Whose Son Is the Messiah?

By Jimmy Purchase

“While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ‘What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?’ ‘The son of David,’ they replied. He said to them, ‘How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him “Lord”? For he says, “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet’” If then David calls him “Lord,” how can he be his son?’ No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.”—Matthew 22:41–46 (NIV)

A.W. Tozer famously said, “What comes to mind when we think about how God is the most important thing about us.” So with that in mind, what comes to mind when you think about Jesus? Who would you say Jesus is?

The Jewish religious groups had their own view of what the Messiah would look like. They thought He would be a king like King David—a charismatic, good-looking, powerful, and military-savvy leader who would once again redeem them from their oppressor. They thought the Messiah would raise up an army and overthrow whole political regimes. We see this even in the disciples when they ask the resurrected Jesus if He was going to “restore the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6 NIV). Even the disciples didn’t realize that Jesus was a different kind of King. Just take time to read Isaiah 42:1–4, Isaiah 52:13–15, and Isaiah 53:2–6 to see more.

This conversation in Matthew 22 is an attempt from Jesus to show that the true Messiah will be wildly different than they originally thought. The Messiah wouldn’t be another David or even a mere son of David; rather, He would be David’s Lord. Jesus would be a conqueror, but He would conquer sin and death through sacrificing His own life, not through a military uprising. He is the kind of King whose “triumphal entry” was not a display of military might, but riding into town on a borrowed donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:1–17; Philippians 2:5–11).

The rule and reign of Jesus is not measured by conquests and political rule, but by a community built on faith, hope, and love. The kingdom of God is a radically different type of kingdom. I love how William Barclay puts it, “Here, then, Jesus makes his greatest claim. In him, there came not the earthly conqueror who would repeat the military triumphs of David, but the Son of God who would demonstrate the love of God upon his cross” (Gospel of Matthew, page 326).

But who would you say Jesus is? The majority of people in our world believe Jesus was a good person or a great moral teacher, but only a few believe He is Lord and King. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis famously wrote about this “trilemma,” pointing out that it is impossible for Jesus to be just a moral teacher. For Lewis, Jesus is either a lair, lunatic, or Lord. Jesus made claims about being the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ. He performed miracles and talked about a new kind of kingdom that is “not of this world.” Lewis points out that because those claims were made by Jesus, then (1) He was lying and made the whole thing up, (2) He was a lunatic to believe He was the Son of God and David’s Lord and therefore should not be trusted, or (3) He truly is the Lord and the King we all long for.

So, back to the quote at the beginning: “What comes to mind when we think about how God is the most important thing about us.” What comes to mind for you right now? The answer to this question determines your eternity. It also determines the eternity of the people around you. Remember that as you leave your home each day.

Pause: What comes to mind when you think about Jesus?

Practice: Consider telling someone about Jesus this week. One of the best ways to do this is to share your story and the way that Jesus has changed your life.

Pray: Jesus, I believe You are Lord and King. I desire to submit and surrender all of my life under Your rule and reign. This week, help me serve others and live humbly as You did. You lived Your life on the earth in a way that offended the self-righteous and welcomed the sinner. Help me live with that heart this week. I don’t want to live in my kingdom, but Yours! Amen.