Markus 12:35

The Messiah: David’s Son and Lord

12:35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he said, “How is it that the experts in the law ¹  say that the Christ ²  is David’s son? ³ 

[12:35]  ¹ tn Or “that the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[12:35]  ² tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[12:35]  sn See the note on Christ in 8:29.

[12:35]  ³ sn It was a common belief in Judaism that Messiah would be David’s son in that he would come from the lineage of David. On this point the Pharisees agreed and were correct. But their understanding was nonetheless incomplete, for Messiah is also David’s Lord. With this statement Jesus was affirming that, as the Messiah, he is both God and man.