be born in Bethlehem as an eternal being would be God. He would be from “long ago.” So, what does this prophecy reveal about the person who would be born in Bethlehem? He would be an eternal being who would be born as a human in Bethlehem. He would be God in human flesh. He was and is the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Our study is from Matthew 22:41-46, Mark 12:35-37, and Luke 20:41-44. They will all echo the same truth.

Jesus’ Question About the Messiah

The events described in this study occurred on Tuesday, March 29, A.D. 33. It is three days before the body of Jesus Christ will die by crucifixion on the cross. In the last three studies, we have discovered that the Pharisees and Sadducees have tried to trap Jesus into answering some of their questions wrongly because they wanted to have a reason to kill Him. But they have failed three times.

But in this study, Jesus finally asked them a question. We will follow the account of this event given to us in Matthew 22:41-46 since it gives us more information than Mark or Luke. However, we will include any important additional information from Mark and Luke .

Matthew 22:41-42 introduces us to this event.

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” Matthew 22:41-42 (NASB)

We are told immediately that after the Pharisees had failed to trap Jesus into answering their question about the greatest commandment, they had gathered together. Why were they gathered? We do not know, but Jesus took the opportunity to ask them a question. His question was, “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” The Greek word for Christ is Christos. It also means the Messiah. So, Jesus’ question was actually about Himself. We can be confident that the Pharisees quickly understood the connection to Jesus, but did they wonder why He was asking this question? So, do you know who the father of the Messiah is or will be? What answer do you think the Pharisees gave? This is a wonderful question since both the Pharisees and Sadducees were rejecting Him. They did not believe in Him.

Pharisees’ Wrong Answer

Verse 42 gives us the Pharisees’ answer.

They said to Him, “The son of David.” Matthew 22:42 (NASB)

They said the Christ or the Messiah was the son of King David. Their answer was wonderful, but it was also incomplete. It was wonderful because various Old Testament verses teach that the Messiah will be the son of David. For example, Isaiah 9:6-7 is about the Messiah. He is the child in these verses.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7 (NASB)

The Messiah is the child that will “be born to us.” He will sit on the throne of David. Since only royalty or descendants of David can rightfully sit on David’s throne, this means the Messiah must be a descendant or a son of David.

The Jews believed that the Messiah would be a descendant of king David. The ancient Jewish Rabbi Jonathan Targum (2 B.C.) wrote this about Isaiah 9:6,

The prophet said to the house of David
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and He has taken the law upon Himself to keep it. His name is called from eternity, Wonderful, the Mighty God, who liveth to eternity, the Messiah, whose peace shall be great upon us in His days.¹

It important to note that Rabbi Targum does not discuss the statement that this descendant of King David would be “the Mighty God.” We should remember that Micah 5:2 adds that the Messiah would be both God and man. However, he believed Isaiah 9:6 is about the Messiah and would be a descendant of King David.

Jonathan Targum also stated that Isaiah 11:1 means Messiah will be a distant descendant of Jesse, the father of King David.

And a King shall come forth from the sons of Jesse, and from his children’s children the Messiah shall be anointed.²

That agrees with Christian theology about the Messiah. However, modern Jewish rabbis have reinterpreted this verse and other verses that we are discussing since they understand that Jonathan Targum agrees with Christian theology about the Messiah. So, after Jesus Christ died and was resurrected, they changed their interpretation of these verses.

Jeremiah 23:5 is another important Old Testament passage about the Messiah.

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.
Jeremiah 23:5 (NASB)

Jonathan Targum (2 B.C.) states that the Branch in this verse is the Messiah. He says,

On that day, the Lord said, “I will raise up for David a righteous Messiah, and he shall reign as king.³

It is obvious that Jonathan Targum clearly believed that the descendant or the “son” of David was the Messiah.

These three examples from rabbinic writing clearly reveal that the Jewish religious leaders before Christ was born believed the Messiah would be a descendant of King David in the distant future. Jonathan Targum states that the Messiah would be revealed in the last days. As we have already read in Matthew 22:43, the Pharisees agreed with Jonathan Targum that a descendant or the “son” of David would be the Messiah. That was the answer they gave to Christ.

Another important passage is Ezekiel 37:24-25. The prophecy refers to “My servant David” as being king over Israel when it returns to the land of Palestine during the millennial kingdom. “My servant David”will be Israel’s king forever. This is a reference to the Messiah. Ezekiel 37 is the prophecy about the Valley of Dry Bones.

Jesus Teaches From Psalm 110:1

So, the Pharisees said the Messiah would be “The son of David.” That is, He would be a descendant of King David. Then Jesus replied by quoting Psalm 110:1.

He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,
‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET”’?
“If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?”
Matthew 22:43-45 (NASB)

The first question He asked the Pharisees was “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord?’” Then Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1. He draws our attention to the phrase “My Lord” in the verse. Since Jesus said that David wrote Psalm 110, that means David wrote the psalm and said, “My Lord.” Therefore, “My Lord” refers to the “Son of David” since Jesus had just asked, “How does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord?’”

Jesus’ second question seems to have an impossible answer, “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” In order to answer this question we must carefully examine the meaning of Psalm 110:1. Notice that first line of Psalm 110 is the key to understanding the psalm. There are two Hebrew words for LORD in Psalm 110:1. The first word for LORD is Yahweh, and the second word for LORD is Adonai. Therefore, a more literal translation of the verse is “Yahweh said to My Adonai.” But who is Adonai? In the Old Testament, God is called Yahweh, Elohim, and Adonai. So, God spoke to God. Isaiah 48:16 is a clear reference to our triune God or the trinity. Notice that Yahweh and Adonai share the same authority and power because Psalm 110:1 says that Adonai sits at the right hand of Yahweh. That is, “My Lord” or Adonai shares authority with Yahweh. Therefore, the “Son of David” is “My Lord” or Adonai. He is God.

