Luke 20:41
And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?
Original Language Analysis
πρὸς
unto
G4314
πρὸς
unto
Strong's:
G4314
Word #:
3 of 11
a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e., toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e., pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of,
αὐτούς
them
G846
αὐτούς
them
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
4 of 11
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
Πῶς
How
G4459
Πῶς
How
Strong's:
G4459
Word #:
5 of 11
an interrogative particle of manner; in what way? (sometimes the question is indirect, how?); also as exclamation, how much!
λέγουσιν
say
G3004
λέγουσιν
say
Strong's:
G3004
Word #:
6 of 11
properly, to "lay" forth, i.e., (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas g2036 and g5346 generally refer to an
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
7 of 11
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Χριστὸν
they that Christ
G5547
Χριστὸν
they that Christ
Strong's:
G5547
Word #:
8 of 11
anointed, i.e., the messiah, an epithet of jesus
Cross References
Matthew 1:1The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.Acts 2:30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;John 7:42Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
Historical Context
Messianic expectation focused on earthly, political restoration of Davidic kingdom. Most Jews anticipated a human warrior-king who would defeat Rome. Jesus's question challenges this reductionist view, preparing for the revelation that Messiah must first suffer (Isaiah 53) before reigning (Revelation 19-20). Early church christological debates (Councils of Nicaea, Chalcedon) wrestled with this mystery of Christ's two natures.
Questions for Reflection
- How can Messiah be both David's son (subordinate descendant) and David's Lord (superior deity)?
- What incomplete or reductionist views of Jesus persist today, emphasizing His humanity while minimizing His divinity, or vice versa?
- How does Jesus's question model using Scripture to challenge inadequate theological formulations?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son? (Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς, Πῶς λέγουσιν τὸν Χριστὸν εἶναι Δαυὶδ υἱόν; Eipen de pros autous, Pōs legousin ton Christon einai Dauid huion?)—After silencing opponents, Jesus takes offensive with His own question. Pōs (how?) challenges conventional Messianic understanding. Christ (Χριστόν, Christon), Greek for 'Anointed One' (Hebrew Mashiach/Messiah), was universally understood as David's son (Δαυὶδ υἱόν) based on 2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 11:1, Jeremiah 23:5.
Jesus isn't denying Messianic Davidic descent—Matthew and Luke trace His genealogy through David. Rather, He's exposing incomplete Christology. If Messiah is merely David's son (i.e., descendant), how can David call Him 'Lord'? This riddle points to Messiah's dual nature: fully human (David's son) and fully divine (David's Lord). The religious leaders understood Messiah's humanity but missed His deity—a blindness that led them to crucify the Lord of glory.