Matthew 22:42 Study Bible: saying, "What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "Of David."

◄ Matthew 22:42 ►

"What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?" "David's," they answered.

What do you think
This phrase invites personal reflection and introspection. In the Greek, the word for "think" is "δοκεῖτε" (dokeite), which implies an opinion or judgment. Jesus is challenging the Pharisees to consider their understanding and beliefs about the Messiah. This question is not just about intellectual assent but about a deeper, heart-level acknowledgment of who the Christ is. It encourages believers to examine their own beliefs and understanding of Jesus, urging a personal and transformative encounter with Him.

about the Christ?
The term "Christ" comes from the Greek "Χριστός" (Christos), meaning "Anointed One," equivalent to the Hebrew "Messiah." This title is rich with Old Testament significance, pointing to the promised deliverer and king from the line of David. The question of Jesus' identity as the Christ is central to Christian faith, as it affirms His role as the Savior and the fulfillment of messianic prophecies. Historically, the Jewish expectation of the Messiah was a political and military leader, but Jesus redefined this role through His life, death, and resurrection.

Whose son is He?
This question addresses the lineage and identity of the Messiah. In Jewish tradition, the Messiah was expected to be a descendant of King David, as prophesied in scriptures like 2 Samuel 7:12-16 and Isaiah 11:1. The Pharisees' response to this question reveals their limited understanding of the Messiah's nature. While they correctly identify the Messiah as the "son of David," they fail to grasp the full divine nature of Christ as the Son of God. This question challenges believers to recognize Jesus' dual nature as both fully human and fully divine, a cornerstone of Christian doctrine.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Jesus Christ
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is engaging the Pharisees in a theological discussion about the identity of the Messiah.

2. Pharisees
A religious group in Judaism known for their strict adherence to the Law and traditions. They are the ones Jesus is questioning in this passage.

3. David
The second king of Israel, revered as a man after God's own heart. The Pharisees acknowledge the Messiah as the "Son of David," a title with deep messianic significance.

4. Messiah (Christ)
The anointed one promised in the Old Testament, whom the Jews expected to deliver them. Jesus is challenging the Pharisees' understanding of the Messiah's identity.

5. Jerusalem
The city where this interaction takes place, a central location for Jewish religious life and the setting for many of Jesus' teachings.

Teaching Points

Understanding the Messiah's Identity
Jesus challenges us to deepen our understanding of who He is, not just as a descendant of David but as the divine Son of God.

The Importance of Scripture
Jesus uses Scripture to reveal deeper truths. We should also rely on Scripture to understand God's plans and purposes.

The Limitations of Human Understanding
The Pharisees' limited view of the Messiah reminds us that human understanding can be flawed. We must seek divine revelation through prayer and study.

The Fulfillment of Prophecy
Jesus fulfills Old Testament prophecies, affirming the reliability of God's Word and His faithfulness to His promises.

Personal Reflection on Christ's Lordship
This passage invites us to reflect on our own understanding of Jesus' lordship in our lives and how it impacts our daily walk with Him.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does Jesus' question to the Pharisees challenge their understanding of the Messiah, and what does this reveal about their expectations?

2. In what ways does Psalm 110:1 deepen our understanding of the Messiah's identity as both David's son and David's Lord?

3. How can we apply the lesson of relying on Scripture to understand God's truth in our daily lives?

4. What are some modern-day "Pharisaical" attitudes that might limit our understanding of Jesus' true nature and mission?

5. How does recognizing Jesus as both the Son of David and the Son of God influence our personal relationship with Him?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Psalm 110:1
Jesus later references this Psalm to challenge the Pharisees' understanding of the Messiah as merely David's son, pointing to the Messiah's divine lordship.

Isaiah 9:6-7
This passage speaks of a child born who will be called "Mighty God" and "Everlasting Father," indicating the divine nature of the Messiah.

2 Samuel 7:12-16
God's covenant with David, promising that his throne will be established forever, which the Jews understood as a messianic prophecy.

