Knowing The Word in Luke 20:41-44, Whose Son is the Christ?

In this section Jesus is speaking to the scribes. By quoting from the Messianic Psalm 110, Jesus is clearing up a misunderstanding of Messiahship. Jesus wants us to see that the Messiah is not David’s son in the sense of being a warrior king who created Israel’s great kingdom. But David sees the Messiah as Lord of the people’s hearts and lives, a man who is far greater than another David.

Luke 20:41-44

41 But he said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is David's son? 42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 43 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

44 David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”

Prayer:

O Lord Jesus Christ, make me worthy to understand the profound mystery of your holy incarnation, which you have worked for our sake and for our salvation. Truly there is nothing so great and wonderful as this, that you, my God, who are the creator of all things, should become a creature, so that we should become like God. You have humbled yourself and made yourself small that we might be made mighty. You have taken the form of a servant, so that you might confer upon us a royal and divine beauty.

You, who are beyond our understanding, have made yourself understandable to us in Jesus Christ. You, who are the uncreated God, have made yourself a creature for us. You, who are the untouchable One, have made yourself touchable to us. You, who are most high, make us capable of understanding your amazing love and the wonderful things you have done for us. Make us able to understand the mystery of your incarnation, the mystery of your life, example and doctrine, the mystery of your cross and Passion, the mystery of your resurrection and ascension.

Blessed are you, O Lord, for coming to earth as a man. You were born that you might die, and in dying that you might procure our salvation. O marvelous and indescribable love! In you is all sweetness and joy! To contemplate your love is to exalt the soul above the world and to enable it to abide alone in joy and rest and tranquility.

Angela of Foligno, 1248-1309