Why is it significant David calls the Messiah "Lord" in Luke 20:44? Setting the Scene in Luke 20 “Then Jesus said to them, ‘How can they say that the Christ is the son of David? For David himself says in the Book of Psalms: “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’ ” David therefore calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?’ ” Psalm 110: David’s Prophetic Vocabulary • Psalm 110:1 is the most-quoted Old Testament verse in the New Testament. • Two distinct Hebrew words appear: – “YHWH” (“The Lord”) — the covenant name of God. – “Adoni” (“my Lord”) — David’s own sovereign. • David, Israel’s greatest king, acknowledges Someone greater than himself who yet comes from his own line (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Why David’s Word “Lord” Is So Weighty • Affirms Messiah’s Deity – David would never call a mere descendant “my Lord.” – Isaiah 9:6-7 presents Messiah as “Mighty God.” – Micah 5:2 speaks of One “whose origins are from the days of eternity.” • Reveals Messiah’s Pre-existence – The conversation between YHWH and Adoni occurs before the incarnation. – John 17:5 echoes this: “glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.” • Establishes Two Persons within the Godhead – YHWH speaks to Adoni, yet both share divine authority (foreshadowing Trinitarian revelation). – Acts 2:34-36 cites the same psalm to proclaim Jesus as “Lord and Christ.” • Confirms Jesus as the Fulfillment of Covenant Promise – The Christ is both “root and offspring of David” (Revelation 22:16): David’s Son according to the flesh (Romans 1:3) and David’s Lord according to the Spirit (Romans 1:4). • Silences Religious Opposition – The question exposes the limits of the leaders’ messianic expectations (Luke 20:40: “they no longer dared to ask Him any question”). – Accepting the text literally leaves only one answer: the Messiah must be divine. What This Means for Our View of Jesus • His authority is absolute — seated at God’s right hand (Hebrews 1:3). • His victory is certain — every enemy will become His footstool (1 Corinthians 15:25-27). • His identity is non-negotiable — fully God and fully Man (Philippians 2:6-11). • Our response must be worship and obedience — the only fitting way to address the One David himself called “Lord.” Key Takeaway Truths • Scripture unites: Psalm 110, the Gospels, Acts, and Epistles all testify that Jesus is both David’s Son and David’s Lord. • The literal wording of the text safeguards the doctrine of Christ’s deity. • Recognizing Jesus as “Lord” moves us beyond admiration of a historical figure to surrender to the reigning King. |
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