Mark 12:37

37 Then if David himself calleth him Lord, how then is he his son [Therefore David himself sayeth him Lord, and whereof is he his son]? And much people gladly heard him.

Mark 12:37 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 12:37

David therefore himself calleth him Lord
David, whose son you say the Messiah is, speaks of him as one superior to himself; as Lord, and as his Lord:

whence is he then his son?
from what passage of Scripture does it appear, that he is his son? and how can these two different characters of him, be made to agree in him? Our Lord meant by this, to observe to them, that the Messiah was God, as well as man; that he was not merely the son of David, as was commonly received, or a mere man, but that he had a superior nature, in which he was David's Lord, and even Lord of all. This is a Talmudic way of speaking, frequently used when a proof from Scripture, or reason, is demanded to support any opinion or article of faith; as, (arbo yah Nyynm) , "from whence is this opinion" ^F26? what proof is there of it? And again it is said ^F1, (Mytmh tyyxtl Nyynm) , "from whence" is the proof of the resurrection of the dead out of the law? It is said, ( Exodus 6:4 ) , "and I have also established" Sometimes it is expressed thus {b}, (Nnyedy anm) , "from whence do we know that it is so?" And sometimes the word is doubled ^F3; says, R. Simeon ben Lekish, there is an intimation out of the law, concerning that which is torn, (Nyynm Nyynm) , "from whence? from whence?" ( Exodus 22:31 ) : "Neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn" But the Scribes produced neither Scripture nor reason to support their assertion, though it was true; because they could not reconcile it with the passage cited by Christ.

And the common people;
or the "whole multitude", as the Syriac and Persic versions render it; or a "great multitude", as the Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions; or "all the people", as the Ethiopic; all but the Scribes and Pharisees, the populace in general,

heard him gladly;
with great pleasure and satisfaction, observing that his doctrine was superior to that of any of the sects among them; particularly his reasoning about the Messiah, was listened to with great attention, and who, no doubt, could gladly have heard how these things could be reconciled; but we read not that any answer was returned to our Lord's queries, either by himself or any other.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 54. 2.
F1 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 90. 2.
F2 T. Bab. Nazir, fol. 5. 1.
F3 T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 42. 1.

Mark 12:37 In-Context

35 And Jesus answered and said, teaching in the temple, How say [the] scribes, that Christ is the son of David?

36 For David himself said in the Holy Ghost, the Lord said to my Lord, Sit [thou] on my right half, till I put thine enemies the stool of thy feet. [Forsooth David himself said in the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right half, till I put thine enemies a stool of thy feet.]

37 Then if David himself calleth him Lord, how then is he his son [Therefore David himself sayeth him Lord, and whereof is he his son]? And much people gladly heard him.

38 And he said to them in his teaching, Be ye ware of scribes, that will wander in stoles [that will go in stoles], and be saluted in [the] market,

39 and sit in synagogues in the first chairs [and sit in the first chairs in synagogues], and in the first sitting places in suppers;