Matthew 22:41Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Saviour, having willingly entered into suffering, references a prophecy that unmistakably identifies Him as the Lord. This citation is neither casual nor without purpose; it serves as a profound counter to their erroneous perceptions. When they incorrectly perceived Him merely as a man, responding by saying "David," He counters their misunderstanding by quoting David’s words, which affirm His divine nature. While they viewed Him only as a descendant of David, He clarifies their misconception by citing the prophet, who proclaims Him as both Lord and the true Son of God deserving of the same honor as the Father. Moreover, to instill a sense of reverence, He also refers to the prophet's declaration, "Till I make Thy enemies Thy footstool," aiming to draw their attention to Him.

Those who assembled to challenge Jesus and sought truth through a disingenuous inquiry ultimately found themselves in confusion. They posed the question regarding Christ: Whose son is He? This inquiry from Jesus serves us well in our current engagement with the Jews, as they, while acknowledging that the Messiah is to come, assert that He is merely a man, a righteous individual from David’s lineage. Consequently, we, instructed by the Lord, pose this question to them: If He is simply a man, merely a descendant of David, how is it that David addresses Him as Lord—not of any mistake or personal intention, but through the Holy Spirit, or in the Spirit?

Jesus posed a question to them, asking, "What are your thoughts on the Messiah? Who is the Son of the Messiah, prophesied by the seers, who has not yet arrived as you claim, yet is anticipated by you?" Observe His wisdom. They believed that the Messiah would include something about Himself in the first commandment to affirm His divinity. However, He refrained from doing so, evading their cunning, yet He refers to His divine nature in a subtle manner, to avoid raising suspicions among others. In the context of what others thought, He both inquires and shares His view of the awaited Messiah as Lord and God, while ultimately referring to Himself. They responded by mentioning David, as they were familiar with the prophetic scriptures. They conceived of the Messiah merely as the son of David or a singular human figure, whereas the prophets declared Him not just as a man, but as God Himself.

The bewilderment experienced by many turned into an opportunity for collective understanding. If we hold the belief that all occurrences and utterances are guided by God's divine plan, we will comprehend that Christ did not aim to instruct those who ceased their inquiries. Instead, Christ longed to enlighten those who were eager to learn from Him and, as a result, desired to engage with His questions. For He who governs the oceans also boldly confronts the audacity of the enemy, possessing the power to establish boundaries at His will.

When the Pharisees had assembled, JESUS inquired of them, ‘WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ABOUT THE CHRIST? How do you interpret the prophecies regarding His origins? WHO IS HIS FATHER? From what lineage must He come?’ THEY RESPONDED, ‘DAVID.’ The Pharisees replied quickly and without deliberation, as this was a fact familiar to every young person. However, they viewed the Messiah solely as a human figure. In response to their limited understanding, the Lord, ‘correcting their misconception,’ states St. Chrysostom, ‘demonstrates that the prophet addresses Him as Lord, and indeed refers to Him as his Lord, thus affirming Him as the true Son of God, who shares in the same honor as the Father. Since He was willing to face suffering, He now references a prophecy that explicitly designates Him as Lord.’

In these discussions, the topic of the Messiah's identity was briefly addressed. The Lord posed a question to the Pharisees present, asking, "How is it that the Messiah referred to David, through the inspiration of the Spirit, as both the son of David and yet his Lord?" This inquiry likely aimed to establish scriptural support for His teaching on the Messiah's exalted, divine essence, a truth that was dismissed by those who adhered rigidly to the letter of the law—much like their responses during the Feast of Tabernacles and regarding the temple's restoration. However, they did not provide an answer. Just as they hesitated to respond concerning John to avoid self-contradiction, they also refrained from addressing the question about the Messiah Himself.

Through this inquiry, Jesus Christ clearly aims to affirm the widely held belief among the Jews that the Messiah is to be a descendant of David, while simultaneously seeking to refine and elevate the understanding of His true nature. The Pharisees, and subsequently the entire nation, failed to recognize that, according to David's own divinely inspired declaration, the Messiah is also his Lord, meaning the Son of God. The impetus for this question posed to Jesus likely arose from the Pharisees' recollection of the Lord's own proclamation regarding His identity as the Son of God, as they sought to elicit a reiteration of this declaration to accuse Him of blasphemy.

Following these three failed efforts to trap Jesus with a thoughtless remark, the Pharisees, who had previously maintained their distance, gathered together and moved closer to Him, yet they refrained from posing any questions.

After that, no one dared to question Him again. Christ then posed a question to the knowledgeable examiners, aimed at revealing the true worth of the Messiah. In their spiritual blindness, they had overlooked His genuine greatness and anticipated a political savior who would triumph over the world and seize its riches for them. Since Christ did not meet these expectations, they labeled Him as a fraud and a misleader of the people. To lead them to enlightenment, Christ asked, “What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is He?” They replied that He is “the son of David.”

Jesus questioned them: after once more silencing the tempters, namely the Pharisees through a legal expert, the Lord presents a question to reveal their lack of understanding of their own scriptures, to bring down their arrogance by highlighting their ignorance, and to address their mistaken views regarding the Messiah.

Following these moments of the Lord's profound wisdom, no one had the courage to challenge Him. His adversaries recognized that even a single piercing beam of Divine truth was enough to clear the obscuring fog of their complexities. While there was a hush among the crowd—some embarrassed by their defeat and others astonished by the extraordinary events—they observed as the Lord continued His teachings within the temple. When the Pharisees gathered, He spoke to them about a matter of great significance. In His effort to rectify misconceptions surrounding the Messiah and to caution the people against being misled by their false beliefs, He inquired, “What do the scribes say concerning Christ, that He is the Son of David?