Sermons

On the Same Words of the Gospel, Matt. Xxii. 42	Saint Augustine	Matthew 22:42
Our Thoughts of Christ's Sonship	R. Tuck	Matthew 22:42
Profession and Practice	S. Baring-Gould	Matthew 22:42
The Divine Christ	W.F. Adeney	Matthew 22:41-46
Wisdom's Question	J.A. Macdonald	Matthew 22:41-46
A Testing Question	J. Williams.	Matthew 22:42-45
All Doctrines Equally True, But not Equally Important	W. Jay.	Matthew 22:42-45
Christ not Thought About	C. S. Robinson, D. D.	Matthew 22:42-45
Christ's Origin	Marvin R. Vincent, D. D.	Matthew 22:42-45
Christ's Solution of David's Assertion	A. Brooks, D. D.	Matthew 22:42-45
Revelation not to Supersede Thought	J. Williams., W. Jay.	Matthew 22:42-45
The God-Man -- Jesus Christ	J. Vaughan, M. A.	Matthew 22:42-45
The Ideal Christ	C. S. Robinson, D. D.	Matthew 22:42-45
The Question of Questions	Bishop William Alexander.	Matthew 22:42-45
The Responsibility of Thought	S. H. Tyng, D. D.	Matthew 22:42-45
The Test Question	S. H. Tyng, D. D.	Matthew 22:42-45
What Think Ye of Christ	C. Molyneux, B. A.	Matthew 22:42-45
What Think Ye of Christ?	Bishop Simpson.	Matthew 22:42-45

People

David, Herodians, Isaac, Jacob, Jesus

Places

Jerusalem

Topics

Christ, David, David's, Opinion, Replied, Saying

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Matthew 22:34-46

7552 Pharisees, attitudes to Christ

Matthew 22:41-44

5100 Melchizedek

Matthew 22:41-45

     1230   God, the Lord
     2078   Christ, sonship of
     5369   kingship, divine

Matthew 22:41-46

1351 covenant, with David
5089 David, significance

Matthew 22:42-45

5151 feet

Library

Sacrifice to Caesar or to God
Eversley, 1869. Chester Cathedral, 1872. Matthew xxii. 21. "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." Many a sermon has been preached, and many a pamphlet written, on this text, and (as too often has happened to Holy Scripture), it has been made to mean the most opposite doctrines, and twisted in every direction, to suit men's opinions and superstitions. Some have found in it a command to obey tyrants, invaders, any and every government, …
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

The Kingdom of Heaven
Chapel Royal, St James'. 1873. St. Matt. xxii. 2-7. "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, …
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

Two Ways of Despising God's Feast
'And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3. And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 6. But they made light of it, and went their …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

On the Same Words of the Gospel, Matt. xxii. 42
1. The question which was proposed to the Jews, Christians ought to solve. For the Lord Jesus Christ, who proposed it to the Jews, did not solve it Himself, to the Jews, I mean, He did not, but to us He hath solved it. I will put you in remembrance, Beloved, and ye will find that He hath solved it. But first consider the knot of the question. He asked the Jews what they "thought of Christ, whose Son He was to be;" for they too look for the Christ. They read of Him in the Prophets, they expected Him …
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xxii. 2, Etc. , About the Marriage of the King's Son; against the Donatists, on Charity. Delivered at Carthage In
1. All the faithful [2986] know the marriage of the king's son, and his feast, and the spreading [2987] of the Lord's Table is open to them all [2988] who will. But it is of importance to each one to see how he approaches, even when he is not forbidden to approach It. For the Holy Scriptures teach us that there are two feasts of the Lord; one to which the good and evil come, the other to which the evil come not. So then the feast, of which we have just now heard when the Gospel was being read, has …
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xxii. 42, Where the Lord Asks the Jews Whose Son they Said David Was.
1. When the Jews were asked (as we have just now heard out of the Gospel when it was being read), how our Lord Jesus Christ, whom David himself called his Lord was David's Son, they were not able to answer. For what they saw in the Lord, that they knew. For He appeared to them as the Son of man; but as the Son of God He was hidden. Hence it was, that they believed that He could be overcome, and that they derided Him as He hung upon the Tree, saying, "If He be the Son of God, let Him come down from …
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

