“What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” Matthew 22:42a ESV¹

Read Matthew 22:41-46, Mark 12:35-37 & Luke 20:41-44

One Monday morning, in Geography class, we were given a pop quiz. Each of us students was presented with a blank map of the United States and was asked to fill in the names of the states in the correct position. Some students panicked because they were unable to perform the task. But relief spread over these students when they were told that the activity had been only a pretest. The actual test would come on Friday. We were given the week to study with the warning to make the week count because anyone who did not receive a perfect grade on the final test would have to study and retake the test while everyone else was attending the Friday afternoon special assembly.

Since I could quickly identify all of the states on the pretest, I didn’t bother studying. I wasn’t worried about the consequence because I was confident I could easily ace the test. But, to my dismay, when the test day came, I could not for the life of me remember the name of the tiny triangular-shaped state just east of Maryland. Humiliated, I was forced to stay back from the anticipated gathering and retake the test.

My pride in thinking I knew all the answers for this particular test is what got me into trouble. I really did not know what I thought I knew. The Pharisees, a prominent religious group during Jesus’ time on Earth, thought they knew more about the coming Messiah than they really did. It was their pride in their knowledge of Scripture that caused them to have issues with Jesus, the very One they thought they were ready to welcome.

Over and over again, these religious leaders confronted Jesus asking Him questions intending to stump Him. Their hope was that He could not answer their questions or He would be unable to rise to their challenges and, therefore, prove He was not who He claimed to be. The efforts of these religious experts actually never worked but they continued to try. After enduring a series of questions from the religious leaders (see Matthew 22:15-40, Mark 12:13-34 & Luke 20:20-40),² Jesus took a turn asking questions. As it turned out, the Pharisees didn’t know as much as they thought they did.

“Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, ‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?’ They said to Him, ‘The Son of David’” (Matthew 22:41-42). “But He said to them, ‘How can [you] say that the Christ is David’s Son? 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 Your footstool.’” David thus calls Him Lord so, how is He his Son?’” (Luke 20:41-44). “And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask Him any more questions” (Matthew 22:46).

Though the Pharisees could immediately spout out the textbook answer to Jesus’ question, they didn’t really understand what they had uttered so confidently.

Son of Man or Son of God?

Jesus’ purpose in asking these questions was not vindictive. Unlike the religious leaders, He wasn’t attempting to trick anyone. Jesus was hoping to open the Pharisees’ eyes to the truth about Himself. During His earthly ministry, Jesus often referred to Himself as the Son of Man while simultaneously proving He was the Son of God. He did this to help people recognize Him as the Messiah.

The Pharisees knew from the writings of the prophets that the Messiah would be from the kingly line of David. Yet, though Isaiah and Jeremiah prophesied He would be more than a king, these experts in the Scriptures, somehow had a hard time acknowledging that the Christ could also be God when they saw Him.

“For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace, there will be no end, on the throne of David and over His Kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will do this” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

“‘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. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which He will be called: ‘The LORD is Our Righteousness’” (Jeremiah 23:5-6).

Jesus’ human genealogy, compiled by both Matthew (1:1-16) and Luke (3:23-38), proved, through the lines of both His mother, Mary, and His adopted father, Joseph, that Jesus was a descendant of King David.

But Jesus’ own words and actions established He was also God. The religious leaders, identified sometimes by their specific group’s name and other times by “the Jews,” did not mistake Jesus’ claims. The greatest proof of their understanding came in the fact that they continually became inflamed when Jesus claimed His deity.

“Jesus answered them … ‘I and the Father are one.’ … The Jews picked up stones … to stone Him. Jesus answered them, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone Me?’ The Jews answered Him, ‘It is not for a good work that we are going to stone You but for blasphemy, because You, being a man, make yourself God’” (John 10:25a, 30-33).

“This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because … He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God” (John 5:18).

“Jesus answered [the Jews], ‘If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing. It is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, “He is our God.” But you have not known Him. I know Him. If I were to say that I do not know Him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know Him and I keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.’ So, the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’ So, they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple” (John 8:54-59).

Notice at what point in this conversation the religious Jews picked up stones to throw at Jesus. It was when He used the words, “I am.” “I AM” is the personal name of God which He revealed to Moses (see Exodus 3:14). It was the name of God considered by the Jews to be so holy that they refused to speak it. Yet, Jesus made several “I am” statements which were powerful declarations of His divine nature.

“Jesus said to [the Jews], ‘I am the Bread of Life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst’” (John 6:35, see also vs. 48 & 51).

