On the Way to Wonder

³⁵ While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, ‘How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David? ³⁶ David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared,

“The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand,
    until I put your enemies under your feet.’”

³⁷ David himself calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?’ And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

Mark 12:35-37

Jesus has come to Jerusalem in Passover week, been welcomed by the crowds, but offended the religious leaders.  We have been reading about a series of encounters between Jesus and representatives of various groups.  They pose trick questions trying to trip him up and justify their desire to get rid of him.  Jesus is just not acting like the Messiah they thought he was to be when they welcomed him on Palm Sunday.  He does not seem to be tackling those pesky Romans that make their lives miserable.  He is not restoring the Jews to the days of glory under king David and King Solomon.

Mark shares a very interesting exchange.  Jesus now turns to the leaders and asks them a question, quoting Psalm 110:1.  The people are looking for a Messiah who is to come from the genealogy of David hence will be considered a son of David.  But then David himself writes a psalm calling the Messiah, David’s Lord.  How can the Messiah be a “son of David” and David’s “lord”?  Humanly the Messiah is a descendent of David but divinely the Messiah is the Lord of David and so, Jesus is pointing out that the expectant Messiah is true God and true Man.

The religious leaders whom we think know many things, often are short sighted because God works outside our boxes.  God is the God of the impossible.  A virgin conceives, the blind see, the waves calm, and Jesus will die but live.  God is often working in ways we don’t see and we don’t understand.  I find that comforting.  Perhaps you are facing a situation in your life right now where God is challenging you to trust him with your own personal Romans and allow God to work out a solution.  Take a moment to pray and place the weight on your heart into Jesus’ hands.  Blessings.

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