Holy spirit in david

HOLY SPIRIT IN DAVID
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Mark 12:36 36Davidhimself, speakingby the Holy
Spirit, declared:"'The LORD said to my LORD:"Sit
at my right hand until I put your enemies under your
feet."'
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
GreatDavid's GreaterSon,
Mark 12:35-37
A.F. Muir
I. UNSPIRITUAL INTERPRETERSOF SCRIPTUREARE INVOLVED IN
INCONSISTENCYAND SELF-CONTRADICTION,
1. In the presentinstance they proved to be so with respectto the most
important truths. It is only the spiritual mind that canharmonize the
apparent discrepancies ofrevelation (1 Corinthians 2:14; cf. Hebrews 5:12,
seq.).
2. This results in their cure loss and injury (1 Peter3:16). They failed to
recognize the Messiahwhenhe did come, because oftheir false conceptions of
what he was.

II. THE GLORY OF THE MESSIAH IS SEEKFROM PROPHETIC
SCRIPTURE TO BE MORE THAN ROYAL -TO BE, IN FACT, DIVINE.
The hundred and tenth psalm is rightly called"a psalm of David." Merely to
apply it to David is to destroy its Messianic character. "The psalm is not only
quoted by our Lord as Messianic in the passagesalreadyreferredto (viz. this
and Matthew 22:41-46);it is more frequently cited by the New Testament
writers than any other single portion of the ancientScriptures. (Comp.,
besides these passagesin the Gospels, Acts 2:34, 35; 1 Corinthians 15:25;
Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 5:6; Hebrews 7:17, 21; Hebrews 10:13.)In later
Jewishwritings, in the Talmud and the rabbis, nearly every verse of the psalm
is quoted as referring to the Messiah" (Perowne). The majority of ancient
Jewishintereters apply the psalm to the Messiah(Strauss, 'Leben Jesu,'2:6,
79). If, then, it is David's own composition, and is Messianic, the language
used with respectto the Royal One who is to come is only to be explained as
involving divinity: "Jehovahsaid to my Lord."
III. IN APPLYING THE PSALM TO HIMSELF, CHRIST SUGGESTED
THE TRUE SOLUTION OF THE APPARENT CONTRADICTION. The
psalm is deliberately and by implication adopted by Christ. He testifies to the
Divine inspiration of its author. His own personand work are the keyto its
meaning. As he was Sonof David on the human side, so was he David's Lord
by virtue of his Divine Sonship. - M.

Biblical Illustrator
Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.
Mark 12:34
Needof self-examination
G. Petter.
There is greatcause forevery one of us diligently to try and examine our
knowledge and faith in Christ, whether it be true, sound, and sincere;or
whether it be an hypocritical and counterfeit faith, seeing one may be "not far
from the kingdom," and yet not in it. The rather, because so many deceive
themselves with a vain persuasionand opinion of faith, thinking they have
true faith in Christ, when it is not so. We are to try our faith by those marks
of it, which are taught in the Word of God.
1. By the objectof it. True faith believes and applies not only the promises of
the gospeltouching forgiveness ofsins and salvationin Christ, but also all
other parts of God's Word, as the precepts and commandments of it
forbidding sin and commanding holy duties, also the reproofs and
threatenings denounced againstsin and sinners.
2. By the means by which we attained to it, and by which it is daily nourished
in us.
3. By the contrary sin of unbelief. Look whether thou feel and complain of thy
unbelief, and doubtings of God's mercy and forgiveness ofthy sins in Christ,
and whether thou daily pray and strive againstsuch doubtings.
4. By the fruits and effects ofit, especiallyby our hatred of sin, and care to
avoid it, and to live holily.
(G. Petter.)

Dangerof this state
C. H. Spurgeon.
Among those who have turned out to be the most determined enemies of the
gospelare many who once were so nearconversionthat it was a wonder they
avoided it. Such persons seemever after to take vengeance upon the holy
influence which had almost proved too much for them. Hence our fear for
persons under gracious impressions;for, if they do not now decide for God,
they will become the more desperate in sin. That which is setin the sun, if it be
not softened, will be hardened. I remember well a man who, under the
influence of an earnestrevivalist, was brought to his knees, to cry for mercy,
in the presence ofhis wife and others; but never afterwards would he enter a
place of worship, or pay attention to religious conversation. He declaredthat
his escapewas so narrow, that he would never run the risk again. Alas, that
one should graze the gate of heaven, and yet drive on to hell!
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Nearly a Christian
T. De Witt Talmage, D. D.
After being twelve days on shipboard, I awakenedin the morning and saw the
American coast. The headlands seemedbeautiful; even Sandy Hook seemed
attractive. I was impatient to get on shore. It seemedas if we never would get
free from quarantine, or getup the Narrows, orcome to our friends who
stoodon the wharf waiting for us. I think that the most tedious part of a
voyage is the last two or three hours. Well, there are many before me who are
in the position I have describedmyself as once having been in. You have been
voyaging on towards Christian life; you have found it a rough passage;a
hurricane from Mount Sinai has smitten you, but now you see lighthouses,
and you see buoys, and the great headlands of God's mercy stretching out into
the oceanofyour transgression. Youare almostashore. I have come here

tonight to see you land. You are very near being a Christian — "Thou art not
far from the kingdom of God." O that this might be the hour for your
emancipation.
(T. De Witt Talmage, D. D.)
Lost within sight of home
A Christian minister says:"When after safelycircumnavigating the globe, the
RoyalCharter went to pieces in Moelfra Bay, on the coastofWales, it was my
melancholy duty to visit and seek to comfort the wife of the first officer, made
by that calamity a widow. The ship had been telegraphedfrom Queenstown,
and the lady was sitting in the parlour expecting her husband, with the table
spread for his evening meal, when the messengercame to tell her he was
drowned. Nevercan I forgetthe grief, so strickenand tearless,with which she
wrung my hand, as she said, 'So near home, and yet lost!' That seemedto me
the most terrible of sorrow. But, ah! that is nothing to the anguish which must
wring the soul which is compelled to say at last, 'Once I was at the very gate of
heaven, and had almost enteredin, but now I am in hell!'"
Not quite savedis lost
T. De Witt Talmage, D. D.
Suppose you stop where you are, and go no further? Suppose you perish at the
gate? Suppose I tell you that multitudes have come just where you are, and
got no further? Do you know that to be almost savedis not to be savedat all?
Suppose a man is going up a ladder and he slip, from what round had he
better slip? If he slip from the bottom rung it is not half so perilous as if from
the top. Suppose you are making an effort for eternal life, and you have come
almost to the kingdom of heaven, and you fall — not quite saved, almost
saved, very near the kingdom of God, not quite — but lost! A vesselcame near
the Long Island coast, and was split amid the breakers in a violent storm.
They were within a stone's throw of being saved, when a violent wave took the

boat and capsizedit, and they perished — almostashore, but not quite. And
there are men who are pulling awaytowards the shore of safety. Nearerand
nearer they are coming. I can say to them tonight: Thou art not far from the
kingdom of God. But you have not quite reachedit. Alas! if you stop where
you are, or if a wave of worldliness capsizes your soul, and you perish almost
within arm's reachof the kingdom! O do not stopwhere you are. Having
come so near the kingdom of God, push on! push up! Will you tantalize your
soul by stopping so near the kingdom of God? Will you come to look over the
fence into the heavenly orchard, when you might go in and pluck the fruit?
Will you sit down in front of the well curb, when a few more turns of the
windlass might bring up the brimming buckets of everlasting life?
(T. De Witt Talmage, D. D.)
Not far off
Seeds and Saplings.
The man to whom these words were addressedwas a candid inquirer.
I. THE CHARACTERISTICSOF THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAR FROM
THE KINGDOM.
1. They may possessconsiderable knowledgeofScripture.
2. They may make a candid confessionoftheir belief.
3. They may have strong convictions of sin.
4. They may have a desire to amend their lives.
5. They may have partially reformed. They only need repentance and faith.
II. THE REASONS WHY THEY DO NOT ENTER THE KINGDOM.
1. Difficulties in the way.
2. Advantages in a middle course.
3. Beliefthat they are Christians already.

4. Reluctance to observe the needful conditions.
III. THE INDUCEMENTSTO ENTER.
1. The blessedness ofthose who do.
2. The misery of those who do not.
(Seeds and Saplings.)
"So near:"
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. WHAT ARE ITS MARKS?
1. Truthfulness of spirit.
2. Spiritual perception.
3. Acquaintance with the law.
4. Teachableness.
5. A sense ofneed of Christ.
6. A horror of wrongdoing.
7. A high regardfor holy things.
8. Diligent attention to the means of grace.
II. WHAT ARE ITS DANGERS?There is danger —
1. Lest you slip back from this hopefulness.
2. Lest you rest content to stop where you are.
3. Lest you grow proud and self-righteous.
4. Lest insteadof candid you become indifferent.
5. Lest you die ere the decisive step is taken.

III. WHAT ARE ITS DUTIES?
1. Thank God for dealing so mercifully with you.
2. Admit with deep sincerity that you need supernatural help for entrance into
the kingdom.
3. Tremble lestthe decisive step be never taken.
4. Decide at once, through Divine grace.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
For the candid and thoughtful
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. THE COMMENDATION WHICHIS HERE EXPRESSED.
1. He possessedcandour.
2. He possessedspiritual knowledge.
3. He knew the superiority of an inward religion over that which is external.
4. He saw the supremacy of Godover the whole of our manhood.
5. Yet he did not despise outward religion so far as it was commanded of God.
II. THE QUESTION WHICH IS HERE SUGGESTED. This man came so
near to the kingdom; did he ever enter it?
1. There is no reasonwhy he should not have done so.
(1)His knowledge ofthe law might have taught him his inability to obey it.
(2)The presence ofChrist might have drawn forth his love.
(3)His knowledge ofsacrifices might have taught him their spiritual import.
(4)The Holy Spirit may have changedhis heart.

