saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The Son of David.”
Parallel translations
- WEB saying, “What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “Of David.”
- KJV Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.
- BSB “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” “David’s,” they answered.
- NASB “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” They *said to Him, “The son of David.”
- NLT “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They replied, “He is the son of David.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus asks whose son the Christ is, and they answer 'David's.' Their answer is true but incomplete.
Overview
Jesus probes their understanding of the Messiah, and they rightly affirm He is David's descendant. Yet this answer, while correct, does not capture the Messiah's full dignity. Jesus will press them to see that the Christ is more than merely David's son, setting up the revelation of His divine identity.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 23
- Jer 23:5–6“Behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
- Matt 16:13–17Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
- Amos 9:11In that day I will raise up the tent of David who is fallen, and close up its breaches, and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old;
- John 6:68–69Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.
- Ezek 34:23–24I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
- Isa 9:6–7For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Isa 11:1–4A shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots will bear fruit.
- Isa 7:13–14He said, “Listen now, house of David. Is it not enough for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God also?
- Matt 1:1The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
- Luke 1:69–70and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
- Acts 13:22–23When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
- Matt 21:9The multitudes who went in front of him, and those who followed, kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
- Matt 9:27As Jesus passed by from there, two blind men followed him, calling out and saying, “Have mercy on us, son of David!”
- John 7:41–42Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “What, does the Christ come out of Galilee?
- Col 3:11where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.
- John 1:49Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!”
- Matt 14:33Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”
- Phil 2:9–11Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;
- Matt 2:4–6Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.
- Rev 5:12–14saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!”
- 1 Pet 2:4–7coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.
- Phil 3:7–10However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ.
- John 20:28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 22:42 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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