Mark 12:35-37 Meaning: Son and Lord
35Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?
36For David himself said in the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’
37Therefore David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?” The common people heard him gladly.
35And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?
36For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
37David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.
35And Jesus answered and said, as he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that the Christ is the son of David?
36David himself said in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.
37David himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he his son? And the common people heard him gladly.
35And Jesus answering said, teaching in the temple, `How say the scribes that the Christ is son of David?
36for David himself said in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said to my lord, Sit thou on My right hand, till I place thine enemies--thy footstool;
37therefore David himself saith of him Lord, and whence is he his son?' And the great multitude were hearing him gladly,
35And Jesus answering said [as he was] teaching in the temple, How do the scribes say that the Christ is son of David?
36[for] David himself said [speaking] in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand until I put thine enemies [as] footstool of thy feet.
37David himself [therefore] calls him Lord, and whence is he his son? And the mass of the people heard him gladly.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Jesus ask how the scribes can say the Christ is David's son, when David himself calls Him Lord? The answer opens a door to who Jesus really is.
Context
This conversation takes place in the temple courts, after a long day of religious leaders trying to trap Jesus with questions about taxes, the resurrection, and the greatest commandment. One group of scribes stands nearby, and Jesus turns to them. He quotes Psalm 110, a psalm everyone agreed was about the promised Messiah. David, writing by the Holy Spirit, calls this coming one his Lord. So how can the Messiah be merely David’s descendant? The question stops the scribes cold. But the ordinary people listening, the ones with no political agenda, hear it and are glad.
Key Words
Two words stand out. First, Jesus says David spoke “in the Holy Spirit” (pneuma hagion). This phrase reminds us that the Scripture David wrote was not his own invention. It came from God. David was carried beyond his own moment to see something he could not fully explain, his own descendant would be his Lord.
Second, the word “Lord” (kurios) appears twice in the quote: “The Lord said to my Lord.” The first is God the Father; the second is the Messiah. By putting both words in David’s mouth, Jesus shows that David himself recognized the Messiah as more than a king like himself. This is not a grammar lesson. It is an invitation to see who Jesus truly is, someone David looked up to, even from a thousand years away.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions read this passage as a key to understanding Jesus’ identity. Early church fathers like Athanasius pointed to it as evidence that Christ is fully divine, not just a human descendant of David. Reformed commentators emphasize that the scribes knew the Psalm but would not accept what it said about the Messiah. Catholic and Orthodox teaching highlight the mystery of Christ’s two natures: truly son of David in his humanity, truly Lord in his divinity. The scribes had no answer, but the common people heard him gladly, a reminder that the heart often receives what proud learning cannot.
A common misunderstanding
Some think Jesus is denying that the Christ is the son of David. In fact, He affirms it. The point is that the Christ is not just David’s son. He is also David’s Lord, a far greater figure than the political king the scribes expected. Jesus is not correcting their genealogy; He is expanding their imagination.
Living This Out
This week, you will probably think about Jesus in smaller ways than He deserves. Maybe you see Him as a good teacher, a healer, or a distant figure from the past. The scribes had a category for a messiah who would fix their nation. Jesus asks you to hold two truths at once: He is human enough to be your brother, and yet He is Lord, the one David bowed to in spirit. When you pray, try adding that second truth. Address Him as Lord, not just as a friend. Let the size of who He is shape your trust.
Main takeaway: Jesus is both the son of David by human birth and David’s Lord by divine nature, a mystery that invites worship, not argument.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
David wrote a song about someone who would be his king, even though that person would be part of his own family. That person is Jesus. Jesus is God’s Son, and He is our King.
For ages 9, 12
Jesus asked a question that made the religious leaders stop and think. He said that King David himself called the Messiah “Lord”, but the Messiah was supposed to be David’s descendant. How can a grandson also be a Lord? The answer is that Jesus is not just a human king. He is God. The crowd listening knew something special was happening, and they were glad to hear Jesus teach.
Questions People Ask
Why does Jesus quote Psalm 110 in this passage?
The scribes taught that the Messiah would be a son of David, a human king. Jesus quotes Psalm 110 because David himself calls the Messiah 'Lord,' which implies the Messiah is more than a human descendant. The psalm was widely accepted as Messianic, so Jesus uses it to challenge their limited view.
What does 'son of David' mean in the Bible?
It means a descendant of King David. The Old Testament promised that the Messiah would come from David's family line (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Many Jews expected this son of David to be a political and military leader who would restore Israel's kingdom.
How can Jesus be both David's son and David's Lord?
Jesus is fully human and fully divine. As a human, He was a descendant of David. As God, He existed before David and is David's Lord. This passage points to both natures of Christ, His humanity and His divinity, held together in one person.
Why couldn't the scribes answer Jesus' question?
They knew the Psalm was about the Messiah, but they refused to accept that the Messiah could be greater than David. To admit that meant acknowledging that Jesus was more than a human teacher, possibly the divine Son of God. Their pride and unbelief left them silent.
What does 'the common people heard him gladly' teach us?
It shows that humble, ordinary hearts were open to Jesus' teaching, while the religious leaders were not. The gospel often finds its way first to those who are not too proud to learn. It reminds us that understanding Jesus begins with a willing heart, not with advanced knowledge.
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