THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
The Saviour, having willingly embraced suffering, references a prophecy that clearly identifies Him as the Lord, not without significant reason. After the people failed to provide an accurate response to His initial inquiry by merely labeling Him a man, He counters their misunderstanding by quoting David, thus affirming His divine nature. They saw Him solely as a human, referring to Him as "David," whereas the Saviour clarifies their misconception by invoking the prophet's words, which declare Him as Lord and the true Son of God worthy of the same honor as the Father.
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Moreover, He does not stop at this point; to instill a sense of reverence within them, He also cites the prophet's declaration, "Till I make Thy enemies Thy footstool," hoping this might draw them closer to Him. Anticipating their potential dismissal of David’s words as exaggerated or mere opinions, He asks, "How does David call Him Lord in the Spirit?" This demonstrates the humility with which He highlights the prophet's perspective regarding Him. Initially, He posed the question, "What think ye of Him? Whose Son is He?" to prompt their response. When their answer was that He is ‘David's,’ He did not simply restate David’s words but rather continued with the question, "How can David call Him Lord?"—ensuring they do not misconstrue His teaching on His divinity.
The apostles too spoke of David with great reverence, acknowledging his mortality: "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried" (Acts 2:29). Similarly, the Saviour presents His own identity through questions and reasoning, asking, "How does David call Him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make Thy enemies Thy footstool?" He then points out, "If David calls Him Lord, how can He be his son?" (vv. 43-45). In this, He does not repudiate being David's son—indeed, He would not rebuke Peter for acknowledging this—but rather seeks to illuminate the Pharisees' flawed understanding. Thus, His inquiry, "What son is He?" implies that He is the son of David, but not in the manner they envision. They assert that Christ is only David's son and not His Lord.
By initially citing the prophet and then gently correcting their views by asking, "If David calls Him Lord, how can He be his son?" the Saviour leaves the Pharisees speechless. They showed no desire to pursue the truth. In this way, He leads them to consider His lordship over David. Furthermore, He does not assert this directly on His own behalf but emphasizes it through the prophet’s words, as they remained unconvinced and harbored ill feelings toward Him. It is crucial not to be misled by how the Saviour sometimes speaks of Himself with humility, for a key reason for this was His effort to align with their perceptions. Therefore, He continues to impart His teachings through questions, subtly indicating His dignity in contrast to being merely the Lord of the Jews and David.
Notice how skillfully He articulates this teaching. After asserting the singularity of the Lord, He claims His lordship and substantiates it not only through His actions but also by quoting the prophecy. He simultaneously proclaims that the Father will execute divine retribution upon them, affirming, "Till I make Thy enemies Thy footstool," thereby establishing His equality and dignity with the Father. With these profound words, the Saviour concludes His dialogue with the Pharisees, presenting a doctrine that is both grand and compelling, leaving them speechless. From that moment on, they refrained from questioning Him—not from choice but due to their inability to counter His argument. They received such a definitive rebuke that they no longer dared to confront Him in this manner, as stated, "And no man from that day forth asked Him any more questions" (v. 46). Thus, the Saviour, having silenced these adversaries and thwarted their malicious intentions, shifts His discourse towards the people.