2. But perhaps he never did enter the kingdom. If he did not enter, one of the
reasons, no doubt, would be — that he was afraid of his fellow men.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Not far from God's kingdom
J. N. Norton, D. D.
I. We find many excellent people whose GOODNESSIS OF A NEGATIVE
KIND. By judicious managementand advice of parents and teachers, they
have grown up free from the grossestsins.
II. Another class ofpersons are fitted by the characteroftheir minds, and the
nature of their studies, TO TAKE AN INTEREST IN CHRISTIANITYAND
THE CHURCH FROM AN INTELLECTUAL POINT OF VIEW. But let
such remember that religion is something more than correctnessofintellect; it
is a life-giving principle, regulating the will, as well as directing the creed.
III. A third class who, in disposition and habits are not far from the kingdom
of God, may be described as THE AMIABLE.
IV. One other class which I shall speak of, as embracing many "not far from
the kingdom of God," is that of THE GENEROUS AND LIBERAL
SPIRITED.
(J. N. Norton, D. D.)
Not quite in time
J. N. Norton, D. D.
To see a friend riding briskly away, by the time we have reachedthe door to
deliver a parting message;to have the boatpushed off from the dock, while we
are hurrying down to get on board. These small disappointments will serve as
illustrations in greaterthings.

(J. N. Norton, D. D.)
Indecision dangerous
J. Thornton.
I. Are there not many bearing the Christian name who, though not far from
the kingdom of God, HAVE NEVER YET PASSED THE BOUNDARY
WHICH SEPARATES THEM FROM THE WORLD
1. In this state there are those who have correctviews of doctrinal truth
without a spirit of devotion.
2. They are not far from the kingdom, but do not belong to that kingdom, who
are the subjects of frequent and powerful convictions, yet have never been
convertedto God.
3. They are not far from the kingdom, but do not belong to it, who cultivate
amiable tempers and agreeablemanners, and yet are strangers to the
influence and grace of the Divine Spirit.
II. ARE THERE NOT SOME REASONS TO BE ASSIGNED AS CAUSES
WHY MAY OF YOU CONTINUE SO LONG GO HOVER ROUND THE
BORDERSOF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, YET NEVER ENTER IT? Your
conduct carries in it a multitude of strange inconsistencies.
1. Your hovering still round the outer borders of the kingdom of God must be
ascribedto a want of firm decisionof mind.
2. It must be ascribedto a want of warm and loyal attachment to the blessed
Immanuel, the Prince of life.
3. It must be ascribedto a want of true faith and humility.
III. While you continue without the boundary of the kingdom of God, at
whateverpoint of nearness, is not your state A STATE OF AWFUL
DANCER? You are more liable to self-deceptionthan vile profligates;you are
commanded; you are in danger of attaching too much consequence to the

soundness of your creedand strictness ofyour morals. Do not expectto glide
into the kingdom without effort or hindrance.
1. You must press into the kingdom by casting off every incumbrance, and by
forsaking every prejudice and passionwhich has a tendency to entangle and
obstruct your progress.
2. You must press into the kingdom through all possible resistance.
(J. Thornton.)
"Notfar from the kingdom"
J. Vaughan, M. A.
True praise never does harm; it softens and humbles. Yet this man belonged
to a class which had no right to expect any indulgence at Christ's hand. Christ
sees the goodpoints of the scribe. There is a "kingdom of God" in this world,
and it has distinct boundary lines. What was there in the man which made
Christ speak ofhim as "nearto the kingdom"?
I. That the scribe spoke practicallyand sensibly, and without prejudice — as
Christ expressesit, "discreetly." Sucha mind will always be approximating to
the kingdom of truth.
II. There were further indications, in the particular thoughts which were in
the scribe's mind, that he was nearing the shores oftruth. It is plain that he
saw before his eyes the true, relative value of the types and ceremonies of the
Jewishchurch. He recognizedthem as inferior to the great principles of truth
and love. His mind had travelled so far as to see that the sum of all true
religion is love to God and man. How is that love of God implanted in a man's
breast? Will the beauties of nature do it? Will the kindnesses ofProvidence do
it? Will the natural instincts of gratitude do it? I think not. There must be the
sense offorgiveness. Within this he distinguished and magnified the unity of
God. "Forthere is one God," etc. The unity of God the argument for a unity
of service.

III. And perhaps, still more than all, that enlightened Jew had been drawn
near to the Personof Christ. Consequentlyhe consultedHim as a Teacher. Do
we not know that Christ is the kingdom of God, and that we are all in or out
of that kingdom just according to what Christ is to us? To be indifferent to
Him is to be very "faroff;" to feelthe need of Him is to be "near."
IV. The most affecting of all possible conditions is a nearness which never
enters. If I had to selectthe most awful passage inhistory, I should selectthe
Israelites on the Canaanitishboundary — they saw, they heard, they tasted,
they were on the eve to pass; — they disbelieved, they did not go in, they were
sent back, and they never came near again;but their carcassesfell in the
wilderness. It will be an unutterably solemn thing if Christ shall, at the last,
say to any of us, "Thouwastnot far from the kingdom of God."
(J. Vaughan, M. A.)
Critical hours
H. W. Beecher.
The kingdom of heaven is a certain condition of the human soul. Christ stands
contrastedwith the condition of selfishness, vulgarity, animalism. See how it
comes directly out of the controversyhere: "Thoushalt love the Lord thy
God." The superior love of God is what we mean by spirituality — the fulness
of thought, imagination, and feeling in the direction of the Infinite. We know
how men divide themselves up, and live under the dominant influence of
certain parts or faculties of their nature. One man lives under the dominion of
his passions;another class ofmen build themselves into a powerin which
property and collateralinfluences shall be central. These dominant states in
which men dwell will give us an idea of what it is to be in that condition in
which Christ says men are not far from the kingdom of heaven. When a man
has attained the higher spiritual state, then he is in the kingdom of God. Then
his mind becomes luminous. The man comes into union with God, and
discerns truths which in his lowerstate he never could discern. When,
therefore, a man is said to be not far from the kingdom of God, he is where he

can easilyenter into these higher perceptions and conditions. There are a
greatmany persons who are bordering on the kingdom of heaveneven in this
life. There are luminous hours given to most men, and especiallyto men of
large brain and intelligence. Persons in vulgar conditions of life have certain
hours given to them which they do not understand, but which render them
susceptible of being drawn into the kingdom of heaven.
1. There are hours of vision in which men are under the direct stimulus of the
preachedtruth.
2. Sometimes the same result is produced because they have seenthe truth
embodied somewhere. A man goes to a funeral, and comes home and says,
"Thatwas a greatman; I wish I were like him. I wish I were living on a higher
plane."
3. There are times of awakening that are the result of great sorrows and
affliction in some natures. When men see how uncertain is everything that
pertains to life, they say, "I ought to have an anchor within the veil."
4. When men are in greatdistress in their socialrelations there is oftentimes a
luminous hour. I do not say that if men neglectthe first impulse to change
their course they will never have another; the mercy of God calls a great
many times; but very likely they will not have another that is so influential. If,
however, in such hours of disclosure, hours of influence, hours in which
everything urges him towarda nobler and a better life, a man would ratify his
impulse to go forward, even though at first he staggeronthe journey, he
would not be far from the kingdom of God; but if he waits, you may be sure
that these hours will pass awayand be submerged. That is where the real
force comes in. All the civilized world sent out men to take an observationof
the transit of Venus; and when the conjunction came it was indispensably
necessaryto the successofthe undertaking that the very first contactshould
be observed. An astronomerwho had devoted six months to preparation, and
has gone out to take this observation, eats a heavy dinner and takes copious
draughts of liquid to washit down, and lies down, saying, "Callme at the
proper time," and goes to sleep;and by and by he is wakedup and is told,
"The planet approaches,"and, half conscious,he turns overand says, "Yes,

yes, yes, I will attend to it; but I must finish my nap first;" and before he is
aware of it the thing is all over, and he has thrown awaythe pains he has
takento prepare himself. It was important that he should be on hand to take
the observationon the second;and the whole failed, so far as he was
concerned, for want of precise accuracy. A little girl sickenedand died. She
might have recovered;for the nature of the disease wassuchthat if it had
been watched, and if stimulants had been applied at the criticalmoment, they
would have been like oil in a half or wholly exhaustedlamp. But this was not
known, and the child slept, and the caretakerthought the sleepwas all right,
and it slept itself out of life. The child might have been alive, walking and
talking with us today, if it had not been for that. There are such critical
moments as those, and they are occurring in human experience everywhere —
in health, in sickness, in business, in pleasure, in love, in political affairs, in all
the congeriesofcircumstances in which men live and move.
(H. W. Beecher.)
Pharisaicalrighteousnessto be exceeded
T. Horton, D. D.
I. WHAT IS HERE MEANT BY THE KINGDOM OF GOD?
II. WHAT IS MEANT BY BEING FAR FROM THIS KINGDOM?
1. In regard of the means(1) absolute:Such as are wholly and universally
deprived of all the ordinances of religion, as are the heathen (Ephesians
2:13).(2) Comparative remoteness, whichwe may notice of such as live within
the bounds of the church and compass ofthe Christian commonwealth, and
yet have little of the gospelsounding in their ears;they live in some dark
corner of the land.(3) Besides allthis there is a remoteness voluntary and
contractedin those which are, near the means, and yet never the nearer, who
put the Word of God from them.
2. In regard of the terms: Namely, the state in which they are at present,
compared with the state which they stand in opposition unto. They are far

from the kingdom of God as being destitute of those personalqualifications in
order to it. Their principles and life are remote. The notoriously wicked
(Ephesians 5:5; Romans 21:8; Revelation22:15). Hypocrites or secret
enemies. All such as are formal but not pious.
3. In regard of the event. In regardof God's purpose and degree concerning
them. This was the case ofPaul. He was far from God's kingdom in regardof
the terms and his personalqualification; yet, in regard of the event, was very
near. Sometimes the most notorious offenders are nearer conversionthan civil
persons. Let us look more minutely at the text.
III. IT IS A WORD OF COMMENDATION:an acknowledgmentofthat
reality of goodnesswhichwas in the Scribe, and so encouraging him in it. If
we see beginnings of goodin any, to cherish them. We should not break the
bruised reed, etc., nor nip the sproutings of grace.
1. This does honour God Himself in the bestowing of His graces. He that takes
notice of the streams acknowledgesthe fountain whence they proceed.
2. We draw men on further and make them more willing to improve; it is the
whetstone of virtue.
3. By this course we occasionallywork upon others who are much moved by
such examples.
IV. IT IS ALSO A WORD OF DIMINUTION. Thou art not quite at home;
you must go further; an excitement. We must not flatter so as to make
beginners satisfied with less grace, but urge them forward. The speechof our
Lord was effectualto him hereunto in sundry respects.
1. It showedhim his defects and imperfections, for which he had need to go
further. There is no greaterhindrance to improvement than a conceitof
perfection: when men think they are at their journey's end, they will not step
any further; but when they are persuaded that they are not at home, they will
setthem upon going (Philippians 3:12, 13).
2. It showedhim also his hopes and possibilities:that is another excitement to
endeavour. There is hope of coming hither, for you are almostthere.