“Again, Jesus spoke to [the Pharisees], saying, ‘I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).

“So, Jesus again said to [the Jews], ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the Door of the Sheep …  I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep … I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me’” (John 10:7, 11 & 14).

In the presence of His closest disciples, Jesus also described Himself with “I am” statements (see John 11:25 & 15:1). These declarations were comforting to His disciples but the “I am” statements that were made in the presence of the religious leaders incited strong negative reactions.

“So, the Jews grumbled about Him, because He said, ‘I am the Bread that came down from Heaven. They said, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, “I have come down from Heaven”’? … The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat”? …  After this, many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him” (John 6:41-42, 52 & 66).

“So, the Pharisees said to Him, ‘You are bearing witness about Yourself; Your testimony is not true’ … So, they said to Him, ‘Who are You? …  Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.’ The Jews answered Him, ‘Are we not right in saying that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?’ … So, they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple” (John 8:13, 25a, 39-40, 48 & 59).

“There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, ‘He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to Him?’ Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind’” (John 10:19-21)?

The last time Jesus claimed that He, as the Messiah, was both the Son of Man and the Son of God was at His trial. That claim got Him convicted.

“The high priest said to Him, ‘I adjure You by the living God, tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of Heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his robes and said, ‘He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard His blasphemy’” (Matthew 26:63b-65).

While referencing that He, as the Son of Man, would soon be seated in Heaven next to Almighty God, the high priest realized that Jesus was claiming to be the Son of God. The high priest took this as an irreverent utterance against the LORD. In the mind of the high priest, there was no way Jesus, a mere man from his perspective, could be who He claimed. He concluded and those around him agreed such blasphemy deserved the punishment of death.

King or Priest?

Jesus’ baffling question to the Pharisees came from a Messianic Prophesy from the book of Psalms. David wrote, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:

“The LORD says to My Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool’” (Psalm 110:1).

The Pharisees and experts of the Law recognized that the Lord spoken of in this verse was the Messiah. They knew the Messiah would free them from their enemies. “Making one’s enemies one’s footstool” is a picture of one’s authority over another. However, these same religious Jews were unclear on how the Messiah’s authority could extend past the political into the spiritual realm. The only way they could reconcile this was to assume there would be two Messiahs—one a political leader, the other a religious leader.

The 110th Psalm, the one Jesus quoted, continued:

“The LORD sends forth from Zion Your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of Your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of Your youth will be Yours. The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:2-4).

This prophecy contains both kingly and priestly language applied to the same Person—the Messiah.  Among the Jews, the office of priest and the position of king could not be held by the same person. Priests came from the tribe of Levi exclusively. And the line of kings were only descendants of Judah. But, back in Abraham’s day, before Israel was a nation, there was one person, “Melchizedek, [who was both] king of Salem, [and] priest of the Most High God” (Hebrews 7:1).

Also, Zechariah prophesied that the Messiah would be both King and Priest and that He would reconcile the two offices.

“‘“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, the Man whose name is the Branch: for He shall branch out from His place, and He shall build the temple of the LORD. It is He who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honor and shall sit and rule on His throne. And there shall be a Priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both”’” (Zechariah 6:12-13).

Jesus’ claims that He was a King were well-known among those who walked the Earth when He did. During His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem:

“[The people] took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD, even the King of Israel’” (John 12:13)!

The Romans even acknowledged this fact. At Jesus’ trial:

“Pilate … called Jesus and said to Him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you say this of your own accord or did others say it to you about Me?’ Pilate answered, ‘Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You over to me …’ Jesus answered, ‘My Kingdom is not of this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, My servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over” … Then Pilate said to Him, ‘So you are a King?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a King. For this purpose, I was born and for this purpose, I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.’ … Pilate … wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek” (John 18:33-37 & 19:19-20).

But the idea that the Messiah could also be a Priest continued to bewilder people. It wasn’t until the Christian church was established among the Jews that the writer of Hebrews was able to show how completely Jesus fulfilled the office of the ultimate High Priest.

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, [Jesus] Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery … Therefore, He had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:14-15, 17-18).

“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” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:19-20).

“For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer Himself repeatedly, as the High Priest enters the Holy Places every year with blood not his own, for then He would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:24-26).

“And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until His enemies should be made a footstool for His feet. For by a single offering, He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:11-14).

Also, check out Hebrews 5:1-11 and 7:1-28. Because of space, I have not included these references. But I am confident what I have included here makes it quite evident that Jesus is both a King and a Priest.

Authority on Earth or Authority in Heaven?

