David’s Son Is David’s Lord

Teaching in the temple, Jesus asks how the scribes can say the Christ is David’s son when David, speaking by the Holy Spirit, says in Psalm 110, “The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand.” Jesus asks how David can call the Messiah “Lord” if he is merely his son. He then warns against scribes who seek status while devouring widows’ houses.

Where this fits in the story: Mark has already welcomed the title Son of David through Bartimaeus and the royal entry. Jesus does not deny Davidic descent; he shows that the Messiah’s identity exceeds a merely dynastic category. Psalm 110 also prepares directly for Jesus’ trial statement about the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power.