3. It showedhim also his engagements, from what he had done already, to
proceed. You have alreadymade some endeavour, do not decline and grow
worse. We should imitate Christ in helping others forward in religion, as
Aquila and Priscilla did Apollos. Considerthese words as reflectively, as
coming from Christ the speakerofthem. We should discern and distinguish
persons. He discernedthe teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees in the
foregoing part of the chapter; now He discerns the sincerity of the Scribe.
V. THE OCCASION WHEREUPON HIS CENSURE WAS PASSED. "When
Jesus saw that he answereddiscreetly." This includes those things.
1. Distinctly as to the matter of his answer. He was right in the notion and in
the thing itself. He who knows anything of religion knows that it does not lie in
outside duties, but in a gracious soul;yet he does not take awaythe forms.
Those which are above ordinances are below heaven;and they which hate
instruction shall never partake of salvation.
2. He answeredintelligently as to the principle from whence he answered. He
did not speak by rote, but he was able to give a rational accountof his
religion. We must believe more than we canunderstand, and yet we must also
understand why we believe.
3. He was hearty and serious in it. He spoke as a man that had some savourof
that which he spoke. A man may be an orthodox divine, and yet but a sorry
Christian.
4. He answereddiscreetly;that is prudently, as to the manner of it. It was with
humility, teachableness,and submission to Christ.
(T. Horton, D. D.)
Nearbut not secure
T. Horton, D. D.
He perishes for want of that remedy which otherwise might be supplied
withal. As it is sometimes in the body; those which have greatsicknesses, they

many times get up and recover, whilst those which have some smaller
distemper, do perhaps die under it. What's the reasonofit, and how comes it
about? Why, the one, thinking himself to be in danger, goes to the physician;
the other, being more secure, neglectshim, and looks not after him. Thus it is
with men also in religion; civility trusted in is further off from conversion
than profaneness in the effects and consequents of it. This was the case ofthe
Jews in comparisonof the Gentiles.
(T. Horton, D. D.)
Mere morality alone is remote from the kingdom of God
T. Horton, D. D.
Civility left alone to itself would never be grace, norattain to the consequents
of it. These two are at a very wide distance one from the other, and left alone,
would never meet together. Thoughmere civility be not so far from the
kingdom of God as absolute profaneness, yetit will never come thither, no
more than profaneness itself. A mere civil man is as truly excluded from
heaven as a profane man. I say as truly, though not in so greata degree. To
explain it to you by an easyand familiar resemblance:Dover(for example) is
not so far from Calais as London, yet he that goes no further than Dovershall
never come to Calais, no more than be that stays at London. So here, a mere
moral or civil personis not so remote from salvationas a debauched; but yet
if he goes no further than morality, he will come short of it as well as the
other.
(T. Horton, D. D.)
Nearness notpossession
J. S. Swan.
A man may be almost in possessionofa fortune; but that adds not to his
credit at the bank. A man may be almost honest, or almost sober;but that will

be no recommendationto a position of trust and responsibility. And as with
these, so with the kingdoms of mental force, health, and socialinfluence;
nearness is not sufficient. How near it is possible to be to the kingdom of God
without being in, we know not. Nor do we know how it is possible to remain
near without entering; unless it be that those who are near mistake nearness
for, possession. Notice:(1)A man is not necessarilyin the kingdom of God
because anintelligent inquirer. Distinguish betweenquestioning with a view to
information, and questioning with a view to disputation.(2) A man is not
necessarilyin the kingdom of God because he knows truth when he hears it.
We may assentto all Christ's utterances, and yet have no affectionfor Him as
Saviour. It is possible to make a false god of orthodoxy. A man may be a
capital judge of the soundness of a sermon, an adept as regards scripture
knowledge, andyet only "not far from the kingdom."(3)A man is not
necessarilyin the kingdom because he can answerquestions on Christianity.
You may know the creedwithout knowing the Christ. Mere knowledge is not
enough. You must repent, confess,believe, serve.
(J. S. Swan.)
Not far from the kingdom of God
John Ker, D. D.
There are, then, different degrees ofapproximation to the light. Let us
consider—
I. SOME OF THOSE THINGS WHICH BRING A MAN NEAR THE
KINGDOM OF GOD.(1)A life associatedwith some of its members and
privileges. We have all known many whose lives proved that they were true
disciples of Christ; we have observedthe deepening earnestnessoftheir
character, and seenit growing up into a purpose and consistencyunknown
before. How have we been affectedby this connection?(2)A spirit of reverence
and candour towards Christ. Few things short of positive immorality so
deaden the spiritual perception as does habitual flippancy. It is, therefore, a
hopeful sign in a man, if he is not ashamedto own that he considers some

things too sacredto be sported with.(3) Kindliness and amiability of nature.
Christ never casta chilling look on anything that is beautiful in human
nature. He acknowledgedit to be goodas far as it went, and soughtto gain it
for the Divine and eternal. All kindly and generous impulses are wild flowers
of nature, which, with the enclosure of Christ's gardenand the hand of Divine
culture, would put on a rare beauty.(4) A desire to conform to God's law as
far as he knows it. If conscience be at work in any man, if it is keeping him
from doing what he believes to be sin, and leading him to aim at the true and
right, he is to be commended. And if there be any measure of humility and
charity with it, that man is certainly nearerthe kingdom than he who is going
on in knownsin, searing his conscience,hardening his heart, and building up
obstacles againsthis return to God.(5) An interest in the spiritual side of
things. We meet with so much indifference and materialism among the
unconverted, that it is refreshing to light upon one who rises above such a
chilling element, and who gives evidence that he believes there is a God, and a
soul, and a spiritual law laid down for man's guidance — to see him not only
listening, but putting intelligent questions, and avowing, with honest
conviction, how far he goes, thoughit may not be so far as we desire. If we
meet such a man in a kindly, candid spirit, we may win him to the kingdom of
Him whose heart yearns over the most distant wanderers, but who cherishes a
peculiar interest in those whose souls are feeling their way, howeverfaintly, to
the eternally true and good.
II. WHAT IS NEEDED TO MAKE A MAN DECIDEDLYBELONG TO
THE KINGDOM OF GOD? Our Lord's words imply that, with all that is
favourable in this man, there is still something wanting. He perceived the
claim of God's law, and admitted it to be spiritual; but, so far as we can see,
he had no convictionof that hopeless violationof it which only a Divine
deliverer like Christ could meet. Then, too, while admiring Christ's teaching,
he gave no sign of his soul bowing before Him as a teachersentfrom God, still
less of his being ready to follow Him as his spiritual leader, to castin his lot
with Him, to walk in His steps and do His will. He lacked
(1)the new birth.
(2)The new life.

(John Ker, D. D.)
On the verge of the kingdom
D. Moore, M. A.
I. THE QUALITIES WHICH CONSIST WITH THE STATE HERE
DESCRIBED.
1. Religious knowledge. Youmay have an accurate creed, anextensive
acquaintance with the Bible, a powerto discuss with clearness andprecision
controvertedpoints, without the will being influenced, the affections purified,
the life and conversationregulated.
2. A life of blameless uprightness and integrity. Many things may tend to
preserve you from the commission of greatsins, besides real love for God, e.g.,
a prudent regard to your own well-being and well-doing in the world.
3. Strong convictions of sin, and even consequentamendment. You may, like
Herod, do "many things," and yet neglect"the one thing needful." Outward
reformation is not necessarilythe result of an inward moral change.
4. Carefully maintained habits of public and private devotion. The form may
be kept up long after the spirit has vanished.
II. THE REASONS PEOPLE REMAIN IN THIS DANGEROUS STATE.
1. A want of real and heartfelt love to God. We must give God and the things
of God not only a place, but the first place in our heart. The service He
requires is that which springs from a real preference of Himself.
2. If God is not loved, something else must be receiving an undue share of the
affections;for man must bestow them somewhere, whetherin the attractions
of his calling and profession, or in the cultivation of refined and intellectual
tastes, orin an idolatrous fondness for the comforts of socialand domestic life.
The more naturally amiable a man is, the more beloved, the more honoured,
the more respectedfor his socialand moral worth, for the largenessofhis
charities, for the constancyof his friendships, for the kindness of his heart,