The Wedding Garment
The parable may be discoursed upon under five heads. Here is an enemy at the feast; here is the king at the feast; that king becomes the judge at the feast; and hence the enemy becomes the criminal at the feast; and swiftly is removed by the executioner at the feast. I. We see in the text AN ENEMY AT THE FEAST. He came into the banquet when he was bidden, but he came only in appearance, he came not in heart. The banquet was intended for the honour of the son, but this man meant not so; he was willing …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

The Parable of the Wedding Feast
In order to understand the parable before us we must first direct our attention to the design of the "certain king" here spoken of. He had a grand object in view; he desired to do honor to his son upon the occasion of his marriage. We shall then notice the very generous method by which he proposed to accomplish his purpose; he made a dinner, and bade many: there were other modes of honoring his son, but the great king elected the mode which would best display his bounty. We shall then observe, with …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

Making Light of Christ
In the first place, we shall have a few words with you, concerning what it is that the sinner makes light of; secondly, how it is that he makes light of it; and thirdly, why it is that he makes light of it. Then a general observation or two, and we shall not weary you. In the first place, WHAT IS IT THAT THE SINNER MAKES LIGHT OF? According to the parable, the person alluded to made light of a marriage banquet which a king had provided, with all kinds of dainties, to which they were freely invited, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 2: 1856

The Beatific vision
MATTHEW xxii. 27. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. These words often puzzle and pain really good people, because they seem to put the hardest duty first. It seems, at times, so much more easy to love one's neighbour than to love God. And strange as it may seem, that is partly true. St. John tells us so--'He that loves not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?' Therefore many good people, who …
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

The Eternal Goodness
MATTHEW xxii. 39. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Why are wrong things wrong? Why, for instance, is it wrong to steal? Because God has forbidden it, you may answer. But is it so? Whatsoever God forbids must be wrong. But, is it wrong because God forbids it, or does God forbid it because it is wrong? For instance, suppose that God had not forbidden us to steal, would it be right then to steal, or at least, not wrong? We must really think of this. It is no mere question of words, it is …
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

The Heavenly Banquet.
20th Sunday after Trinity. S. Matt. xxii. 4. "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready; come unto the marriage." INTRODUCTION.--The Kingdom of Heaven has two meanings in this parable. It means in the first place the Catholic Church. Into that the apostles and pastors of Christ invite men to enter, and many refuse. In the second place it means the Church Triumphant,--eternal blessedness, and into that the pastors of Christ's Church invite you …
S. Baring-Gould—The Village Pulpit, Volume II. Trinity to Advent

Profession and Practice.
18th Sunday after Trinity. S. Matt. xxii. 42. "What think ye of Christ?" INTRODUCTION.--Many men are Christians neither in understanding nor in heart. Some are Christians in heart, and not in understanding. Some in understanding, and not in heart, and some are Christians in both. If I were to go into a Temple of the Hindoos, or into a Synagogue of the Jews, and were to ask, "What think ye of Christ?" the people there would shake their heads and deny that He is God, and reject His teaching. The …
S. Baring-Gould—The Village Pulpit, Volume II. Trinity to Advent

The Image of Self.
23rd Sunday after Trinity. S. Matthew xxii., 20. "Whose is this image?" INTRODUCTION.--Some people are very fond of contemplating their own excellencies, of admiring their good qualities, or their success in life; they will talk to you of what they have done, how they made this lucky hit, how they outwitted so-and-so, how they escaped such a danger by their foresight. But they are not fond of considering their imperfections, of lamenting their faults, of confessing their failures, their lost opportunities, …
S. Baring-Gould—The Village Pulpit, Volume II. Trinity to Advent

Thankfulness to God.
Harvest S. Matthew xxii., 21. "Render--unto God, the things that are God's." INTRODUCTION.--David says in the 8th Psalm, "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him: and the son of man that Thou visitest him? Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of Thy hands; and Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet, all sheep and oxen; yea, and the beast of the field, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea." I. The mastery of man is even more extensive than this; he controls …
S. Baring-Gould—The Village Pulpit, Volume II. Trinity to Advent

