WATCH OUT FOR THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW

Mark 12:35-40

Key Verse 38a

As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law.”

Introdcution

Jesus has just answered the question on the greatest and most important commandment (12:28-34). Prior to that He had addressed issues of His authority (11:27-33; also 12:1-12), paying taxes (12:13-17) and the reality of the resurrection (12:18-27). Mark comments to us that He answered them well. (12:28). In fact Jesus answered them so well that no one dared to ask him any more questions (12:34). It is now Jesus’ turn to ask a question. He does not ask just any question. He asked the most important question. He asked the question concerning the identity of the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior of the world. So Jesus taught us that Jesus who the Messiah is the one whom we have to love wholeheartedly. Through this passage, may God help us to accept Jesus as our Lord.

1. Read verse 35. While He was teaching in the temple courts, what question did Jesus ask? What did the teachers of the law say about the relationship between David and the Messiah?

1-1, Read verse 35.

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?

1-2, While He was teaching in the temple courts, what question did Jesus ask?

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?

• Until now, Jesus was questioned by different groups of Jewish religious leaders. Jesus answered all their questions very clearly based on the Scriptures.

• The religious leaders were amazed with Jesus’ answers and quietly went away. Then Jesus kept teaching the crowd of people in the temple courts.

• He asked them, “Who do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?”

• Jesus asked this question to them in order to teach them about who Messiah really is by explaining David’s right concept of the Messiah.

1-3, What did the teachers of the law say about the relationship between David and the Messiah?

“Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?

• It was well known that the Messiah would come in the line of David (2Sa 7:12-13; Isa 11:1-2; Jer 23:5-6; Ez 34:23-24).

• John 7:42 reads, “Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?”

• Jesus came into the world as “the son of David,” as God had promised. Jesus accepted this title and the teachers of the law were right in teaching it.

• But their understanding was incomplete. They emphasized only his humanity, ignoring his divinity.

• They taught that Christ would be the son of David. This simply means that Christ would restore the glory of David’s kingdom and bring prosperity to Israel.

• Christ is said to be a political King, the King of the Jews. They wished that like people in King David’s time, they could enjoy security and prosperity on earth.

• To them Christ was no other than just a powerful king. They were not really interested in Christ, but in his way of authentic teachings and blessings.

1. Read verses 36-37. What did David say through the Holy Spirit? (36) What did David call the Messiah? What is the meaning of the expression, “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet”? (37a) How did the crowd reply? (37b)

2-1, Read verses 36-37.

36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:

“Sit at my right hand

until I put your enemies

under your feet.”’[h]

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

The large crowd listened to him with delight.

2-2, What did David say through the Holy Spirit? (36)

36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:

“Sit at my right hand

until I put your enemies

under your feet.”’[h]

• David was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Here is a wonderful description of what Scripture is. It is words written by men moved and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

• 2 Peter 1:21 says it well, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

2-3, What did David call the Messiah?

• But David declared: “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet’”.

• The verse reads, “The Lord (Yahweh) said to my Lord (Adonai), sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.”

• Here is the unavoidable truth is that the Messiah is both David’s son and David’s lord at the same time.

• The Messiah is not simply David’s son, he is David’s sovereign. He is not just David’s son, for He is God’s Son who seated at His heavenly Father’s, right hand.

• David’s words will not work if Messiah is just a human being. He must be more. This is where Jesus is trying to take them.

• This is what they had failed to see. Significantly Jesus will cite this text again when the high priest asks him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”?

• And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power; and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

2-4, What is the meaning of the expression, “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet”? (37a)

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

• Jesus’ point is clear. If Christ were a mere human being, David would not call him Lord. He would call him, “great...great...great grandson.”

• Yet David, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, called Christ “my Lord.” Jesus teaches this from Psa 110:1 which was widely accepted as one of the prominent Messianic prophecies.

• David understood that Christ would be God Incarnate, the holy Son of God. Why is Jesus’ divinity so important?

• If he was merely a human descendant of David, he would not be able to fulfill God’s salvation work.

• His suffering and death would be insufficient to solve our sin problem. But Christ is more than David’s son; he is David’s Lord. Christ is fully human and he is fully God.

• Paul said, “…who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord” (Ro 1:3-4).

• Paul also said, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people…” (1Ti 2:5-6a).

• When Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1, he wanted them to know that his death was not the end. Afterward, God would raise him from the dead; he would ascend into heaven and sit at the right hand of God to reign as the Sovereign Ruler until all enemies were put under his feet.

• Jesus became our Savior and Lord. Jesus saves us from the power of sin, death and the devil, and reigns over us with life and peace and love.

2-5, How did the crowd reply? (37b)

The large crowd listened to him with delight.

• When Jesus revealed Christ's divinity, the large crowd was delighted. The crowd is like children who accept Jesus’ words without any prejudice.

1. Read verses 38-40. What was Jesus’ warning about the teachers of the law? (38a) What did they like to do? (38b-40a) What can we learn from Jesus’ final remark? (40b)

3-1, Read verses 38-40.

38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

3-2, What was Jesus’ warning about the teachers of the law? (38a)

38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law.

• After correcting their political view of the Messiah, Jesus issued a strong warning against the teachers of the law.

• Outwardly they were a symbol of piety. But inwardly they had no God. Since there was no God in their hearts, then all kinds of worldly desires filled their hearts.

3-3, What did they like to do? (38b-40a)

They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers.

• They enjoyed walking around in their flowing robes and praying for a long time in the market places, attracting the attention of people.

• They acted like fashion models. They did not desire personal holiness but craved the praise of men through greetings and places of honor.

• They were self glory seekers before men. They were a bad influence to others. In short, they did not live before God but before men.

• They supposed to love God the most. However, they loved themselves, money and people’s recognition more than anything else. Jesus

3-4, What can we learn from Jesus’ final remark? (40b)

These men will be punished most severely.”

• Jesus says that they would be punished most severely because of their religious hypocrisy.

Conclusion

This passage helps us to know who Christ our Lord truly is. Otherwise we are in great error like the teachers of law in seeking humanity only from Jesus. Although we are living in the society where humanity is considered to be the most important thing, still we are to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength. Amen.

ONE WORD: The Lord said to my Lord