and for the blameless purity of his life, the greaterdanger there is lest that
man should be ensnaredby mere human approbation, and close his eyes to
the dangerhe is in of falling short of the kingdom of God.
III. NOW, WHAT IS THE MORAL VALUE OF THE STATE HERE
DESCRIBED?If a long journey were setbefore me, it would be some comfort
to have one to say, "Thou art not far from thy journey's end." If all through
life I had been proposing to myself the accomplishment of some greatobject,
it would be some comfort to know I was not far from attaining the object of
my ambition. This is on the supposition of continual progress, constant
advancementtowards that object. But the spiritual condition we have been
considering is that of a person who is standing still — continuing year after
year in the same state of dead, motionless, unadvancing formalism, ever
seeking, but never striving to enter in at the strait gate, everlearning but
never coming to the knowledge ofthe truth. What, then, is the moral value of
being, and continuing, not far from the kingdom? There is a door. We must be
on one side of it, or the ether. There is no paradise of mediocrity. How sad to
be overtakenby the avenger, when close by the city of refuge — to have made
shipwreck of our souls, when just within sight of the harbour!
(D. Moore, M. A.)
Reasonswhy a man who is near the kingdom should strive to enter it
John Ker, D. D.
If there are some so far awaythat they at times fall into a despairof ever
reaching it, there are a greaternumber so near that they sink into an
apathetic contentment with being almostChristians. Those who are far off
may come to be nigh, when the children of the kingdom are castout.
1. Though the distance may not seemgreat, there is momentous importance in
it. A greatdeal depends on being a Christian, and to be a Christian needs
something more than a decentarrangement of the natural life. The end of
man's soul can only be found in looking to God, and learning to stand right
with Him. Otherwise, it is to let a plant cling to the earth that was made to

climb, and that canbring forth its best flowers and fruits only when it
ascends;as if a palace were tenanted in its dungeons and lowerrooms, while
the higher apartments, commanding infinitely the best view, were left
desolate;or as if a city had its streets crowdedwith traffic, and filled with the
labour and din of busy life, while the temples, which tell of man's dignity by
pointing him to God, remained in untrodden silence, and became the homes
only of the dead. Can a man, who has a soul, feel that it is well with him in
such a state? And yet thus he stands while he refuses to admit God to His
rightful place.
2. The harmful effectof this position upon others. When there is a nature
which has so much of the beautiful and attractive outside the proper Christian
sphere, it is apt to give shallow-minded persons the idea that the gospelis not
so necessaryas the Bible declares.
3. The only security for permanence in what is naturally attractive in man,
consists in connecting it with God. The brightest and most beautiful things of
the heart lie all unshielded if God's shadow be not over them. The conflicts of
life, the assaults ofpassion, the irritations of care and ill-success, andthe
resentments againstman's injustice, will corrode and cankerthe finest heart if
it be not constantly drawing the corrective from a Divine source. Even without
these trials, whatever has not Godin it is smitten with the inevitable law of
decay.
(John Ker, D. D.)
Crossing the line
John Ker, D. D.
It is as if a man were standing on the snore, close to where a ship is moored.
There is but a line between, and a step may cross it. But the one is fixed, the
other moves, and all the future of existence depends upon that step, — new
lands, a new life, and God's greatwide world. In the spiritual sphere to stand
still is to fall away, to be left on that shore, doomed to decayand death. To

pass into God's kingdom is to move with it, not only up to the grandeur of His
universe, but into the heritage of Himself.
(John Ker, D. D.)
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
For David himself said by the Holy Ghost,.... In Psalm110:1, being inspired
by the Spirit of God:
the Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies
thy footstool. This is a proof, that David did call Christ his Lord; and that he
calledhim so in spirit; since these words were delivered by him under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit: that the psalm was wrote by David, the title
shows;and that he spake it as he was influenced by the Holy Ghost, our Lord
declares:the passagerelates to what Godthe Father saidto Christ, when
being risen from the dead, he ascendedon high, and entered into the most
holy place;he bid him sit down at his right hand, as having done the work of
man's salvation, he was sentabout, to full satisfaction;and as a mark of
affectionto him, and honour conferred upon him in the human nature; where
he should continue, till all his enemies, Jews, Pagans,Papists, and
Mahometans, as wellas Satan, and all his principalities and powers, were so
subdued under him, as to be as a footstoolto his throne: and when David
prophetically speaks ofthis, he calls the Messiahhis Lord; saying, the "Lord
said to my Lord"; on which accountthe prophecy is cited; who was so, as he is
God, and his Creatorand Redeemer. Thatthis prophecy is a prophecy of the
Messiah, andis applicable to no other but he; and is therefore pertinently
cited, and applied to him here; see Gill on Matthew 22:44.

Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Mark 12:36". "The New JohnGill Exposition of
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/mark-
12.html. 1999.
return to 'Jump List'
Geneva Study Bible
For David himself said by f the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit
thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
(f) Literally, "in the Holy Spirit"; and there is a great powerin this kind of
speech, by which is meant that it was not so much David who was speaking,
but insteadthe Holy Spirit, who in a way possessedDavid.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon Mark 12:36". "The 1599 Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/mark-12.html.
1599-1645.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou
on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool — (Psalm110:1).
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Mark 12:36". "CommentaryCritical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/mark-12.html. 1871-8.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
The footstool (υποποδιον— hupopodion). Westcottand Hort read υποκατω
— hupokatō (under) after Aleph B D L.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)

Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Mark 12:36". "Robertson's WordPictures
of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/mark-12.html.
Broadman Press 1932,33.Renewal1960.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit
Psalm110:1.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on Mark 12:36". "JohnWesley's Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/mark-12.html. 1765.
The Fourfold Gospel
David himself said in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou
on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstoolof thy feet2.
For David himself said in the Holy Spirit. The context here shows that the
rabbis of that day acceptedthis Psalm as written by David and as Messianic in
meaning. Since then the Jews have denied that the Psalmis Messianic, and

that it was written by David, some saying that Abraham, and others that
Hezekiah, wrote it.
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine
enemies the footstoolofthy feet. The quotation is from Psalms 110:1. This
Psalmspeaks ofthe Messiahas the Lord of David, and other Scriptures call
him David's son. So also the Scriptures describe Christ as conquering yet
suffering, as divine yet human, as dying yet living, as judged yet judging, etc.
The Jewishrulers seemable to grasp only one side of the characterof Christ
as revealedeither in his life or in the Scriptures, and hence they stumbled.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon Mark 12:36".
"The Fourfold Gospel".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/mark-12.html. Standard
Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
By the Holy Ghost; by inspiration. (Psalms 110:1.)

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Abbott, John S. C. & Abbott, Jacob. "Commentaryon Mark 12:36".
"Abbott's Illustrated New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ain/mark-12.html. 1878.
Scofield's ReferenceNotes
For David Inspiration. (Jesus affirms the inspiration and Davidic authorship
of Psalms 110)Matthew 12:36; Luke 1:3; Exodus 4:15; Revelation22:19
The Lord Jehovah.
my Lord Adonai, Psalms 110:1.
Copyright Statement
These files are consideredpublic domain and are a derivative of an electronic
edition that is available in the Online Bible Software Library.
Bibliography
Scofield, C. I. "ScofieldReferenceNoteson Mark 12:36". "ScofieldReference
Notes (1917 Edition)".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/srn/mark-12.html. 1917.
John Trapp Complete Commentary

36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD saidto my Lord, Sit
Ver. 36. Said by the Holy Ghost] The Psalms then are a part of Holy Writ by
Christ’s own testimony, who also, Luke 24:44, divideth the Old Testament
into the law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms. Yea, Psalmorum liber
quaecunque utilia sunt ex omnibus confinet, saith Augustine after Basil;the
Psalms are a treasury of all holy truths.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Mark 12:36". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/mark-
12.html. 1865-1868.
Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
36.]Observe ἐν τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ ( ἐν πν., Matt.) = ἐν βίβλῳ ψαλμῶν
Luke: a coincidence not to be passedover.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on Mark 12:36". Greek TestamentCritical
ExegeticalCommentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/mark-12.html. 1863-1878.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
Mark 12:36. ἀυτὸς,)Himself.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on Mark 12:36". JohannAlbrecht
Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/mark-12.html. 1897.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
Ver. 36. See Poole on "Mark 12:35"
Copyright Statement
Bibliography

Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Mark 12:36". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/mark-12.html. 1685.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
36. ἐν τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ. In the powerof the Spirit, the Holy Spirit. See on
Mark 1:23. The factthat the Psalmistwas inspired is statedwith solemn
fulness; and for that fact we may claim the authority of Christ. Among all the
sons of men, if there be one who could give an authoritative decisionas to
whether a writer was inspired or not, He is that one, προφήτης ὑπάρχων(Acts
2:30). And we may perhaps claim His authority also for the belief that the
Psalmistwas writing of the Messiah. When we come to the question of the
authorship of the Psalm, we are on different ground. We have no right to
claim His authority in a matter which is not among things that are spiritually
discerned, but is among those which can be decided by study and intelligence.
We do not know what Christ believed about the authorship of Psalms 110. If
(in the limitation of knowledge to which He submitted in becoming man) He
shared the belief of those who saton Moses’seat, we may be sure that He had
no intention of giving an authoritative decision on a question which had not
been raised. “Man, who made Me a judge of such things?” So far as we can
see, supernatural knowledge ofthe authorship of the parts of the O.T. would
have hindered rather than helped His work, and it is rash to assume that He
possessedit.
But it is not necessaryto decide whether our Lord acceptedthe Davidic
authorship of Psalms 110. His argument is founded on David being the
speaker, andthis argument “is justified if the author of the Psalm lets David
appear as the spokesman” (Briggs, Psalms, II. p. 376). See Kirkpatrick on
Psalms 110 in this series;Perowne, Psalms,p. 302;Sanday, Bampton
Lectures, p. 419;Gore, Bamp. Lectt. p. 196;Dalman, Words, p. 285;Meyer or
Weiss or Plummer on Matthew 22:43.

