The Messiah: More Than A Son (2)
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If you have your Bible and I hope that you do, please turn with me to Mark 12. Over the last several weeks we have seen conflict after conflict arise as the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians and others sought to entrap Christ in His words and every single time He answered them as only the Lord Almighty could. Today, Jesus gets to ask a question of His own. It’s been said, “After a day full of questions comes the question of the day.”
Remember that Jesus’ whole ministry has been to glorify the Father and to point to the truth that He is the Messiah, the Son of God. For the first thirty years of His life, He lived in obscurity as the son of Joseph and Mary in Nazareth. The following three years He taught and worked miracles primarily in Galilee all the while proving His divinity and authority. He sought to keep it secret because it wasn’t yet time to reveal the truth of Who He is.
In 1954 Tolkien released The Two Towers. People were devastated by the cliffhanger ending where Sam follows the orcs that have captured Frodo to take him to Cirith Ungol. Although it was a commercial and literary success many people fretted “What if Tolkien dies before he finishes the story?” This was a major fear for fans of the book. Many folks deal with that fear as they follow massive fantastic tales.
The beauty of the Gospel is that the story is written and it’s a story that began at creation and God has already determined how it will end. What God wants to come to pass will come to pass. Isaiah 46:8-10
“Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
Today we’re talking about how Jesus is much more than simply a descendant of David. We’re going to learn about the enemies of Christ and how Jesus has conquered them as well as the truth of Who He is. Let’s stand together in honor of God’s Word as we read Mark 12:35-37
And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.
PRAY
“How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?” is the big question. Jesus is not arguing the question itself but is Questioning the Messiah’s Identity.
1. Questioning the Messiah's Identity
1. Questioning the Messiah's Identity
The setting of this question is important because it is in the temple, the epicenter of Jewish religion and the seat of the Sanhedrin’s authority. It would be like someone walking into our church and asking what Baptists believe about baptism. The Sanhedrin should have an answer as to the identity of the Messiah. Matthew 22:41 tells us that the audience is the Pharisees. The influential, religious elites viewed the Messiah as the offspring of David that would reign over Israel in a new Golden Age and yet in Judaism the father is always greater than the son.
The expectation was that the Messiah would come from David’s line because it was a promise from God. In 2 Samuel 7:12-13
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
That offspring that is promised is literally descendant or seed. God would set the Messiah up to reign forever from the lineage of David. The Messiah was
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.
So it’s clear that Jesus’ identity is closely related to David. We don’t see “son of David” as a Messianic title until the New Testament. Bartimaeus, the blind man that was healed, shouted out Luke 18:38
And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
The crowds in Jerusalem at Jesus’ Triumphal entry said in Matthew 21:9
And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
This issue of identity is important because Jesus asked His disciples Luke 9:18-20
Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
Once again, we are dealing with the issue of the identity of Jesus Christ. Who is He? What is His mission and purpose? Yes, He is the Son of David but is He just the Son of David? And THAT’S THE POINT! Christ is more! Many still in our culture want to bring Jesus down to a worldly level and say that “Oh, he’s a good teacher. He’s my homeboy. Several religious groups believe that Jesus was created from the Father and they believe that to their condemnation. This is important to understand! Paul agrees that the identity of Christ through both the lineage of David and the divine nature as the Son of God is important to affirm Romans 1:3-4
concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
Jesus in verse 36 show us that He has a high regard for the Scriptures. “David Himself in the Holy Spirit declared…” He didn’t take the Psalms as cultural poetry but regarded David’s words as the divine word of God. When you read the Word of God, it doesn’t matter how many times you read it, there is always more to learn and it’s God’s authoritative word! Abraham Kuyper he said that we live in a time not only of biblical criticism but biblical vandalism. Every possible attack against the Word has been launched against it! Let’s be students of the Word of God together and treat the Bible as such.
