Many refer to the following passage to support the notion that Jesus is not the physical son of David, but rather, he is God, the Son. (Never mind the fact that the Bible never says that Jesus is “God, the Son”.)
“41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?
Matthew 22:41-46 KJV
“They say unto him, The son of David.
“43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
“46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.”
I believe Jesus posed this question to point out that there were two different kinds of “kingdoms” at play: the kingdoms of men and the Kingdom of God.
In the kingdoms of men, kings sit on earthly thrones and serve as Ruler (or Master/Lord) over others.
In the Kingdom of God, God sits on His throne in heaven and calls on people to act as His children, doing His Will, ruling themselves. And when they have proven themselves worthy to be called His children, God seats them on heavenly thrones.
The Beginning of Israel’s Kingdom of Man
Up through the days of Samuel, the children of Israel, who were corporately considered the firstborn “son” of God, were solely operating in the Kingdom of God, recognizing God as their Lord and Shepherd.
But then, they wanted to be like the nations around them and have an earthly king to go before them in battle.
So, God gave them a king: Saul, thereby establishing a kingdom of man for them, operating in conjunction with the Kingdom of God.
However, Saul demonstrated he was not the right candidate for the job because he failed to obey the Word/Will of God, choosing to do his own will in opposition to God’s. (See 1 Samuel 15.) So, God rejected Saul as king over the house of Israel, and He chose another to rule in his stead: David.
David proved himself worthy in the Kingdom of God, demonstrating that he was a man after God’s own heart, obeying the Will of his Heavenly Father, and thereby worthy to remain king over the house of Israel.
In time, when David’s earthly kingdom was well established, David had in mind to build a house of cedar for God but God said He had no need of a house of cedar.
However, God swore an oath to David concerning David’s physical seed, the throne & kingdom of his seed, and the throne & kingdom of David himself.
8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
2 Samuel 7:8-16 KJV
At the end of David’s life, David’s son, Solomon, was seated on an earthly throne to rule in his father’s stead. This was the beginning of the succession of kings in the line of David.
At first, Solomon demonstrated himself to be a good candidate for the job, but in time he proved himself unfaithful in the Kingdom of God.
So, the kingdom of man was torn from Solomon and given to his servant (as opposed to his reign being carried forward with his physical seed).
The majority of the whole house of Israel became a separate kingdom of man that was ruled by a succession of men not descended from David until the Assyrian captivity, starting with Solomon’s servant, Jeroboam. (This kingdom was known as “the northern kingdom” or “the kingdom of Israel”.)
Whereas the remnant of the house of Israel (consisting of the houses of Judah, Benjamin and a portion of Levi) remained a kingdom of man ruled by men who were physically descended from David — until the carrying away to Babylon. (This realm was known as “the southern kingdom” or “the kingdom of Judah”.)
Understandably, in the case of a succession of kings like this, the father remains “Lord” over the son until the father’s death. So, it stands to reason to question, How does it that David (being the father) refer to his son as his Lord? If he refers to him as Lord, then how is he his son?
As I said before, there are two kinds of kingdoms at play here:
- A heavenly kingdom: the Kingdom of God.
- An earthly kingdom: the kingdoms of men.
Considering the oath made to David in 2 Samuel 7, since Solomon demonstrated he was not a man after God’s own heart, like his earthly father (David) was, but was found to be unfaithful in the Kingdom of God, it was clear that another physical son of David would be deemed the figurative “son” of God. And it would be that seed who would build a house for YHVH’s name and that seed‘s throne would be established forever.
Furthermore, since both David & Solomon’s earthly thrones & kingdoms were not lasting, evidently the oath sworn to David concerning his & his seed’s throne & kingdom did not pertain to earthly ones. It seems clear to me that the oath pertained to heavenly thrones…in the Kingdom of God.
In The Days Of Yeshua/Jesus
In the days of Yeshua/Jesus, the Jews were anticipating a physical descendant of David to fill the position of the Anointed One (the Messiah).
However, they anticipated he would take his place on an earthly throne in Jerusalem there in Judea and reign as king just as his father David did. They expected and wanted their kingdom of man back, with their own king (from the tribe of Judah) seated in power.
But, it had become time to reveal the good news of the Kingdom of God to the people of that day.
It was time to open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf — a time for the people to change their mind (“repent”), be cleansed from their wrongdoings and realize their place in the Kingdom of God.
