Matthew 22:41 kjv
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
Matthew 22:41 nkjv
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
Matthew 22:41 niv
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
Matthew 22:41 esv
Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question,
Matthew 22:41 nlt
Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question:
Matthew 22 41 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 110:1 | The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool." | The foundational prophecy of the Messiah's Lordship. |
| Mt 22:42-45 | They said to Him, "The Son of David." ... "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord'?" | Immediate continuation, context for the debate. |
| Mk 12:35-37 | How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? ... | Parallel account, identical core question. |
| Lk 20:41-44 | And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is David’s Son?" | Parallel account, same theological challenge. |
| Mt 1:1 | The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. | Jesus' recognized Davidic lineage. |
| Mt 9:27 | "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" | Recognition of Jesus as Son of David by the blind. |
| Mt 15:22 | "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!" | Canaanite woman's plea, recognizing Messiah's title. |
| Mt 16:16 | "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." | Peter's confession, revealing true Messiah identity. |
| Rom 1:3-4 | concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, and was declared to be the Son of God with power... | Paul clarifies Jesus' dual nature: Davidic and divine. |
| 2 Sam 7:12-16 | I will establish his kingdom forever... Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever. | Davidic Covenant, promise of an eternal heir. |
| Isa 9:6 | For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; ... He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. | Prophecy hinting at the Messiah's divine nature. |
| Dan 7:13-14 | There came one like a Son of Man... His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away. | Messiah as the "Son of Man" with eternal, universal rule. |
| Acts 2:34-36 | "For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says: 'The Lord said to my Lord...' Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus... Lord and Christ." | Peter's Pentecost sermon, applying Ps 110:1 to Jesus' exaltation. |
| Heb 1:13 | But to which of the angels has He ever said, "Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool"? | Applies Ps 110:1 to Jesus' superior position over angels. |
| Phil 2:9-11 | Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. | Affirmation of Jesus' universal Lordship. |
| 1 Cor 15:25 | For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. | Reiterates the reigning aspect of Ps 110:1. |
| Rev 5:5 | "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered..." | Jesus as both Davidic heir and powerful King. |
| Rev 22:16 | "I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." | Jesus' dual identity: origin (Root) and descendant (Offspring). |
| Mic 5:2 | But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah... from you shall come forth for Me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. | Prophecy hinting at the Messiah's pre-existence. |
| Isa 11:1 | A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. | Messianic prophecy of the Davidic line. |
| Lk 1:32-33 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High... the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David... He will reign over Jacob's descendants forever. | Gabriel's prophecy of Jesus' Davidic kingship and eternal reign. |
| Jn 13:3 | Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God. | Jesus' understanding of His divine origin. |
Matthew 22 verses
Matthew 22 41 Meaning
Matthew 22:41 begins Jesus' final significant encounter with the religious authorities in Jerusalem before His crucifixion, where He turns the tables from being questioned to questioning them about the identity of the Christ (Messiah). Specifically, Jesus probes their understanding of the Messiah's lineage and nature by asking who they believe the Messiah to be and whose Son He is, laying the groundwork for a deeper theological point about the Messiah's divine Lordship which transcends mere earthly descent from David.
Matthew 22 41 Context
Matthew 22:41 occurs within the tension-filled Holy Week in Jerusalem, immediately after Jesus' numerous public teachings and challenges from various Jewish factions – the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees. Chapters 21 and 22 present a series of interrogations where the religious leaders attempted to entrap Jesus with difficult questions about His authority, taxation, and the resurrection. Jesus expertly deflected these challenges, often turning them back on His questioners. In verse 41, the roles reverse completely: Jesus now takes the offensive, assembling the Pharisees and posing a direct question about the identity of the Messiah, setting the stage for His profound revelation in the following verses regarding the Messiah's unique status beyond a mere Davidic descendant. This interaction highlights Jesus' authoritative teaching and their limited understanding of their own Scriptures.