κάθου. This form occurs in the five quotations of this Psalmin N.T. and is
freq. in LXX. See Thackeray, Gr. of the O.T. in Greek, p. 258;also Mayoron
James 2:3, and cf. κάθῃ in Acts 23:3.
ὑποκάτω. So also in Mt., but Lk. agrees withLXX. and Heb. in having
ὑποπόδιον. The change to ὑποκάτω avoids the tautology of ὑποπόδιοντῶν
ποδῶν. See crit. note.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
"Commentary on Mark 12:36". "Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools
and Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/mark-
12.html. 1896.
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mark 12:36. David himself said in the Holy Ghost. Luke: ‘in the book of
Psalms.’The influence of the Holy Spirit upon David in penning the Psalms, is
assumed. This passage(Psalms 110:1)is more frequently referred to in the
New Testamentthan any other.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Schaff, Philip. "Commentary on Mark 12:36". "Schaff's Popular
Commentary on the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/scn/mark-12.html. 1879-90.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
Mark 12:36. αὐτὸς δ. Over againstthe dogma of the scribes, statedin Mark
12:35 as something well known (in Mt. Jesus asks fortheir opinion on the
topic), is set the declarationof David himself, introduced without connecting
particle. David, who ought to know better than the scribes.— ἐν τῷ π. τ. ἁ.:
especiallywhen speaking, as they would all admit, by inspiration.— εἶπεν,
etc.:the quotation as given in T.R. exactly reproduces the Sept(113)The
omissionof ὁ before κύριος in (114)(115)turns the latter into a proper name
of God.— κάθου ( κάθισονin (116))is a late or “popular” form of the present
imperative of κάθημαι.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on Mark 12:36". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/mark-12.html. 1897-1910.
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
David himself. These are the Lord"s words. He did not "acceptthe current
view", but He spake from the Father Himself. See Deuteronomy 18:18. John

7:16; John 8:28; John 8:46, John 8:47; John 12:49; John 14:10, John 14:24;
John 17:8. This settles the authorship of Psalm110.
said. Quotedfrom Psalms 110:1. Midway betweenAbraham and Messiah, this
Psalmwas given to David.
the Holy Ghost. See App-101.
my Lord. App-98. A. e. The same as Hebrew. Adonai. See App-4.
on = at. Greek ek App-104.
till I make. See note on Matthew 22:44,
make = shall have set.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on Mark 12:36". "E.W.
Bullinger's Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/mark-12.html. 1909-1922.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
For David himself said by the Holy Spirit (Psalms 110:1), The Lord said to my
Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Mark 12:36". "CommentaryCritical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -
Unabridged". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/mark-
12.html. 1871-8.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(36) David himself said by the Holy Ghost.—St. Mark is more emphatic in
ascribing the words of David to the influence of the Holy Spirit than either St.
Matthew, who simply quotes, or St. Luke, who uses the more generalphrase
“in spirit.” (Comp. 2 Peter1:21.)
END OF STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Mark 12:36 Context
33And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with
all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is
more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 34Andwhen Jesus saw
that he answereddiscreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the
kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. 35And
Jesus answeredandsaid, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes
that Christ is the Son of David? 36ForDavid himself said by the Holy Ghost,
The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine
enemies thy footstool. 37Davidtherefore himself calleth him Lord; and

whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly. 38And
he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware ofthe scribes, which love to go in
long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,39And the chief seats
in the synagogues, andthe uppermost rooms at feasts:
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Mark-12-36/
What does Mark 12:36 mean? [⇑ See verse text ⇑]
In addition to being a shepherd, mighty warrior, king, and a man after God's
own heart, David was also a poet. He wrote at leastseventy-three of the
psalms. They include psalms of lament, thanksgiving, and imprecation or
request that someone be judged. It's not clearif David knew that many of his
psalms are also prophecies, but Psalm 110 certainlyis.
Psalm110 begins with this verse that Jesus quotes. The first "Lord" in Jesus'
quote is printed as "LORD" in the psalm, which translates to Yahweh, or
God. The secondtitle, "my Lord" is the Hebrew Adonai, used for an earthly
authority, or as a reverent title for God. The psalm goes onto say that God
will expand "the Lord's" kingdom. The Lord will rule despite being
surrounded by enemies, and His people will follow Him willingly. The Lord
will also be a priest in the order of Melchizedek which outranks the priests
from the tribe of Levi (Hebrews 7:1–10).
All this to mean, the figure who will fulfill this prophecy is called "my Lord"
by David, despite being David's descendant. While Jesus is the physical
descendant(Luke 3:23–31)and legaldescendant(Matthew 1:6–16)of David
and will rule Israel in a similar manner, He is not solely defined by this
subordinate relationship to David. Contrary to cultural assumptions of the
time, David's "son" outranks David.

He does so because He is not only David's son. Much as Jesus is a priest of the
order of Melchizedek, and therefore has a claim to priestly authority over
Aaron's descendants (Hebrews 7), Jesus receives the authority to reign as king
from God, not David.
https://www.bibleref.com/Mark/12/Mark-12-36.html
Verse Thoughts
The Pharisees did all they could to discredit the Messianic claims of the Lord
Jesus, by asking difficult questions. His claim to be God offended them, and
their devious enquiry was designedtrip Him up, but in Christ are hidden all
the treasures ofwisdom and knowledge, andthey were astonishedat His
gracious replies.
But in response, He silencedthe leaders of the Jews with a question that
supported His claims to deity. The greatpatriarch king David, through whom
would be born the promised MessiahaddressedHim as, “my Lord', in
deference to His lofty position.
David had been moved by the Holy Ghostto write, the LORD (i.e. God
Yahweh) said to my Lord, (i.e. the Lord Jesus), sit at My right hand, till I
make your enemies your footstool.
Inspired by the Holy Spirit of truth, David addressedthe Lord Jesus as, "my
Lord". Jesus was both son of David by birth and David's Lord, by virtue of
His deity.
Christ was so much more than the sonof David, for this greatking of Israel
had identified Jesus Christ as Lord. The Pharisees andleaders of Israel
recognisedthe staggering reality. It was God the FatherWho spoke to God
the SonWho said, sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your
footstool.

The Pharisees hada distorted perception of what their Messiahwould be like
and missedthe reality of Who He was. They used every means possible to
discredit the truth, and though they came face to face with God (the Word
made flesh), they missed Him.
There is no more important question in this world today than, What think ye
of Christ?
My Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You that You have openedmy eyes to the truth of
Who Jesus is - the eternal Sonof GodWho was born as the perfect Son of
Man to be the propitiation for my sins, redeem me from the pit and reconcile
me back to God. Thank You Lord that You willingly setaside Your heavenly
glory to come to earth to die on the cross to save a sinner like me. Thank You
that You rose to give me Your life and thank You that You live in me and I in
You - in Jesus name I pray, AMEN.
https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/mark-12-36
Can you explain Mark 12:36-37? -AFTB
Postedon Feb 23, 2016
We see in Mark 12, that the Lord was first questioned by the Phariseesin
verses 13-14, by the Sadducees in verses 18-23, andby the scribes in verse 28.
Let’s briefly considerthe role of the scribe in the Bible. The word ‘scribe’
actually means ‘a writer or secretary’. Yet, we can see from the mention of
them in scripture, that they were more than just those who meticulously made
copies of the scriptures. When King Herod sought the Christ child, he looked
to the chief priests and scribes. Matthew 2:4 says, “And when he had
gatheredall the chief priests and scribes ofthe people together, he demanded
of them where Christ should be born.” We read of the Lord in Matthew 7:29,

“Forhe taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” This
shows us that the scribes were teachers, thoughthey certainly did not teach
with authority as Christ did. We then read in Matthew 23:2 that, “The
scribes and the Pharisees sitin Moses’seat.” Sitting in the seatof Moses
indicates authority to teachthe law. So, we see the scribes were leaders,
teachers, andhad authority to interpret God’s Word. A scribe could also be a
part of a sect, such as a Pharisee ora Sadducee.
To answeryour goodquestion, let’s now read Mark 12:35-37, “And Jesus
answeredand said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that
Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The
LORD saidto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies
thy footstool. Davidtherefore himself callethhim Lord; and whence is he then
his son? And the common people heard him gladly.” Here, Christ was not
denying that He was the sonof David, but he was asking how the scribes could
teachthat He was merely the Son of David when David had called Him his
Lord.
I believe it will be helpful for us to consider Matthew’s accountofthis
incident. Matthew 22:41-46 says, “While the Phariseeswere gathered
together, Jesus askedthem, Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose sonis he?
They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth
David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou
on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call
him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answerhim a word,
neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.” In
His question, the Lord askedspecificallyof the Christ’s genealogy…ofwhose
lineage He was part of. There was no question among the scribes and
Pharisees thatthe Messiah(Christ) would be the Son of David. This truth is
found in Isaiah11:1, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of
Jesse, and a Branchshall grow out of his roots.” The ‘stem of Jesse’is David,
the sonof Jesse. (Readalso John7:42.)
These men saw the Christ as merely a descendentof David and therefore
could not understand how that David would bow to Him and acknowledge
Him as Lord. It’s in Psalm110:1 that we read, “A Psalmof David. The

LORD saidunto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine
enemies thy footstool.” It was afterthese Pharisees, Sadducees,and scribes
had questioned Him, trying “to catchhim in his words” (Mark 12:13), that the
Lord askedthem this question that none of them could answer. These men
had KNOWLEDGE ofGod’s Word, but had no UNDERSTANDING ofGod’s
Word. The Lord’s question exposedthat, but thankfully, “the common
people heard Him gladly.”
How do we reconcile these two truths? How could Christ be the Son of David,
yet David calledHim Lord? We read in Revelation22:16, “I Jesus have sent
mine angelto testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and
the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” Christ, as God the
creator, made David and so was the root of David. Christ, as man, being in
the lineage ofDavid was his offspring. This is a wonderful truth that shows
the divinity and humanity of our blessedsavior. Let me close this devotion by
asking you a most important question, “WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST?”
(189.1)http://answersfromthebook.net/can-you-explain-mark-1236-37/
David said himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit – ‘The
Lord said to my lord: Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies beneath
your feet.’
Behind every literalist is someone seekingto establish order on the universe
that is basedon their experience overagainstthe experience of anyone else.
The impetus for order has some helpful qualities to get us through life—
though goodhabits are harder to break as we canavoid facing their
consequences. Badhabits don’t afford that luxury.
Being able to connectdots from David to Messiahsoothesa slowertransition
in the midst of change—this, at least, is still something we can rely on.

