SON OF DAVID, SON OF GOD

TODAY’S GOSPEL PRESENTS Jesus discussing with the scribes (the Jewish teachers of the Law of Moses) about the person of “the Christ” (Greek Christos, Hebrew Mashiach, meaning “anointed one”).

In Jewish thought, the Messiah is generally understood not as a divine savior figure, but as a future human leader descended from King David who will bring peace, justice, and restoration to the world. This expectation comes from passages like 2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, and Jeremiah 23:5.

Jesus agrees with the scribes’ claim that the Messiah is David’s son. God promised David that one of his descendants would reign forever (2 Samuel 7). Because of this, later Jewish expectation looked for a future king from David’s line who would restore Israel.

But we see tension in the Gospel reading. Jesus himself asks how the Messiah can be David’s son if King David calls him “Lord” (Psalm 110:1). “The Lord says to my lord,” is a polite form of address of an inferior to a superior. Jesus takes the psalmist to be David and hence the “Lord” refers to God and “my lord” refers to the Messiah, who must be greater than David. This suggests the Messiah is greater than a mere descendant of David.

Judaism in general rejects Jesus as the Messiah, much less the Christian belief that Jesus is of divine origin. But Christian belief insists that Jesus is Son of David—fully human, heir to David’s throne—and Divine Messiah—fully divine and eternal Savior.

This means that the Messiah is not merely a king, but God acting through and in human history.

St. Paul, from whom we have the earliest Christian documents—his letters were earlier than the Gospels—gives us the summary of Christian belief: Jesus is descended from David according to the flesh, and declared Son of God in power through resurrection from the dead (Rom 1:3-4).

Many in Israel expected a political liberator, but Christians believe Jesus revealed a deeper mission: saving humanity from sin and death.

The New Testament portrays Jesus not only as Messiah, but as divine:

• He forgives sins (a divine prerogative).• He accepts worship.• He speaks of unique unity with God the Father.• The Gospel of John identifies him as the eternal Word made flesh (Jn 1:1,14).• His resurrection is seen as vindication of his divine identity.

There is a traditional Advent hymn, sung during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Its title is “O Come, Divine Messiah.” It expresses longing for the coming of Jesus Christ as Savior and Light of the world.

O come, divine Messiah!The world in silence waits the day.When hope shall sing its triumph,And sadness flee away.Dear Savior, haste! Come, come to earth.Dispel the night and show your face,And bid us hail the dawn of grace.

The song isn’t only about Christ’s birth long ago. He is the divine Messiah and Savior who saved his people from their sins by his passion, death, and resurrection. It also asks Christ to come into our lives now, bringing peace, healing, and light today.

And at the end of the age, he will come again to judge the living and the dead.

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