As both the Son of Man and the Son of God and, as both a King and a Priest, Jesus holds positions of authority both on Earth and in Heaven. If the religious Jews had recognized Jesus as the Messiah and if they had understood how essential it was that He be both God and Man, Priest and King, they could have experienced the external and internal peace that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to bring.

John the Baptist was the first to recognize Jesus’ authority in both realms. Instead of being offended when his disciples came to him complaining that Jesus’ disciples were also baptizing, John said:

“He who comes from Above is above all …  He who comes from Heaven is above all … The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand” (John 3:31 & 35).

In the presence of some of the most religious Jews, while healing a crippled man, Jesus made this claim:

“And behold, some people brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, My son; your sins are forgiven.’ And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, ‘This Man is blaspheming.’ But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Rise and walk”? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on Earth to forgive sins—He then said to the paralytic—’Rise, pick up your bed, and go home’” (Matthew 9:2-6).

While enjoying the Last Supper with the Twelve, Jesus prayed:

“‘You [Father] have given [the Son] authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom You have given [Me]’” (John 17:2).

As the Son of Man and the Son of God, Jesus had dominion on Earth over all creation and the authority to do divine tasks like forgiving sins and bestowing eternal life. A human-only king might have been able to provide a temporary pardon for crimes or a more comfortable life but a Divine King can do so much more. Those who believed Jesus and His declarations found forgiveness for all of their sins and entrance into eternal life.

After Jesus completed God’s assignment for Him as the Son of Man, He ascended again to Heaven and took His rightful place as the Son of God. As the Risen Savior, Jesus earned the position over all spiritual and physical powers. Listen to what Jesus and His disciples had to say about Jesus’ supreme jurisdiction.

“[After His resurrection] Jesus came and said to [His disciples], ‘All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to Me’” (Matthew 28:18).

“Jesus Christ, who has gone into Heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to Him” (1 Peter 3:22).

“According to the working of His mighty Power … [the Father] worked in Christ … He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.  And He put all things under His feet” (Ephesians 1:19b-22a).

“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” (Philippians 2:9-10).

Unable to Answer

“And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask Him any more questions” (Matthew 22:46).

Jesus’ question temporarily silenced His adversaries. But I am not sure their inability to answer His questions humbled them or changed their opinions in any way. We tend to only see what we want to see. We tend to only accept what we can understand. And we tend to believe only those things which agree with our experience. The Jewish religious leaders wanted a political leader to overthrow the Roman occupation; they did not want a spiritual leader who would challenge their beliefs. They were looking for an earthly king and what he could provide and, as such, many of them missed the heavenly Priest and all He offered. They expected someone to rise up and claim authority on Earth but they couldn’t fathom someone with such all-encompassing authority on Earth and in Heaven.

The answer to Jesus’ question about the identity of the Messiah was not whether He was the Son of Man or the Son of God. It wasn’t if He would be a King or a Priest. Nor was the question if He would have authority on Earth or in Heaven. But Jesus Christ is Son of Man and Son of God, King and Priest, with authority on Earth and in Heaven. That is the conclusion at which Jesus was hoping the Pharisees would arrive. For the learned Jews, a humble attitude and a correct understanding of the Messiah’s identity would have made all the difference they needed not only to answer Jesus’ questions but to find salvation.

What about you? What is your answer? What do you say about the Christ? Would you be willing for God to stretch your preconceived ideas about the Messiah? Will you allow Him to challenge your beliefs about Jesus? Would you be willing to discover and humbly accept truths about Christ that go beyond your current understanding?

When we realize we are wrong we have two possible reactions. We can pridefully conclude that anyone who differs from us is wrong. Or we can humbly admit our mistake and learn from it. I can confess, that because I once made the mistake and was humbled because of it, I will never forget the name and position of the state of Delaware.

The same is true with Jesus; now that I know His true identity, my life has been forever changed. Don’t let any pride in what you think you know to keep you from humbly acknowledging the whole truth about Jesus. Would you be willing to more deeply discover Jesus and arrange your life around what you find? Will you acknowledge Jesus as the Son of Man and Son of God, as King and Priest, with authority on Earth and in Heaven? And will you submit to Him as such, accepting all that He can offer you because of who He is? Don’t fail this most important test and experience the dire consequences because you think you already know who He is.

 

¹ Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.

² For my commentary on these events check out: https://blueturtletrails.com/faithful-rendering/, https://blueturtletrails.com/say-it-isnt-so/, and  https://blueturtletrails.com/two-yet-one/