Christian Zionists who require a Jewishreturn to Jerusalemface the same
difficulty as the scribal straw-man Jesus is facing here—folk wisdom raised
from “common sense”to “authorized truth”. In this case,the attribution of all
the Psalms to David is getting us into this riddle that will have to face
competing scriptures, rather than have one verse rule all others.
The starting point of requiring a Davidic heritage to any subsequent leader is
pointed toward in the categorizationofthe Psalm110 as a royal psalm. A
footnote in the CEB Study Bible996OT says this Psalmreflects “…the reality
of life in Babylon and the beginnings of life after the return to Jerusalem, may
indicate post-exilic hope for restoring the Davidic monarchy.”
The privilege of reestablishing a ruling power will gatherits support wherever
it can. It is then less of a mystery about how this verse becomes the most
quoted Hebrew Scripture in Church Scripture referring to Jesus—as
monarch, duly instituted by G*D and setto Christianize the whole world, at a
minimum, through an apocalyptic end time of sorting sheepfrom goats, good
seedfrom bad weed.
The issue of requiring this ambiguous “Lord” who takes precedenceover
King David is prelude to the way the early church changes Jesus from Mark’s
preferred language up to this point—the “sonof adam”, a “human one”—into
“The Only Son of G*D”.
https://wildernessurgency.org/mark-12-36/'
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Mark 12:36 — On "Lord" vs. "Lord"
Why does the ISV render Mark 12:36's quotation of Psalm110:1 "The Lord
said to my Lord..." instead of reading "The Lord said to my Lord..."? The
Hebrew uses the divine name in Psalm 110:1 in the first instance of "Lord," so
why doesn't the ISV reflectthis in the Old Testamentquotation?
The Greek NT uses the same word κύριος as the secondand sixth words in the
sentence you've quoted from Mark 12:36 in the ISV. But the Hebrew of the
Masoretic Text(dated about 900-1000AD)uses the Hebrew word ‫הוהי‬ (the
name of God) in the first instance and the Hebrew word ‫י‬‫ֹד‬‫יִנ‬ (which means
"Lord") for the secondoccurrence.
To sum up, the Greek makes no distinction that the MT of the Hebrew OT
makes. The citation from Psalm110:1 by Jesus in the Gospelof Mark is,
strictly speaking, a free-verse translationfrom the Hebrew into Greek by
Jesus calleda targum. Targumim (the plural word) were made on the fly by
cantors in synagoguesofthe first century. When the Tanakhwas read in the
synagogue in Hebrew, often times a separate translatorwould render the text
freely into the native language of the speakers,someoneanalogous to the
pattern of a U.N. translator today. These renderings are called targumim.
Since the Gk. of all NT quotes of the OT never distinguish betweenYHWH
and ADONAI, we don't make such a distinction in the ISV, in keeping with
our principle of translation that dictates we translate Gk. and/or Heb.
ambiguities by a similar ambiguity in English. We'll let the commentators
speak on these kinds of nuances.
This ISV readerthen replied as follows:
Thank you so much for your explanation. One of the things that impress me
about the ISV is that it translates the original language honestly. Makes me
scratchmy head when I read that translators insert their personalbias into a
translation and translate the passage as “The LORD saidto my Lord” such as
what the KJV and NKJV done here. On a personalnote, is there any word in
the Greek that would refer to the name of God which many pronounce as
Yahweh which could have been used here?

If my memory serves me correctly, when I was studying in my undergraduate
degree, a visiting professorof religionfrom the U.K. pointed me to an article
on that very subject in which the author claimed that a Greek language
Hebrew grammar (!) had been found which gave a pronunciation guide in the
Greek alphabet for the sacredname YHWH. In Greek letters, the word
spelled out IOUBE (yow-bay), which is very close to the word Yahweh that we
know today. That's the best I know, at any rate, and that Gk. pronunciation
guide doesn't appear anywhere in the NT or early apostolic literature.;
https://www.isv.org/downloads/catacombs/mark_12v36_lord_vs_lord.htm'
PastorDavid B. Curtis
HOME | STUDY INDEX
Who is Christ?
Mark 12:35-44
Delivered04/29/2007
For three years, Jesus had made His mark throughout Israel. Stories about
Him feeding the multitudes with a few fish and loaves, healing people of
diseases, casting outdemons, healing the crippled, and even raising the dead
became the talk of the day. I think that it is safe to assume that everyone in
Israel, excepta hermit in a mountain cave, would have heard about Jesus of
Nazareth. And a large majority of them are now in Jerusalemfor the feastof
Passover.
It is the final days of Jesus'life, He is in the temple at Jerusalem, and
representatives ofvarious Jewishgroups come to Him asking Him questions.
He had answeredquestions from the Pharisees, the Sadducees, andeven the
Herodians. He had answeredthem correctly, and He had answeredthem in a
way that showedHis authority. He had put them all to silence. And it is in the

midst of this situation that one of the scribes comes forwardand asks Him a
question, "Whatis the greatestcommandment?" This scribe was testing His
yoke. How did Jesus interpret theTorah? If you wanted to know what a Rabbi
with semikhah's yoke was, you would simply ask him, "What is the greatest
commandment?" The greatestcommandment will tell you what his yoke is.
Jesus says the two greatestcommandments are:Love God and love your
neighbor:
And the scribe said to Him, "Right, Teacher, Youhave truly statedthat HE IS
ONE;AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM; 33 AND TO LOVE
HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING
AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE'S NEIGHBOR
AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."34 And
when Jesus saw that he had answeredintelligently, He said to him, "You are
not far from the kingdom of God." And after that, no one would venture to
ask Him any more questions. (Mark 12:32-34 NASB)
Now we have a silence, the religious leaders have no more questions for Jesus.
And then Jesus speaks:
And Jesus answering beganto say, as He taught in the temple, "How is it that
the scribes saythat the Christ is the son of David? (Mark 12:35 NASB)
Notice what our text says, "And Jesus answering..."The word "answering" is
from the Greek wordapokrinomai, which means:"(1) to give an answerto a
question proposed, to answer. (2) to begin to speak, but always where
something has preceded (either said or done) to which the remarks refer."
Who is Jesus answering? Whatwas the question? I think, I can't prove it, but
I think he was answering the unasked question of the scribe. Jesus had just
told the scribe, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." I would think
that to that the scribe would ask," Whatdo I lack?" or, "How canI enter the
kingdom of God?" Then in typical Rabbinic form, Jesus answers this question
with a series ofquestions, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the
son of David? David himself said in the Holy Spirit, 'THE LORD SAID TO
MY LORD: "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT THINE ENEMIES

BENEATHTHY FEET." Davidhimself calls Him 'Lord'; and so in what
sense is He his son?"
What is Jesus asking this scribe? He is asking him, "What do you think about
the Christ?" He did not let the group leave without asking them," Who is the
Christ?" To answerit would have radically altered everything in their lives. It
would have changed their entire world view. It would have changedtheir
associationsand friendships. It would have affectedtheir families and careers.
And it still does.
"What do you think about the Christ?" The word Christ and Messiahare the
same word. Messiahis the Hebrew version. Christ is the Greek version. Both
mean: "anointed one." The Messiahwas to be the anointed one of God.
Since the days of David, the Jews hadlookedfor the Christ to come. He was
the MessiahthatGod had promised as the Redeemerof Israel. Throughout
the Diaspora, whenIsraelwas scatteredthroughout the ancientkingdoms of
Assyria and Babylon, longing for Messiahincreased. The surge of
nationalism, during the time of the Maccabeans, fueledthe expectancyof
Messiah. During this era Pharisaismwas born, swaddled with Messianic fever
in infancy and continuing on to Jesus'day. So what did they think about the
Christ? You canbe sure that they had opinions.
There was no hesitationin the response ofthe Pharisees whenthey were asked
"Whose sonwas Messiah, the Christ?" Everyone who lookedfor Messiah's
coming believed He was to be the "sonof David." The word "son" as used
here is a Hebraism speaking ofa descendant. David was lookedat as Israel's
greatestking, and the Messiahwas seenby the Jews as David's descendant
who would restore David's kingdom to its original glory. This was indicated
by the prophets, who said that the Messiahwouldcome through the line of
David, and who would reign on the throne of David (cf. 2 Samuel7:8-29; Mic.
5:2):
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government
will reston His shoulders;And His name will be calledWonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.7 There will be no end to the
increase ofHis government or of peace, Onthe throne of David and overhis

kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From
then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplishthis.
(Isaiah 9:6-7 NASB)
At the birth of our Lord, it was emphasized that Jesus was ofthe line of
David, and that He had come to reign on His father's throne (Matt. 1:1; Luke
1:27, 69;2:4):
"And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall
name Him Jesus. 32 "He will be great, and will be calledthe Son of the Most
High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; (Luke
1:31-32 NASB)
In Mark 10:47, Bartimaeus, the blind man, on the outskirts of Jericho called
to Jesus as the "Sonof David." In Matthew 12:23, The crowds that witnessed
the powerof Jesus Christ in healing and delivering a demon-possessedman
asked, "This cannotbe the son of David, can He?" Even a Canaanite woman.
who came to Him for help with her demon-possesseddaughter, calledHim,
"Lord, son of David" (Matthew 15:22).
The scribes, the Pharisees, the religious leaders, they all understood that the
Messiahwas to be a son of David. Jesus was a physical descendantfrom
David. As a matter of fact, as you trace the lineage of Jesus, you find that on
both sides of the family, He descendedfrom David. Josephwas a descendant
of David and so was Mary. This is important to understand because Jesus
really was not physically descendedfrom Joseph. His physical descenthad to
be traced through Mary, because He was divinely conceivedin her womb by
the Holy Spirit without the benefit of Joseph.
The Jews believedthat Psalm110 was a Psalmabout the Messiahas a son of
David. So Jesus takes them back to that text and says:
"David himself saidin the Holy Spirit, 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
"SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT THINE ENEMIES BENEATH
THY FEET."'(Mark 12:36 NASB)
Considerhow shocking this would have been to the Jews of Jesus'day. While
kurios, or lord, was used as a respectful title of a dignity and even used in the

