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Questions of Jesus

Whose Son Is the Christ?

Scripture: Matthew 22:41-46

I. The Messiah is the Son of David.

A. At the close of Matthew 22, the Pharisees (vs. 41) are gathered around Jesus. Jesus asks them an academic question in vs. 42: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” Jesus is directing the religious leaders to the real issue that is the focus of their arguments with Jesus. The issue is the nature and identity of the Messiah. The Pharisees knew the prophecies about the Messiah in 2 Samuel 7 and Isaiah 11 and Jeremiah 23. All those prophecies gave the same answer about whose son the Messiah is. The Messiah is the Son of David.

B. The fact that the Messiah is the Son of David is confirmed in Matthew 1:1. And David was Israel’s greatest king. David loved God with all of his heart, and when David was king God blessed Israel greatly. He blessed Israel with victory in war. He blessed Israel with liberation from their Philistine enemies. If the Messiah is the Son of David, the Pharisees thought he will be just like David, Israel’s greatest king. After all, like father, like son. In Jesus’ day, those enemies were no longer the Philistines. They were the Romans. And so the Jews of Jesus’ day thought the Messiah would liberate Israel from the Romans. So, when the religious leaders in Jesus’ day looked at Jesus, they didn’t see a Messiah.

C. When you look at Jesus, who do you expect him to be? Is He Santa Claus? Is He supposed to give us a bunch of gifts and make us happy all the time? Or is Jesus a vending machine? Do you drop your prayer requests into the vending machine of Jesus, and out comes answered prayers for whatever you want? Or is Jesus just the Son of David who liberates His people and keeps them safe from all of their enemies? Jesus is much more than just the Son of David.

II. The Messiah is the Son of God.

A. Jesus agrees with the Pharisees that the Messiah is the Son of David. And in Matt. 22:43 Jesus asks a question to help the Pharisees see the implications of the fact that Jesus is the Son of David. Jesus Himself points out in vs. 45 that David is calling his son, the Messiah, my Lord. All fathers have authority over their sons. But in Psalm 110 David says that his son has authority over him. David’s son is his Lord. The only possible explanation that made any sense was that the Messiah had to be more than just the Son of David. He also had to be the Son of God.

B. The verse that Jesus quoted from in Psalm 110 makes it clear that the Messiah is the Son of God. Where is the Messiah seated according to Matt. 22:44? He is seated at the right hand of God. Someone who sits at the right hand of a king was seated in the position of highest privilege and authority. In this case, the Messiah seated at the right hand of God has privilege and authority that is second only to God the Father. He is then the Son of God. And the people of the church are destined to rule the world with Jesus. Ephesians 1:22-23: And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” Jesus rules over everything for the church. We are going to reign with Jesus. We are going to rule over the new heaven and the new earth. We will rule on His behalf, by His power, under His authority. We are going to be kings and queens.

Application:
Jesus is always more than you think He is. Jesus is the Son of God who loves you so much that He will rule the world with you.

Sources:
The Gospel of Matthew
Commentaries on Matthew by R.T. France, D.A. Carson and Craig Blomberg     

Sermon Discussion Questions

1) Jesus asked whose son the Messiah would be. What was the correct answer (Matthew 22:42)? So what kind of Messiah were the Pharisees expecting? What are some of the things we expect Jesus to be?

2) The questions Jesus asks in vs. 43-45 help us see that the Messiah must be more than just the Son of David. Who else must be Messiah be? How much power then does Jesus the Messiah have? 

3) According to Ephesians 1:22-23, who is Jesus going to rule the world with? What does that say about how much Jesus loves you as a part of His church?