Clearly, given the Pharisees’ lack of response to Jesus/Yeshua’s question concerning how David could say “my Lord” and that Lord be the physical son of David, they either did not understand the Kingdom of God, on which Jesus spent his entire ministry preaching, or they chose not to go there.
Jesus/Yeshua was never meant to sit on David’s throne in Jerusalem as all the other sons of David who sat as kings in the past had done. He was meant to sit at the right hand of God in heaven, and David evidently “saw” this (in the Spirit) when he spoke of his Lord in that Psalm (110).
In the Modern Age
There are many Jews today still anticipating a physical descendant of David to fill the position of the Anointed One (Messiah).
And many, if not most, still anticipate him taking his place on an earthly throne in Jerusalem, many of which want their “kingdom of man” back.
Meanwhile, there are many Christians, who have made Jesus into God and are awaiting his second coming.
Personally, I recognize the Messiah that was to come has already come, and he’s not coming back — there’s no need for him to do so.
Because, the good news is, that we are living in the Kingdom of God right now. We just have to obey the Will of our Heavenly Father and assume our rightful place in it.
Isn’t saying Jesus isn’t coming back a heresy because of what was revealed in revelation, everything after John 20, Luke 24, Mark 16, Mark 28, 2 Peter 3 as some examples? What do you mean there’s no need for him to do so? What about the resurrection and day of Judgement, we need him for that, that’s how he’s going to practically bring the everlasting life he promised. Saying “We just have to obey the Will of our Heavenly Father and assume our rightful place in it” reduces salvation to a work based system of redemption instead of a system of redemption that is based on the grace of God, with works based righteousness being the system of what paganism is built on ( and pretty much any other religion that isn’t Christianity). Jesus also acknowledges that he is God (Mark 2:23-28, Matthew 11:27, John 14:1-7, John 8:58, John 5:18, Matthew 26:63-65, John 19:7-10, John 3:13, John 17:5, Mark 2:5, John 10:29-33 are some examples) so it’s kind of shocking to read the comment that is was Christian that made him into a God, can you elaborate your reasoning for why you think this? As far as I can tell the good news of “ we are living in the kingdom of God right now” is only part of the Good news, the other part being that God forgives sin, through Jesus(who is also God), and if we accept his Grace and repent (by truly turning away from sin/being obedient to God to follow his will (which also means following Jesus) being lead by his Holy Spirit (who is also God) then we can enter into true fellowship with God for eternity. I know you don’t agree with stuff in mainstream Christianity (there’s stuff I also don’t agree with) but I feel like the last three paragraphs are a massive oversight in properly understanding what is written in the Bible but I am more then open to hearing a response to your perspective on these things as I think honest and open dialogue is vital in truth seeking of all types. Hope this message finds you well.
Hi Buttons,
Thank you for your comment!
I’m going to do my best to address each of the points you bring up, but it’s going to take me a bit of time to do so, so please bear with me.
I agree with you in that I think honest & open dialogue is vital in truth seeking of all types, and I appreciate your recognition of this.
And yes, this message found me well. 🙂 I hope my replies will find you well also.
I’ll be back with responses soon.
RE: “Isn’t saying Jesus isn’t coming back a heresy because of what was revealed in revelation, everything after John 20, Luke 24, Mark 16, Mark 28, 2 Peter 3 as some examples? What do you mean there’s no need for him to do so? What about the resurrection and day of Judgement, we need him for that, that’s how he’s going to practically bring the everlasting life he promised.”
In my view, the texts we hold in our hands today comprising the New Testament were all penned sometime in the first century, and they pertained to the people being addressed in them, of that day, and to events that took place within that century.
They were *not written to us* in the modern age. However, we can learn from them when we keep all that is written in their proper context.
I believe the book of Revelation was written prior to the destruction of the temple and fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, and therefore pointed towards that event.
I also believe that text was written in a sort of coded manner so as to be meaningful to those familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures, yet confusing to those who were not, had it fallen into the wrong hands in that day.
The idea of Jesus coming again, in my understanding, is that it was to be a figurative return, not a physical one. And that figurative return already took place back in the days of Jerusalem’s fall.
RE: “Jesus also acknowledges that he is God (Mark 2:23-28, Matthew 11:27, John 14:1-7, John 8:58, John 5:18, Matthew 26:63-65, John 19:7-10, John 3:13, John 17:5, Mark 2:5, John 10:29-33 are some examples) so it’s kind of shocking to read the comment that is was Christian that made him into a God, can you elaborate your reasoning for why you think this?”