way that we use the word "sir," that was not the case in the way Jesus usedit
with them. Jesus mostlikely spoke in Hebrew using the title "Adonai." That
name was reservedfor the Lord God, often used as a substitute for the most
revered title for the Lord, Yahweh, which Jews wouldnot even utter for fear
of mispronouncing the holy name of God.
How do you explain the fact that David called his son Adonai? In other words,
why would David callhis son his "God"?
Jesus did not appeal to Isaiah to prove His point, but rather to the 110th
psalm, a psalm of David. Let's look at the entire Psalm:
(A Psalm of David.) The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand, Until
I make Thine enemies a footstoolfor Thy feet." 2 The LORD will stretch forth
Thy strong scepterfrom Zion, saying, "Rule in the midst of Thine enemies."3
Thy people will volunteer freely in the day of Thy power; In holy array, from
the womb of the dawn, Thy youth are to Thee as the dew. 4 The LORD has
swornand will not change His mind, "Thouart a priest forever According to
the order of Melchizedek." 5 The Lord is at Thy right hand; He will shatter
kings in the day of His wrath. 6 He will judge among the nations, He will fill
them with corpses, He will shatterthe chief men over a broad country. 7 He
will drink from the brook by the wayside;Therefore He will lift up His head.
(Psalms 110:1-7 NASB)
This Psalmdoes not stress the humanity of Messiah. David did not refer to the
Messiahas "his Son," but rather reveals the words of the FatherHimself
("The LORD," v. 1), who speaksto Messiah, His Sonand David's Lord ("my
Lord," v. 1). It was taught in Scripture that Messiahwouldbe the "sonof
David," and yet David himself refers to Messiahas "his Lord." How can this
be? There was a clear, simple, but miraculous answer--the incarnation. Jesus
Christ was, as the Scriptures foretold, and as the New Testamentwriters
attestedand confirmed, both God and man, human and divine, through the
miracle of the virgin birth.
Jesus is saying that the Messiahis both human and divine. He is both physical
and supernatural. He is both David's son and David's Lord, and indeed He is
the Lord of all. Paul also taught this:

concerning His Son, who was born of a descendantof David according to the
flesh, 4 who was declaredthe Son of God with powerby the resurrection from
the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, (Romans
1:3-4 NASB)
He is God born of flesh - "the Word became flesh and dwelled among us."
Through the Incarnation, Godcame to us, not as a phantom or a hybrid
creature or an angel. He became one of us! God had come among them, Jesus
was telling the Pharisees!They were gazing upon God in the flesh!
There are people today who teachthat there was no place where Jesus
claimed to be God. And for the life of me, I do not know what Bible they read.
It's on almost every page of the Gospels, andthis is one of many examples. But
we often miss examples like this because we don't know the Scriptures. Jesus
clearly declaredHimself to be God.
Another clearexample of Jesus claiming to be God that we often miss is found
in the story of Zaccheus. Jesus comesalong and says to Zaccheus:
And Jesus saidto him, "Todaysalvationhas come to this house, because he,
too, is a son of Abraham. 10 "Forthe Son of Man has come to seek and to save
that which was lost." (Luke 19:9-10 NASB)
The backgroundto this statementis probably Ezekiel34. God, angry with the
leaders of Israelfor scattering and harming His flock (the people of Israel),
states that He Himself will become the Shepherd and will seek the lost ones
and deliver (save) them.
"I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest," declares the Lord GOD. 16
"I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and
strengthen the sick;but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feedthem
with judgment. (Ezekiel34:15-16 NASB)
What did everyone who knew the Scriptures hear Jesus say? "I will seek the
lost... Who is Jesus? He's God!

David Flussersaid, "You poor Christians, you wonder why the Bible doesn't
say Jesus is God more often. It says it all the time, you just don't understand
Jewishthought."
The testimony of the early church was a simple and clearone: Jesus Christ is
Lord. That is probably the earlieststatementof faith known to Christianity.
Becauseofwhat the Scriptures saidconcerning the Messiahcoming from the
lineage of David, they expectedHim to be merely a physical descendantof
David. But the thought of the supernatural never entered the picture. He
would simply be a man.
So when Jesus said, "Davidhimself calls him Lord," He threw the scribes into
a theologicaldilemma. How could the Messiahbe both David's sonand his
Lord? The scribes had never thought of that. The truth is, the Messiahcould
not be both David's sonand his Lord if He were merely human. It would take
a divine human being to do that. The scribes had no answer. They had never
thought of the Messiahin terms of being a supernatural being. Yet, that is just
what Jesus was.
The 110thPsalm went far beyond the issue of Messiah's humanity and His
deity, referring to His coming in powerto overthrow His enemies. Notice that
verse 2 says that Messiahwill, "Rule in the midst of Thine enemies." Who
were the enemies of the Lord? If Jesus were the Messiah, as He claimed, and
as John had testified, then the Jewishleaders were His enemies. They were the
ones whom God would overthrow. And this is preciselywhat Jesus had
suggestedin the parable of the vineyard and the vine-growers earlierin this
chapter.
The enemies of Messiahare the enemies of Jesus, and these enemies are not
Gentiles, but Jews;indeed they are the leaders of the nation who have
prostituted their powerand position for their own gain, at the expense of the
most vulnerable. The outcome was that the widows, those whom the law
instructed Israelites to protect, were the victims of the leaders ofIsrael. No
wonder they resistedJesus, andno wonder Godwas about to destroy them.

Note one more thing about Psalm 110. The second(unquoted) stanza of the
Psalmtalks of the Messiah, not as Israel's King, but as her Priest. How would
you have felt, if you were one of the priests of that day, to have been reminded
of this Psalm, which spoke of a new order of priests, an order of which you
were not a part? As Jesus had warned in the parable of the vine-growers, the
position of the leaders would be taken away. The priesthood of a few would
become the priesthood of all believers, especiallyofGentiles. And the Great
High Priestwould be Christ Himself, who is a priest after the order of
Melchizedek.
The Psalmclearly teaches both the humanity of Messiah(a son of David) and
His deity (David's Lord). This was the fundamental problem that the leaders
of Israel had with Jesus. If you could sum up the grievance of the Jewish
leaders with Jesus, Ibelieve it would be this: Although Jesus was merely a
man (in the eyes of the Jews who rejectedHim), he had the audacity to act like
God.
When Jesus told the man loweredon his pallet through the roofthat his sins
were forgiven, the Pharisees immediately objected, on the basis that only God
could forgive sins.
By citing this passage fromPsalm 110, Jesus made it clearthat they not only
had a grievance with Jesus, who claimed to be both human and divine, but
more so, they were inconsistentwith the Scriptures, even those written by
King David, which spoke ofMessiahas a man and as God. The citing of Psalm
110 by our Lord brought the central issue into focus and showedit to be a
truth taught clearlyby the Scriptures:
"David himself saidin the Holy Spirit, 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
"SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT THINE ENEMIES BENEATH
THY FEET."'37 David himself calls Him 'Lord'; and so in what sense is He
his son?" And the great crowdenjoyed listening to Him. (Mark 12:36-37
NASB)
These opening words to Psalm110 are the most quoted portion of Scripture in
the New Testament. While David was the human author, Jesus makes it clear
that David spoke his Psalm under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Notice the

Trinity here: The First Personspeaksto the SecondPersonofthe Trinity and
we hear of it through David by the power of the Third Personof the Trinity.
Christ the Messiahstarredthem in the eyes. Eachof the evidences neededfor
believing His deity and humanity was clear. But they checkedtheir
hermeneutics at the door! They refusedto change their views and
interpretations to submit to the divine evidence. They were sticking with their
own propositions about the Messiah, regardless ofwhat God had said. They
would not budge, because to do so would crush their pride.
And in His teaching He was saying: "Bewareofthe scribes who like to walk
around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, 39
and chief seats in the synagogues, andplaces of honor at banquets, 40 who
devour widows'houses, and for appearance's sakeofferlong prayers; these
will receive greatercondemnation." (Mark 12:38-40 NASB)
He now moves on to the practicalproblem of the scribes, who are His
principle focus. Jesus tells the crowd"Beware";this is a warning. Please
notice who He is warning them of; it is the Jewishleaders!
Scribes were easilyrecognizedbecause they wore a long, white, linen robe,
which reachedall the way to their feet. Around the bottom of this robe, it was
hemmed by a long, white fringe. Most of the common people wore bright
colors. But this resplendent white dress causedthe scribes to stand out
whereverthey went.
The scribes were commonly greetedin respectful tones as "Rabbi," which
means; "my greatone or 'master' or 'father.'" When a scribe passedby, the
people rose respectfullyto honor him. At the feasts that the wealthy gave,
scribes were given the place of honor, seatedto the right and left of the host.
In Jesus'day, scribes were honored above the elderly, even above their own
parents. In the synagogues,the scribes were giventhe place of ultimate
honor-they saton a bench with their backs againstthe chestholding the
Torahand with their faces towardthe congregationso all could behold them.
They were consideredholy men, and they played the part well. They were
proud and arrogant.

Jesus saidthat they, "devour widows'houses"--whichis saying they use their
religious position to take advantage of other people, especiallythe weak and
the needy.
The word "devour" here is from the Greek word katesthio, whichmeans: "to
eat up ravenously, eat up, consume, devour, swallow," andis used figuratively
as:"destroy, consume, waste, orrob." Here it may mean appropriating
widows'houses or estates in an unethical manner.
I am convincedthat there is no professionthat has greaterpotential to take
advantage of people in their most vulnerable moments than religious leaders.
The reality is it's very easyto create an environment where, in order to
experience God's favor, you have to have their favor; and if you don't get
their favor, you can't have God's favor. Therefore, they place themselves on a
level above everybody else. This is that whole clergy/laity division, which is
wrong in the age of the priesthoodof all believers.
It is very easyto use God to create a platform for self-glory. There are many
religious celebrities--in the music business, in the preaching business, in the
writing business--thathave used God to glorify themselves.
A self-exalting lifestyle, however, is the antithesis of the lifestyle a Christian
should have. A Christian should be known as one who seeks to serve, seeksto
give, seeks to love, seeks to build up. But often, because ofthe greedy
materialism of our world, we buy into the worldly ideas of successevenin the
area of religion.
Charles Sheldon wrote a powerful little book entitled, In His Steps. In that
book, people in one community decide that they will begin to live their lives
and run their businesses withone thought in mind-"What would Jesus do?"
In every decisionthey faced, in every course of actionthey planned, they
asked, "Whatwould Jesus do?"
It seems to me that the pressing need for Christians today is to ask that very
same question: "What would Jesus do?" You see, the implications of Christ's
Lordship in my life mean that I must ask myself the question in every
decision, "Whatwould Jesus have me do?" And then I must do it.

