MAT 22:41-46

Whose Son Is the Christ?

41Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus questioned them,

42saying, "What do you think about the Anointed One? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David."

43Jesus said to them, "How then does David, by the Spirit, call him Lord, saying,

44'The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies under your feet'?

45If therefore David calls him Lord, how is he his son?"

46And no one was able to answer him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day to question him any further.

In the world it was spoken into

In this exchange, Jesus engages with the Pharisees on the question of the Messiah’s identity, a topic deeply rooted in Second-Temple Jewish expectations. The Pharisees, adhering to traditional interpretations of Scripture, affirm that the Messiah is the 'son of David,' a title tied to the Davidic covenant and the hope for a royal, political deliverer (2 Sam 7:12-16). Jesus, however, challenges this by quoting Psalm 110:1, where David calls the Messiah 'Lord' (kyrios). In Jewish tradition, kyrios was a term of reverence, often used for God, and its application to the Messiah suggests a divine status. By invoking this psalm, Jesus shifts the discussion from a purely Davidic lineage to a theological claim about the Messiah’s authority and relationship to God. The Pharisees, steeped in a framework where the Messiah was seen as a human descendant of David, are left unable to reconcile Jesus’ interpretation with their own. This exchange underscores the tension between traditional messianic expectations and Jesus’ redefinition of the Messiah’s identity.

›See the receipts

How other translations render this

MAT 22:41

KJV: While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
BSB: While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus questioned them:
Koinōnos: Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus questioned them,

MAT 22:42

KJV: Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.
BSB: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” “Davidʼs,” they answered.
Koinōnos: saying, "What do you think about the Anointed One? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David.

MAT 22:43

KJV: He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
BSB: Jesus said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord’? For he says:
Koinōnos: Jesus said to them, "How then does David, by the Spirit, call him Lord, saying,

MAT 22:44

KJV: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?
BSB: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’
Koinōnos: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies under your feet'?

MAT 22:45

KJV: If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
BSB: So if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be Davidʼs son?”
Koinōnos: If therefore David calls him Lord, how is he his son?

MAT 22:46

KJV: And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
BSB: No one was able to answer a word, and from that day on no one dared to question Him any further.
Koinōnos: And no one was able to answer him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day to question him any further.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Where the historical framing draws from

Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18.1.2

›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 18.1.2

“The Jews had for a great while had three sects of philosophy peculiar to themselves; the sect of the Essens, and the sect of the Sadducees, and the third sort of opinions was that of those called Pharisees”

Cited to ground: The Jews had for a great while had three sects of philosophy peculiar to themselves; the sect of the Essens, and the sect of the Sadducees, and the third sort of opinions was that of those called Pharisees

Translator's notes

MAT 22:42

Christ?:The word translated 'Christ' literally means 'anointed one' and refers to someone set apart by God for a special purpose, often a king or priest, and in this context, the long-awaited Messiah.

MAT 22:43

spirit:The term translated 'spirit' can refer to a person's inner being, breath, or a divine influence, and in this context, it points to the Holy Spirit as the source of inspiration.
Lord:The word translated 'Lord' signifies someone with ultimate authority and power, often used for God himself, indicating a position of supreme reverence and dominion.

MAT 22:44

of me;:The phrase 'sit at my right hand' is an idiom indicating a position of supreme honor, authority, and shared rule, not merely a physical location.