Love Thy Neighbour
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.--ST MATTHEW xxii. 39. The original here quoted by our Lord is to be found in the words of God to Moses, (Leviticus xix. 18:) "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord" Our Lord never thought of being original. The older the saying the better, if it utters the truth he wants to utter. In him it becomes fact: The Word was made flesh. And so, in the wondrous …
George MacDonald—Unspoken Sermons

Of Gratitude for the Grace of God
Why seekest thou rest when thou art born to labour? Prepare thyself for patience more than for comforts, and for bearing the cross more than for joy. For who among the men of this world would not gladly receive consolation and spiritual joy if he might always have it? For spiritual comforts exceed all the delights of the world, and all the pleasures of the flesh. For all worldly delights are either empty or unclean, whilst spiritual delights alone are pleasant and honourable, the offspring of …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Thoughts Upon Our Call and Election.
MANY are called, saith our Saviour, Mat. xxii. 14. but few chosen. Oh dreadful sentence. who is able to hear it without trembling and astonishment! If he had said, that of all the Men that are born in the World, there are but few saved, this would not have struck such fear and horror in us; for we might still hope, that though Turks, Jews, and Heathens, which are far the greatest part of the World, should all perish, yet we few in comparison of them, who are baptized into his Name, who profess his …
William Beveridge—Private Thoughts Upon a Christian Life

The Christian State
Scripture references: Matthew 22:17-22; 17:24-27; Acts 23:5; John 6:15; Matthew 4:8-10; John 18:36-38; Mark 14; 61,62; John 18:33; 19:19; Isaiah 9:6,7; 60:3; Zechariah 9:10; Daniel 7:14; Matthew 26:64; 26:53,54; 16:16,17; 25:31,32. CHRIST AND THE STATE The Relation of Christ to the State.--He was an intense patriot. He loved His country. The names of His great countrymen, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua and David, were ever on His lips. He offered Himself as the national Messiah (Matthew 21:1-17), …
Henry T. Sell—Studies in the Life of the Christian

In Reply to the Questions as to his Authority, Jesus Gives the Third Great Group of Parables.
(in the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) Subdivision D. Parable of the Marriage of the King's Son. ^A Matt. XXII. 1-14. ^a 1 And Jesus answered and spake again in parables unto them, saying, 2 The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son, 3 and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come. 4 Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Cix. Jewish Rulers Seek to Ensnare Jesus.
(Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) Subdivision A. Pharisees and Herodians Ask About Tribute. ^A Matt. XXII. 15-22; ^B Mark XII. 13-17; ^C Luke XX. 20-26. ^a 15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might ensnare him in his talk. ^c 20 And they watched him, and sent forth { ^b send unto him} ^a their disciples, ^b certain of the Pharisees and of { ^a with} ^b the Herodians, that they might catch him in talk. [Perceiving that Jesus, when on his guard, was too wise for them, …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Third Day in Passion-Week - the Last Controversies and Discourses - the Sadducees and the Resurrection - the Scribe and the Great Commandment - Question
THE last day in the Temple was not to pass without other temptations' than that of the Priests when they questioned His authority, or of the Pharisees when they cunningly sought to entangle Him in His speech. Indeed, Christ had on this occasion taken a different position; He had claimed supreme authority, and thus challenged the leaders of Israel. For this reason, and because at the last we expect assaults from all His enemies, we are prepared for the controversies of that day. We remember that, …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Kingdom of God Conceived as the Inheritance of the Poor.
These maxims, good for a country where life is nourished by the air and the light, and this delicate communism of a band of children of God reposing in confidence on the bosom of their Father, might suit a simple sect constantly persuaded that its Utopia was about to be realized. But it is clear that they could not satisfy the whole of society. Jesus understood very soon, in fact, that the official world of his time would by no means adopt his kingdom. He took his resolution with extreme boldness. …
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

The Royal Marriage Feast.
PART I.--THE WEDDING GUESTS. "And Jesus answered, and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of …
William Arnot—The Parables of Our Lord

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