“‘David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?’ And the great throng heard him gladly.” – Mark 12:37
Jesus presents the crowd with what sounded like a riddle. What does it mean that the great King David, writing a thousand years earlier, described Messiah, the Christ Who was to come, as his Lord? If the Messiah was merely a descendant of David in the usual earthly sense, how or why could David speak of Messiah as already ruling over him? As already existing and in communication with God?
What Jesus was trying to help the crowd understand is that He, Jesus, has existed eternally. To a crowd looking for the Messiah to be born from the bloodline of David, Jesus emphasizes that the Messiah was vastly greater than they could possibly imagine. Yes, Messiah would be born from the line of David, but Messiah has also existed eternally.
No earthly king was ever like that. But Jesus was. As He began to carefully reveal to the crowds, He existed before time began. He knew their ancient ancestors – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was present at Creation and it all happened through Him. He sustained (and sustains) creation. He is the Lord to whom King David bowed. Now, He was the eternal Son of God come to earth in the flesh.
The crowd wasn’t ready to hear or understand this. But we must! Never make the mistake of merely thinking of Jesus as a great man, mighty king, wise prophet, or extraordinary leader. Jesus is eternal, one with the Great I Am. He is holy, righteous, and God Almighty. #FollowJesus