He Is Lord

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

HE IS LORD

Matt 22:41-46

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" "The son of David," they replied. 43 He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says, 44 "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." '    45 If then David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?"  46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

NIV

It is certain that Jesus meant to show them just how ignorant they were regarding the prophecies about the Messiah. It is interesting how they thought themselves to be so pious and so knowledgeable, putting on such a show in front of normal people. We think that type of thinking has existed throughout the course of mankind, and it continues to exist even today. There will always be those who appear to be believers; however, they consider themselves above others, either through their amount of education or the number of things they do. Jesus asked them a question to prove how their thinking is flawed. Jesus is the descendent of David in the sense that both Joseph and Mary were descendants of David and in the human sense, Jesus would be the son of David, except Jesus is not all human, for He is fully human, but also, He is fully God. Therefore, David spoke of Him as Lord, which did not mean divine but that He was superior to David. A son cannot be superior to his father. This is the question Jesus wants them to answer. This is the problem with those who believe in the world instead of God. They believe mankind, can destroy this planet, that they can have an effect on anything. This type of thinking is the same as the Pharisees, thinking a son can be greater than the father. God is the Father of all mankind, and He created this planet for man to thrive on and it will sustain man with all he needs to live until God decides to destroy it. Man cannot be greater than the Father. Jesus makes it clear, that although he is in the line of David and will sit on the throne of David forever and ever, He is divine and greater than the greatest king of Israel. David proved that by calling him, Lord. We need to see our humanness in the sight of our Heavenly Father and understand we are His creation, and He is the Lord, the Almighty Lord which we are completely indebted to humbling ourselves before Him, totally dependent on His grace and mercy and His reconciling us to himself. We can do nothing to achieve life without Him. The Pharisees thought they could attain righteousness through the Law. However, Jesus showed them they could not and needed the Lord who was the Lord of David, the Son of David who is the Son of God. We would do well to see our weakness as men and understand nothing we can do, no amount of obedience to the law can bring us righteousness. Yes, we serve the Lord because we love him and we want to do that which we have been called to do, but our behavior, our activities are but a response to His great love for us. Still, none of that which we do brings us righteousness, or should bring us praise from men, should as the Pharisees had sought. We are to humble ourselves before men and God and see Jesus as our Lord, and all that means. He is Lord.