I don’t see any of those passages saying that Jesus acknowledges himself as being God. He continually refers to God as his Father, making him the Son *of God*.
But being the Son *of* God is not the same as being what the trinitarian doctrine (a teaching of man in Christianity) calls “God, the Son”.
RE: “…the good news of “ we are living in the kingdom of God right now” is only part of the Good news, the other part being that God forgives sin, through Jesus(who is also God), and if we accept his Grace and repent (by truly turning away from sin/being obedient to God to follow his will (which also means following Jesus) being lead by his Holy Spirit (who is also God) then we can enter into true fellowship with God for eternity.”
The fact that God will forgive the sins of man certainly is good news. However, according to the Bible, from what I can see, God has always been merciful to forgive the sins of mankind — even before Jesus was born.
Despite what Christianity teaches, I don’t believe the Bible requires anyone to acknowledge Jesus in order to receive that forgiveness. They just need to understand they can be forgiven and choose to stop sinning.
Furthermore, in my view, the real good news regarding the restoration of fellowship with God is not about a time in the hereafter ( or “eternity”), but rather pertains to *from this point forward*.
Hi Carrie. Praise Yah for another well-written blog post! You sure have an amazing gift for explaining (be it orally or in writing) “difficult” passages and making them easier to comprehend. Thank you so much!
I have a question…
“ In the Kingdom of God, God sits on His throne in heaven and calls on people to act as His children, doing His Will, ruling themselves. And when they have proven themselves worthy to be called His children, God seats them on heavenly thrones.”
What do you mean by “God seats them on heavenly thrones?” What does this look like? Is this something that happens during our lifetime or afterward? Is this literal or figurative? Thank you, Carrie!
BTW, I’ve subscribed to your blog, but for some reason I don’t get any notification when you post something new or reply to comments. Just thought I’d let you know. Thanks!
Hi Kay!
Thank you for the compliment. 🙂
Regarding the blog subscription, this website has sat mostly dormant for a very long time. As a result, I lost sight of who subscribed to stay informed of new posts and failed to inform them. 🙁
However, I’m now seeing the need to get that sorted out because you’re the third person who has indicated in recent days that you want to be kept informed of new posts. (Praise Yah!) Thank you for saying so.
Regarding your question, I see another post developing in my future. 🙂
For now, I’ll just say, consider all the passages that speak of Israel being a “royal priesthood” and in the NT passages all that speak of crowns & thrones. And pray about it. (That’s what I’m doing.) I’ll likely post further on the matter in the coming days.
Thanks for posing the question!
Thanks, Carrie! I look forward to it. It’s a joy and a blessing to read your posts. I like the thoughtfulness, the study, and the clarity that you bring into each one. Yah bless you and your precious family! 🥰
RE: “What do you mean by ‘God seats them on heavenly thrones?’ What does this look like? Is this something that happens during our lifetime or afterward? Is this literal or figurative?”
Honestly, I don’t know. I tend to believe that God determines all of that.
I can see there being a figurative application during our lifetime, as we act in a manner that reflects the role of “the anointed”, but also there could be an application in the hereafter.
(Whether the hereafter application is literal or figurative, I don’t think I have any way of knowing, and honestly, I personally don’t care. I tend to believe any talk of the hereafter in the Bible is usually expressed for the purpose of motivating mankind to behave in a certain way in the here and now.)
With regards to the hereafter, I’m of a similar mindset as you. We need to make the best of what’s here and now…make the most of this life Yah has given us…it’s the only one we’ve got. So grateful that His mercies are new every morning!
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Seems clear to me, except for a clearer exposition o Natural Law, which Ty references often.
Tell Kay I said Hey.
Hey Brian!
Have you ever seen Mark Passio’s presentation on Natural Law? I highly recommend it.
Wow! I’m new to this site and it is a blessing to me. I’ve looking through everything on here! One question, what was the spiritual nature of the messiah before his resurrection? I know after the resurrection the Father says “you are my son, today I have begotten you.” What was it before he was resurrected during his lifetime? What did it mean to be a son? Hopefully this question make sense.
Clarence
Welcome, Clarence!
According to the gospel accounts, Jesus/Yeshua was called the “Son” of God at his water baptism. (Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22) I think this is likely related to the word given to David concerning his seed being a Son to YHVH and YHVH being a Father to him. (2 Samuel 7:14)