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Luke 20:41-47




Then Jesus said to them, “Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself declares 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 calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” (verses 41-44)

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Just two chapters earlier in this Gospel, the blind beggar outside Jericho cried out to Jesus, naming him “Son of David.” That title was clearly understood at the time as a designation for Messiah. Interestingly, the blind man is the only one in Luke’s entire Gospel who sees clearly enough to apply it to Jesus.


Jesus now takes that title and ties it directly to another: “Lord.” The Jews of Jesus’ day understood “Messiah” to be God-anointed, coming as God’s great deliverer. But they didn’t expect he would be God himself. That was outside the box, completely beyond their expectations, not fitting any categories they had previously imagined.


Interestingly, the voice of God himself had heralded this truth over Jesus at his baptism, saying to him, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22) – but people missed it. The Father spoke it again on the mountain of Transfiguration, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen” (Luke 9:35), but only Peter and James and John were privileged to hear, and it’s not clear they fully understood either.


Even demons have cried out that Jesus is “Son of God” (Luke 4:41, 8:28), but others seem oblivious. So, Jesus now prods his listeners to open their eyes wider. He pushes them to reconsider their assumptions. Yes, he implies, Messiah will come in the line of King David himself. Yes, in that sense he will certainly be David’s son. But what does it mean that David, the greatest King in Israel’s history, actually calls him “Lord”? Doesn’t that imply something more? This is the name that is used throughout the Hebrew Scriptures for Almighty God himself. It’s a weighty title. Why does David use it?


Jesus simply leaves the question hanging. It’s meant to unsettle his hearers’ assumptions. He wants them to take a second look.


That second look will ultimately meet its crisis moment when Jesus is on trial before the Sanhedrin. There they push him to declare himself: “If you are the Messiah … tell us”; following it with a further push: “Are you then the Son of God?” Jesus responds simply: “You say that I am.” They understand it as a clear affirmation, and so they judge him guilty of blasphemy and send him to his death (Luke 22:67-71).


They fail the second look. They miss the truth. They’re blind to the fact that Jesus truly is the Son of David – he’s Messiah, the Son of God, the Lord.


But we rejoice. We embrace his full identity – what wonder! We receive him as Lord of all – praise his name!

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Lord Jesus, I honour you as Messiah, the One who has come to suffer and die, to give your life as a ransom for many, to give your life as a ransom for me. In the very same breath, I honour you as the eternal Son of God, the One through whom all worlds were created, the One who is worthy of all honour and glory and power, both now and evermore. You are Lord. Praise your name.

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Worship:

Pause right where you are. Give him honour and praise. Rejoice that he is Messiah, come to save. Praise him that he is the eternal Son, worthy of all honour. Praise him, for he is Lord. Pause several times this day. Honour him in his full identity.

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Photo by Paul Zoetemeijer on Unsplash

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