Matthew 22 41 Word analysis
- While the Pharisees were gathered together (Συναχθέντων τῶν Φαρισαίων, Synachthentōn tōn Pharisaiōn): This phrase suggests a deliberate assembly, implying they were ready for another confrontation or were simply a large, collective presence. Jesus did not wait to be questioned but rather initiated the discourse by actively gathering them, showcasing His authority and control of the discussion.
- Jesus asked them (ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτούς, epērōtēsen autous): The verb "asked" implies a direct, pointed question. This is a crucial turn in the narrative, as Jesus shifts from being the respondent to being the interrogator. It underscores His role as a teacher and truth-revealer, challenging the presumed wisdom of the religious leaders.
- saying (λέγων, legōn): Introduces the direct speech of Jesus.
- "What do you think about the Christ?" (Τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ;, Ti hymin dokei peri tou Christou?):
- "What do you think?" (Τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ): A probe into their personal understanding and theological conviction, not just what doctrine dictates. It demands internal reflection rather than recitation.
- "about the Christ" (περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ): Christos (Χριστός) is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Messiah (מָשִׁיחַ), meaning "Anointed One." This title held immense significance for the Jewish people, referring to the promised deliverer, king, and savior from God, awaited since ancient prophecies. Jesus directly addresses the core of Jewish expectation, knowing that their answer would reveal their theological depth, or lack thereof.
- "Whose Son is He?" (Τίνος υἱός ἐστιν;, Tinos huios estin?):
- "Whose Son" (Τίνος υἱός): A direct question about lineage and identity. In ancient cultures, knowing one's parentage was fundamental to identity, status, and destiny. This sets the stage for the specific Davidic answer they give.
- "He" (ἔστιν, estin): Refers to the Christ.
- They said to Him, "The Son of David." (Εἰπόντες αὐτῷ, Ὁ τοῦ Δαυὶδ υἱός., Eipontes autō, Ho tou Dauid huios.):
- "The Son of David" (Ὁ τοῦ Δαυὶδ υἱός): This was the widely accepted traditional answer for the Messiah's lineage among the Jews, rooted in prophecies like 2 Samuel 7:12-16 and passages in the Psalms and Prophets (e.g., Isa 11:1; Jer 23:5-6). It implied a legitimate, earthly king who would restore Israel's sovereignty. While correct, this answer was incomplete, failing to grasp the Messiah's divine nature and pre-existence as "Lord." Jesus would then use this very answer to challenge their limited understanding, demonstrating the paradox between David's Son and David's Lord.
Matthew 22 41 Bonus section
The question posed by Jesus, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?", is not merely academic. It cuts to the heart of messianic identity and expectation, exposing the limited human understanding prevalent even among the learned Pharisees. Their ready answer, "The Son of David," while true regarding lineage, missed the profound theological depth that the Messiah would also be "Lord"—a designation usually reserved for God Himself (Adonai). This sets up a crucial dialectic, where Jesus forces them to reconcile the human ancestry with the divine nature of the Christ, which they, in their adherence to tradition, had largely overlooked or rejected concerning Jesus. This deliberate interrogation underscores that understanding the Messiah is not simply knowing historical facts but grasping His supernatural person.
Matthew 22 41 Commentary
Matthew 22:41 serves as a critical juncture in Jesus' interactions with the religious elite, marking a strategic shift in authority from them to Him. Having patiently and masterfully answered their traps, Jesus now takes the initiative, demonstrating His full command over the discussion. By directly questioning their understanding of the "Christ" and His lineage, Jesus exposes the inadequacy of their purely human, earthly perspective on the Messiah, which, though rooted in prophecy (Son of David), failed to encompass His divine Lordship, pre-existence, and ultimate spiritual authority. This single verse lays the theological foundation for the subsequent challenge where Jesus cites Psalm 110:1, pushing them beyond a comfortable, traditional understanding to confront the paradox of the Messiah being both David's heir and David's Lord. This questioning ultimately highlighted their spiritual blindness to Jesus' true identity as the Christ, who transcends earthly lineage.