Matthew 22:41-46

Scripture Reading: Psalm 110

Introduction

What’s the First Thing that Comes to Your Mind…

When I Say the Name, “Jesus”?

Him Humbly Washing the Disciples’ Feet?

Him Miraculously Walking on Water?

Him Compassionately Healing the Sick?

Him Lovingly Dying on Cross?

These are All Things that Might Immediately Come to Mind

Raise Your Hand if…

You Immediately Thought of Jesus…

Victoriously Standing on the Throats of His Enemies?

Or Using His Enemies as a Footstool for His Throne?

That’s an Image of Jesus…

That Probably Doesn’t Immediately Come…

To Most of Our Minds

But, it’s an Image that is Repeatedly Painted of Him…

Throughout the Scriptures

And We’re Going to See One of Those Instances…

In Our Text this Morning

Jesus isn’t Just the Humble Lamb Who Died for the World

He’s Also the Conquering Divine King…

Who will Stomp the Throats of His Enemies

Matthew 22:41-46

For the Past 3 Weeks…

We’ve Seen Jesus Approached 3 Separate Times

By Jewish Leaders in Jerusalem

Each Time They’ve Devised Questions for Him…

With the Intention of Trapping Him in His Answers

Each Encounter has Ended…

With Him Answering Their Questions Perfectly

But Now Jesus has a Question for Them

And it’s Going to Accomplish What Theirs Couldn’t:

It’s Going to Stump Them

N.T. Wright Summarized the Situation this Way:

“The answer the opponents couldn’t question was followed by the question they couldn’t answer.”

Matthew 22:41 (NASB95)

41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question:

Back in Verse 34, After Jesus had Answered the Sadducees’ Question…

We See the Pharisees Gather Together…

To Figure Out a Way to Trap Jesus

They’re Still Gathered Together…

When Jesus Decides to Ask Them a Question:

Matthew 22:42 (NASB95)

42 “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.”

Jesus Asks about the “Christ”

“Christ” is Greek for the Hebrew Word “Messiah”

They Both Mean “The Anointed One”

This Refers to the Old Tradition of Anointing Someone with Oil…

To Set Them Apart for God’s Special Purpose

Most of the Time in the OT…

“Messiah” Referred to God’s Chosen King

And Throughout OT, There’s Prophesies…

Of a Future Anointed One/King

Who Would Rescue Israel from Their Oppressors…

And Establish Justice & Peace Throughout the Land

And the Scriptural Evidence is Overwhelming…

That the Messiah will Come from the Lineage of David

So When Jesus Asked the Question:

“Whose Son is the Christ?”…

The Answer was a Simple One:

“David’s”

That was Common Knowledge to All Jewish People

For the Past 2 Days in Jerusalem…

Those Who Believe Jesus is the Messiah…

Have Been Calling Him the Son of David

So, the Pharisees Answered Jesus’ Question with Ease

But that was Only the Set Up for His Real Question

Their Answer was Correct…

But He Wants Them to Dig Even Deeper…

Into the True Identity of the Messiah

Yes, He’s David’s Son…

But He’s Much More than that

Matthew 22:43–45 (NASB95)

43 He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet” ’? 45 “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?”

Jesus is Bringing Up an Interesting Point Here

He Quotes from Psalm 110 (Most Quoted OT Text in NT)

“The LORD (Divine Name: Yahweh) Said to My Lord (Master/Superior)”…

“Sit at My Right Hand, Until I Put Your Enemies Beneath Your Feet”

Let’s Make Sure We Understand the Point Jesus is Making:

King David, By the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit…

Said that God Told David’s Lord/Master/Superior

To Sit at God’s Right Hand (Have Heavenly Authority)…

Until All His Enemies are Defeated

Jesus, as Many of the Jews of that Time Did…

Believed this Psalm was Referring to the Coming Messiah

Jesus’ Question to the Pharisees is:

“How can the Messiah Be Both David’s Son…”

“And David’s Lord/Master/Superior?”

Jesus isn’t Saying that Their Answer was Wrong

The Messiah IS the Son of David

Jesus’ Question is Intended to Lead Them to this Thought:

The Messiah is Not ONLY David’s Son

He’s More Than That

In Israel, the Only One Greater than God’s Anointed King…

Was God Himself

David was the Greatest King Israel Ever had

But Even He Acknowledged…

That the Coming Messiah is His Lord/Superior

He will Be Given Right-Hand Authority from God

If There’s No One Superior to the King Except God…

And the Messiah is Superior to the King…

Then What Does that Tell Us?

What Conclusion is Jesus Leading the Pharisees Toward?

The Messiah is Not Only the Son of David

The Messiah is the Son of God

Not Just in the Way that All of God’s Anointed Kings…

Were Considered His Sons

But the Messiah will Be God’s Son By His Very Nature

The Messiah will Be Both:

David’s Son & God’s Son at the Same Time

Earthly & Heavenly at the Same Time

Human & Divine at the Same Time

Matthew 22:46 (NASB95)

46 No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.

“So, Pharisees, How can the Messiah Be Both…”

“King David’s Son & His Superior?”

They couldn’t Fathom an Answer to His Question

He had Totally Stumped Them

After Their Failures to Stump Him with Their Questions…

And Him Totally Stumping Them with His…

They Officially Gave Up Questioning Him

Application

I Believe the Correct Answer to Jesus’ Question…

Was a Concept that These Jewish Leaders…

Couldn’t Quite Wrap Their Heads Around

The Messiah will Be a Human Son of David…

AND the Divine Son of God

I Love the Song, “Mary Did You Know”

If You’ve Never Heard…

The A Capella Group, Pentatonix, Sing it…

You Need to Look it Up on YouTube When You Get Home

Listen to These Words:

Mary did you know That your baby boy Would one day walk on water? Mary did you know That your baby boy Would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know That your baby boy Has come to make you new? This child that you've delivered Will soon deliver you

Mary did you know That your baby boy Would give sight to a blind man? Mary did you know Your baby boy Would calm a storm with his hand?

Did you know That your baby boy Has walked where angels trod? When you kiss your little baby You've kissed the face of God

The blind will see The deaf will hear The dead will live again The lame will leap The dumb will speak The praises of the lamb

Mary did you know That your baby boy Is Lord of all creation? Mary did you know That your baby boy Would one day rule the nations?

Did you know That your baby boy Is Heaven's perfect Lamb? This sleeping child you're holding Is the great I am

How could the Messiah Be Both David’s Son & His Superior?

Because David’s Son is His Pre-Existent Creator

Immanuel

He is Lord of All Creation

He is God, the Great I Am

Jesus is Our Human King AND Our God

Psalm 110 Shows Us a Messiah…

That Both Sits at the Right Hand of the Heavenly Throne…

And Will Do So Until His Enemies are Conquered

Paul Mentions this in His Teaching on the Resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:20–28 (NIV)

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

1 Corinthians 15:25–26 (NIV)

25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

When Our God & King Returns…

All of His Enemies will Officially & Eternally…

Be Conquered & Destroyed By Him

He will Place His Foot on the Throat…

Of All Sin, Evil, Pain, Suffering, Oppression, & Death

Jesus, Our Creator & Our King…

The One Who Made All Things Good in the Beginning…

Is Going to Make All Things Good Once Again