Ancient Jewish Midrash exposition of Psalm 110:1 indicates that “My LORD” refers to “the Messiah-King.”⁴  That is, “My LORD” refers to the future Messiah in the last days. The Pharisees to whom Jesus was speaking believed that “My LORD” referred to the future Messiah or the “Son of David.” Therefore, “My Lord” or Adonai refers to the “Son of David” or the Messiah.

Now this creates a problem if we examine Psalm 110:1 carefully. How was it possible for Yahweh to have already spoken to the Messiah who, according to Micah 5:2, would be born in Bethlehem at some future time after King David? Also, since the Psalm was written by David, why would He call one of His future descendants LORD since he was not yet born? That was Jesus’ second question! Now that makes the second question seem to have an impossible answer.

The Answer From the Pharisees

The next verse in Matthew 22 reveals that not one of the Pharisees knew the answer to Jesus’ second question.

No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question. Matthew 22:46 (NASB)

They did not have the answer because they were not good students of all the Scriptures, and they did not have the Holy Spirit to help them. Due to their own rejection of Jesus Christ, they were blind guides leading the blind. Due to their own sin, Christ would not reveal Himself to them (John 14:21). Christ spoke in parables as an act of judgment upon the unbelieving religious leaders and the unbelieving crowds.

On the previous three occasions, the Pharisees and Sadducees had asked Jesus a question. Jesus gave them excellent answers. They were amazed at His answers. On this occasion, Jesus asked them a question and they could not answer Him. Yet, they were supposed to be scholars of the Law.

Mark 12:37 adds that the large crowd that had gathered enjoyed listening to Him. It is apparent that the crowd considered this to be entrainment for they did not hear the answer to the second question. They just observed that the Pharisees were unable to answer the question. Jesus had won the contest!

Conclusion

So, why did the Holy Spirit have this event recorded for us? What are we supposed to learn? Was this account given to entertain us? The answer is no! Jesus had asked the question so that the Pharisees might understand that their view of the Messiah missed something very important. Hopefully, we are not like the crowd that considered this discussion to be entertaining. They and we are supposed to learn that the Messiah was both God and man, and Jesus was and is the Messiah.

Remember that Jesus’ second question was, “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” That is, how could Yahweh have already spoken to the Messiah, if the Messiah would not arrive until the last days after King David? We discovered the key that unlocks the answer to Jesus’ second question in our introduction. The answer is found in Micah 5:2. The Messiah would be God Himself who would take on human flesh and bone and walk among us. So, then He would be king over Israel and also a descendant of King David. He was and is Jesus Christ who was born of a virgin.

Romans 1:1-4 says,

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 1:1-4 (NASB)

This passage reveals that Jesus Christ was a descendant or a son of David and He was also God in human flesh. He was given the title, Son of God. He was and is the Messiah.

The New Testament tells us that Jesus was the Messiah. He was and is a descendant of King David. Here are a number of verses that state Jesus was and is the Messiah, the son of David. Matthew 1:1, 16-17 reveal that Jesus was a descendant of King David.

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Matthew 1:1 (NASB)

Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
Matthew 1:16-17 (NASB)

Matthew 2:4-8a shows that the magi or wise men were told the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Obviously, Jesus Christ was the one they found in Bethlehem.

Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “ In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,
ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER
WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’”
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child . . .
Matthew 2:4-8a (NASB)

In John 1:41 Peter told his brother that he had found the Messiah.

He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). John 1:41 (NASB)

Finally, a woman at a well told Jesus that the Messiah was coming. That was the common belief of the Jews at the time Christ was born. What did Jesus tell her? He said that He was the Messiah.

The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” John 4:25-26 (NASB)

The answer to Jesus’ second question is simple. Our God is a triune God. The Pharisees had missed Isaiah 48:16. Yahweh was three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Messiah was and is the Son of God from eternity past (Micah 5:2). He was born as a baby in Bethlehem at the right time (Galatians 4:4; Romans 5:6). That is how Yahweh was able to speak to the Messiah in eternity past, and yet be born as a human in the future. That is the answer to Jesus’ second question. He took on human flesh so that He could die on a cross in order to pay the penalty for our sins. He suffered in our place for our sins. He paid the price for our sins in His own body (1 Peter 2:24). Hebrews 2:17 speaks about Jesus Christ.

Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 2:17 (NASB)

Jesus made it possible for you and me to have our sins forgiven.

I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Luke 13:5 (NASB)

So, God calls us to repent of our sins. John 3:16 states that God arranged for all of this to happen because He loves us.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (NASB)

So, if we repent of our sins and believe that God will forgive us, we will not perish but be given eternal life as a gift (Romans 6:23).

But that is not the end of what the Messiah will do. Someday He will return and reign as the Messiah-King over Israel and the world during the millennial kingdom here on earth. That is what our Messiah, Jesus Christ, has done for us and will do for every Jew and Gentile. Praise the Lord!

References:

1. books.google.com/books?id=_boCAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=chaldee+paraphrase+Isaiah#v=onepage&q=chaldee%20paraphrase%20Isaiah&f=false
2. Ibid.
3. www.sefaria.org/Targum_Jonathan_on_Jeremiah.23.5?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
4. Risto Santala. The Messiah In the Old Testament. Karen Ahvah Meshihit. Jerusalem. 1992. p. 118.