But look at this… this passage that Jesus quotes is found in Psalm 110. Psalm 110 is the most quoted passage in the New Testament. There are thirty-three references and direct quotations from Psalm 110. Why that one? I think it would be helpful for you and I turn to it and give it a look. I can’t fully preach Psalm 110, we could be there for 6 weeks but here’s a bit of a summary for you.
In Exodus, God describes the nation of Israel as a nation of priests of God, but instead of looking to the Messiah as a priest from the tribe of Levi, David refers to the Messiah as Psalm 110:4
The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
This sets the ideas contained in Psalm 110 as a commentary on the Genesis account. The theme of a king that serves as a priest is found throughout Genesis. Adam was given dominion over the earth. He is tasked with protecting the garden and by being given a wife to protect her. He is called by God to expand that kingdom over the earth and served a priest before God in the garden as well by doing what God called him to do.
Later Noah was tasked as a kind of new Adam was Genesis 9:7. He too was tasked with the command to
And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it.”
Also, he served the Lord and made offerings Genesis 8:20
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
This is all extremely important because instead of Abraham being presented as a priest-king figure we meet another person named Melchizedek who is a type in the Old Testament, pointing to Christ. He appears in Genesis 14:18
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)
So we have this priest-king that is the subject in Psalm 110. But going to Psalm 110, David writes “The Lord…” That is the name for God in the Hebrew. It’s Yahweh. It’s I AM. The second “Lord” here is the word “Adonai” which means, “Master, or King”. David knew that God would raise up one after Himself that would be his own Lord, Master, and King.
So Yahweh (Lord) and Adonai (Lord) usually refer to the same Person— God. David isn’t saying, “The Lord said to Himself.” Rather, he says, “The Lord said to my Lord,” or “my Adonai.” Clearly he is thinking of two different people. So, who is David’s “Adonai”? Who is sovereign over the king of Israel? The Jews would understand that this would be God. So, it seems that God is speaking to Someone (with a capital s) else who carries the title for God. Thus, Jesus said to the scholars: “What do you think about this? What is the Holy Spirit saying?”
This Lord would sit at the right hand of Yahweh. This means that he is given power and authority. David’s Lord would rule, not from Jerusalem in a palace like the Jewish leaders believed, but from the very throne of God. This is exactly what Jesus is doing! Hebrews 1:3-4
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Jesus is at the right hand of the Father and this is where Christ will remain “until I make your enemies your footstool.” This is victorious language! It’s domination. It reminds me of Joshua conquering the Promised Land in Joshua 10:23-24
And they did so, and brought those five kings out to him from the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings.” Then they came near and put their feet on their necks.
These wicked kings with their pagan ideologies were crushed by the marching faithful army of God’s people. In this time, the conquerors would place their feet on the backs of the necks of their defeated foes as a sign of domination and completely humiliate them. Remember, Church, that all worldviews and religions are not equally valid. There is only one correct worldview and it’s the one that God says is right.
And don’t forget the promise found in Genesis 3:15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
This is the doctrine called Christus Victor. The work of the Messiah is found in His defeating of Israel’s enemies. This is why the people cried out for deliverance on the triumphal entry. They assumed that Rome was the enemy that needed to be conquered and yet the foes of God are Satan, sin and death which Jesus defeated through His life, death and resurrection.
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
As Christians, we believe that the Gospel is a Gospel of victory, not defeat. As we proclaim the Word of God it also demands an obedient response. The Gospel transforms individuals and societies as it goes forth and it should! It starts with the spiritual birth of a person and it works outward from there. If God saves a city and it wants to be a Christian city then glory to God! If God saves a nation and it wants to be a Christian nation, then glory to God! The Gospel’s power is not found in the letter of the Law though… its power is found in the working of the Holy Spirit whereby men and women are transformed and as a result, the culture is transformed as well. We know this happens in homes when men and women are saved and we should seek to see it happen in our society as well.
It’s also why we should share God’s Word with people. People will hate it because they love their sin and hate God. This is what Romans 1 says. It’s what John 1 says. People love darkness and hate light. They love sin and they hate God. None of that is up to us. What is up to us is loving them and sharing the Gospel with them. The truth of Jesus’ victory over His enemies is stated in several places.
