What is the meaning of Matthew 22:43? Jesus said to them - Jesus is addressing the Pharisees after silencing the Sadducees (Matthew 22:34-42). - He takes the initiative, shifting from defense to offense, as He often does when revealing truth (see John 8:12-14). - His words carry divine authority, echoing the pattern “You have heard … but I say” (Matthew 5:21-48). How then - “How” introduces a logical challenge, inviting the listeners to reconcile Scripture with their messianic expectations. - Jesus is not speculating; He is pressing them to draw a necessary conclusion (cf. Isaiah 1:18). - The phrase underscores that Scripture is internally consistent; apparent tensions call for deeper understanding, not dismissal (Psalm 119:160). does David in the Spirit - David speaks “in the Spirit,” affirming that Psalm 110 is divinely inspired (2 Samuel 23:2; 2 Peter 1:21). - Inspiration guarantees accuracy; when David speaks, the Spirit speaks (2 Timothy 3:16). - Jesus grounds His argument on this fact: if the Spirit guided David’s words, those words carry absolute authority. call Him ‘Lord’? - In Psalm 110:1 David calls someone “Lord” (Adon), a title of authority. - Because kings don’t address descendants as “Lord,” the person David honors must outrank him (Acts 2:34-36). - Jesus leads the Pharisees to see that the Messiah is more than David’s son; He is David’s sovereign—fully human yet fully divine (Hebrews 1:13; Revelation 22:16). For he says - Jesus now quotes Psalm 110:1 verbatim: “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet.’ ” - Sitting at God’s right hand signifies equality with God and participation in His rule (Colossians 3:1). - The enemies beneath His feet picture final victory (1 Corinthians 15:25-27), pointing to Christ’s exaltation after the cross. summary Matthew 22:43 shows Jesus using David’s Spirit-inspired words to reveal that the Messiah is both David’s descendant and David’s Lord. By affirming the divine authorship of Psalm 110, Jesus anchors His identity in Scripture’s literal truth: He is the exalted Son who shares the Father’s throne and will reign until every enemy is subdued. |
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