1 Corinthians 15:25-26 being one of them.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Christ reigns right now. He sits at the Lord’s right have and the enemies of Jesus Christ are being made His footstool. And remember that David here is calling Jesus Lord.
2. Proclaiming Jesus as Lord
2. Proclaiming Jesus as Lord
In verse 2 it says that the Lord, Yahweh, sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. That is a staff of power and this power comes from God Almighty which shows a composite image of a king exercising His rule from a privileged position of a priest with direct access to the throne of God.
This verse says that Jesus “Rules in the midst of His enemies.” This isn’t just an imperative, but a prediction of what Christ will do! He rules regardless of what His enemies do. His enemies oppose Him and He reigns. His enemies try to trap Him, but He deftly handles their attacks with ease. They attempt to kill Him, but resurrects Himself by His own authority. No matter what He rules and reigns! What does David mean?
Psalm 110 was a coronation hymn sung by God’s people when Judah or Israel inaugurated their kings. It also pointed to the Messiah who is superior to David by David’s own words by the authority of the Holy Spirit. He’s not just a descendant bringing in a Golden Age of Judaism, Jesus is the Deliverer bringing in the Golden Age of salvation.
And Jesus presses His point back over in Mark 12:37
David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.
Matthew’s Gospel says “And no one was able to answer him a word.” Although Jesus was able to answer all the questions asked of Him, He was able to stump them with a short question. Not a word from the nation’s best and brightest scholars could be spoken in response to the wisdom of Christ. This leads us to a Revealing of the Ultimate Authority.
3. Revealing the Ultimate Authority
3. Revealing the Ultimate Authority
He doesn’t answer the question for us. The whole interaction just kind of ends where everyone considers the question. One time I offered a men’s Bible study in my home many years ago. We were going through a Systematic Theology class. A man name Billy Cate came to it. Billy is a dear saint that was probably around 77 at the time. He’s 89 now. We sat and discussed the Word of God together and I remember him in his simple and profound wisdom as we would ask questions and he would say, “You know… I don’t reckon I have an answer for that one. Don’t think I’ve even heard that question before!”
I think this was one of those moments for the crowds. What does this mean in Psalm 110? We never thought about that before! But Jesus knew. These aren’t mental acrobatics. It’s simple, direct logic. How can the Messiah be both David’s son and his Lord if he is merely human? There was an understanding of a Davidic Messiah. There was an admission among the leaders that this was a Messianic prophecy and there were no answers. Jesus was destroying their preconceived ideas of what was accurate. His point is that it would take a divine human to fulfill these requirements.
Jesus is the son of David for sure. His favorite title for Himself is Son of Man but its important to note that Jesus is the Son of God. Mark 1:11
And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
As Christians we must remain vigilant because Jesus wasn’t simply a man that lived as a good example. Nor was He only God. He had two natures. This is a foundational Christian teaching that is not new, nor is it simply theological jargon. It’s important and it’s called the hypostatic union. That Jesus has two full and complete natures. He is fully human in every way except for having sin, and He is fully God in every sense of the word and yet these opposite natures find their unity in one Person and His name is Jesus.
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Walter Maier wrote
If Christ is not divine, Then lay the Book away
And every blessed faith resign, That has so long been yours and mine
Through many a trying day;
Forget the place of bended knee And dream no more of worlds to be.
If Christ is not divine, Go seal again the tomb;
Take down the cross, Redemption’s sign, Quench all the stars of hope that shine,
And let us turn and travel on Across the night that knows no dawn.
Jesus presses in a veiled way His own authority to attempt in a subtle way to prove His authority and gently show the Jewish leaders that He is not only the Messiah, but God Himself! This is such an important teaching because it pushes us to believe that what Jesus said and did and completely true! If Jesus was just a man, then His teachings and actions were interesting, but not authoritative. He can be admired but not worshipped. But since He is completely God, when He invites us to come and He will give us rest, we can believe Him! When He says that all who come to Him will not be put to shame, we can believe Him! When He says, He has all authority in heaven and on earth we can believe Him!
I love the story of Robin Hood. In one version, King Richard the Lionheart leaves England to fight in the Crusades, leaving his brother, Prince John, in charge of the kingdom. Prince John mismanages the kingdom for his own benefit, forcing Robin and others to become outlaws. Robin and his fellow countrymen, known as his merry men, live in Sherwood Forest, evading John and the sheriff of Nottingham.
The merry men are known for their joy, but they are known especially for their loyalty. They want to protect their king’s kingdom until he returns home. My favorite part of the story happens near the end, when Richard returns to England in the guise of a monk. At an inn, he hears talk about Robin Hood and his opposition to Prince John, so he purposely travels through Sherwood Forest. Suddenly, Robin and his men ambush Richard and try to relieve the king of his purse. The king asks Robin, “Why are you doing this?” Robin replies, “Because of my allegiance to my king.” Then Richard pulls off the monk’s garments and displays the lion and the cross on his chest. Robin recognizes him and falls on his knees, saying, “My liege.” In the end, Richard knights Robin because of his faithfulness during the absence of the king.
Israel couldn’t behold it’s veiled King and Messiah because it wasn’t yet time for Jesus to be glorified. But I love that story as a metaphor for the Church! You see, we can’t see our King and Messiah right now either. He is away and has left us on earth to share the Gospel with the lost and win people to the Kingdom! Our King is seated on the right hand of God. He expects us, His people, to remain loyal to Him while the whole world goes for Prince John. In time, He will return and put all things right.
One day all His enemies will be made His footstool. The head of the serpent will spew its venom no more, and all things will be made subject Him. We live in an already, not yet time where Jesus already is at the right hand of God and already rules and we don’t quite see Jesus’ full authority over the earth yet. But do you see His authority being made greater in your life?
You see, David called Jesus His Adonai. My Master! Has the Lord Mastered you? If so, you are called to a completely different Kingdom with a whole new allegiance to your Adonai. Your Master, Jesus Christ. Jesus has the title whether you give it or not. He is Master. Philippians 2:5 is the start of what is called the Kenotic Hymn. Kenosis means emptying and Paul write this:
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus has the name above every name. It’s the supreme title. The best! Reserved for God is Jesus’ and everyone will recognize Him as Lord one day. So what does all this mean for us?
Well, it means that we live under a monarchy as Christians. We don’t have a duly elected President that rules over us. We have a King and His name is Jesus Christ. He is seated right now beside our Father in Heaven.
But knowing that Jesus is both the son of David (Man) and God should help you know that you can take all your burdens and struggles to God. He is the priest that knows your weaknesses and sins and He doesn’t bring shame to us, but forgiveness. He doesn’t give us grief, but grace. It’s only by coming to Christ alone that He can transform us— not just at salvation but that continual process of repentance and He will make us clean.
Jesus Christ is Lord and He is the Son of God. For someone in the Roman empire to believe that Jesus Christ is Lord was viewed as sedition. Many Christians died with that profession on their lips that “Jesus is Lord” and it is the hope of salvation! In Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, Peter preached Acts 2:33-36
Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
You and I probably won’t suffer martyrdom for profession Jesus Christ as Lord and God. But many of our brothers and sisters around the world suffer immensely for that profession of faith. Yet it is this profession and the strength that comes from it that results in eternal life. Mark 8:35
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.
Head- God wants you to know that Jesus is not just the Son of David—He is the Son of God.
Head- God wants you to know that Jesus is not just the Son of David—He is the Son of God.
He reigns as the King and victorious Messiah who sits at the right hand of the Father, ruling over all creation.
Heart- God wants you to believe that Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth.
Heart- God wants you to believe that Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth.
His rule is undeniable, even by those who reject Him.
Hand- God wants you to submit to Jesus’ authority in every area of life by obeying His Word and trusting Him as Lord.
Hand- God wants you to submit to Jesus’ authority in every area of life by obeying His Word and trusting Him as Lord.