And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the
multitude were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were
putting in large sums. (Mark 12:41 NASB)
These four verses are placed here by Mark in contrastto the scribes, to show
how God's ways differ so greatly from those of men. The scribes loved riches,
and they viewedwealth as an evidence of piety. God, in their minds, would be
impressed by the wealthyand would be especiallypleasedby the size of their
contributions. In these verses Jesus has condemnedthe "rich and
famous,"andHe commends the insignificant gift of a widow.
The Lord moves on in the Temple to a spot in the Court of the Womenwhere
people could sit down and watch one of the popular spectacles. In that court
was situated the "treasury," which consistedof a line of thirteen chests shaped
like trumpets into which men and women depositedtheir offerings. In the
Jewishdocument calledthe Mishna, the different designations of these chests
are listed, apparently one was for purchasing turtle doves, one was for
purchasing pigeons, anotherwas for woodfor burning on the altar, and so on,
but there were six that were labeled "free-willofferings."
Now, let's remember that the Lord Jesus was in Jerusalemat the feastof the
Passoverwhenthe population of the city would be swollenby many pilgrims
who had arrived for the feast. During Jesus'day, Jerusalemhad a population
of around 25,000(JoachimJeremias, Jerusalemin the Time of Jesus, 27). The
estimates of the size of the Passovercrowdrange from 180,000onthe low end
to 3 million on the upper end (Jeremias, 77-84). Some ofthem were both
devout and generous. There would be men like the Ethiopian Eunuch who had
a responsible and high paying job as his country's Court Treasurerunder
Queen Candace. He had traveled a long way. This was his once in a lifetime
opportunity to give to Yahweh, the Lord he worshiped. The crowds of people
satoverlooking these trumpet-shaped receptacles, andthey took special
interest in the approachof a wealthy man with his servants. There was no
paper currency in those days; everything was in coin. So a generous gift to the
temple, a bag of money poured out, would rattle into the containers, much to
the delight of the spectators.

Josephus tells us that some of the Pharisees, before they made their
contribution to the greatcollectionbox Jesus was watching here, actually
summoned a trumpeter to go before them to geteverybody's attention. Then
the Pharisee wouldcome up and proudly deposit a bag of gold in the treasury
chest. He wanted everybody to see his ample gift.
And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a
cent. (Mark 12:42 NASB)
She had two"coppercoins."Actually, they were called "lepta." "Lepta"
means: "thin one." They were some of the leastvaluable coins of the day.
These two coins representedapproximately a day's wage for her.
Furthermore, Jesus reveals that these two coins were all the money she had.
They were all she had to live on.
Yet, this widow came and dropped both the coins into the Temple treasury.
She gave all she had. She could have kept one of the coins. I believe it's
significant that Scripture reveals that she had two. Certainly a contribution of
fifty percent of all you have would be a worthy gift indeed. But she gave, not
fifty percent, but one hundred percent.
And calling His disciples to Him, He saidto them, "Truly I say to you, this
poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 or they
all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned,
all she had to live on." (Mark 12:43-44 NASB)
In contrastto the presumptuous authority of certainpompous religious
leaders, Jesus commends the actionof a sacrificialwomanwho recognizes that
God is really in control. What could compelthis impoverished womanto
courageouslyyield all she had to live on? She must have been leaning entirely
on the care of a Sovereign God.
This last phrase can be translated "out of her poverty, put in all her living"
(ek tou hysterematos autes panta ton bion). The contribution really came
from "all that remained of her life."
While the Pharisees have "devouredwidows'houses," it is the gift of one such
widow that is the focus of our Lord's praise and instruction. An insignificant

amount of money greatlypleasedJesus, becauseofwhat it meant to her. It
was her life, her livelihood, all that she had to live on. In giving this money,
she evidencedher trust in God to provide for her needs and to sustainher life.
Her trust was in her God, not in her money. Poverty was no reasonto ceasein
her giving to God. How many of us, on the other hand, are sure to have all of
our needs met first, and then to give God the left-overs?
This widow and her giving raises a question for us, Why Give? What we do
with our money is a very important issue. We are all responsible to God for
the stewardshipof our money. Everything that God gives us is a test of our
loyalty to Him, especiallyour money. We are all stewards, and we are all
responsible to be involved in giving a portion of our money to the Lord. Look
at what Paul told the Corinthians:
Now concerning the collectionfor the saints, as I directed the churches of
Galatia, so do you also. 2 On the first day of every week leteachone of you
put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I
come. (1 Corinthians 16:1-2 NASB)
Notice that Paul says, "Let eachone of you"-every believer is to be involved in
giving. Giving is an important function of the spiritual life. Giving is an aspect
of worship.
And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the
gospel, afterI departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the
matter of giving and receiving but you alone;16 for even in Thessalonicayou
sent a gift more than once for my needs.17 Notthat I seek the gift itself, but I
seek forthe profit which increasesto your account. 18 But I have received
everything in full, and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having
receivedfrom Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an
acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. (Philippians 4:15-18 NASB)
Worship is: "honorpaid to a superior being." It means: "to give homage,
honor, reverence, respect, adoration, praise, orglory to a superior being."
Worship is a consuming desire to give to God, and it involves the giving of
ourselves, our heart, attitudes, and our possessions. The worshiping believer is
the giving believer.

So, first and foremost, our giving (when done properly) is an act of worship, it
is an expressionoflove. But, secondarily, giving is necessaryto support the
leaders in the church and to support the needy in the church.
The believer has a financial responsibility to provide for those who are
teaching the Word to him:
Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? 7 Who
at any time serves as a soldierat his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and
does not eatthe fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of
the flock? (1 Corinthians 9:6-7 NASB)
Who ever goes to war at his ownexpense? Do you sailors have to pay for your
cruises? Do you have to support yourself while you're out at sea? No, the Navy
gives you a paycheck. Soldiers do not fight during the day and then work a
civilian job at night in order to support themselves. Who plants a vineyard
and does not eat of its fruit? The farmer does not have a side job in order to
support himself. He makes his living off the farm. Or who tends a flock and
does not drink of the milk of the flock? The shepherd gets the benefit of the
flock he shepherds. In any labor, the person who does the work has a right to
live off of the work. Those who teachthe Word of God have the right to expect
support from those they teach.
The Scriptures also teachthat we are to give to support the MISSIONARIES:
Nevertheless,you have done well to share with me in my affliction. 15 And
you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel,
after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of
giving and receiving but you alone;16 for even in Thessalonicayou senta gift
more than once for my needs. (Philippians 4:14-16 NASB)
In verse 15, the word "shared" is the Greek word koinaneo, whichmeans: "to
share with others, communicate, distribute, be a partner." They were
partners with Paul in the Gospelministry through their giving. They were
helping spreadthe Gospel.
So we are to give to support the teachers in the church and the missionaries,
and we are also to give to support the NEEDYin the church:

begging us with much entreaty for the favor of participation in the support of
the saints, (2 Corinthians 8:4 NASB)
The word "participation" here is the Greek wordkoinonia. An analysis of the
various ways koinonia is used in the New Testamentreveals that its most
common usage is to indicate the sharing of possessions withthose in need. So,
our giving is also to go to the meeting of needs of people in our fellowship.
I believe that your giving should go to the localchurch for its leaders to
distribute as they see fit. The believers gave their money to the church leaders,
and they distributed it to the people who had needs:
And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, eachof them
determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in
Judea. 30 And this they did, sending it in charge ofBarnabas and Saul to the
elders. (Acts 11:29-30 NASB)
We see that the disciples gave their giving to the elders so they could
distribute it. The elders of the church should be the ones who are most
informed as to the needs of the people.
So, our giving is an actof worship, and it is to be used to support the Bible
teachers, missionaries, andthe needy.
I think that the Scripture is very clearthat we all are to be giving, the question
that is so debated is, "How much are we to give?" You might be surprised to
hear that the Bible teaches thatthe amount that we give is voluntary. The
Bible teaches Grace Giving!And grace giving is voluntary.
I think that we see an important principle of grace giving in our text; GRACE
GIVING IS TO BE SACRIFICIAL.
And calling His disciples to Him, He saidto them, "Truly I say to you, this
poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they
all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned,
all she had to live on." (Mark 12:44 NASB)

She gave all she owned!The point that Jesus was making is that sacrifice is
the essence ofgiving. In this case, the leastmoney was the greatestgift. Our
giving is to be sacrificial. Is yours? How much do you sacrifice?
Did God need this widow's money? No, of course not. Then why didn't Jesus
tell this widow to keepher money? He lets her give, and His heart swells with
pride for this lady. If He stops her, He deprives her of the blessing of giving to
God. So He lets her do it. Why? I think this is about trust! She is trusting God
to meet her needs, not trusting her money. Her faith was in God.
In answerto the scribes unaskedquestion about how to enter the kingdom of
God, Jesus responds, "Trustin the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."
The religious leaders didn't trust God, but themselves and their works. The
widow, in contrast, was trusting totally in the Lord. Where are you placing
your trust?
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own
understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledgeHim, And He will make your
paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB)
Mark 12:36-40
Mark 12:36 (KJB)
To one who is unsaved and only sees the Scriptures through unsaved eyes and
understanding, a statementlike the one above would cause one to stumble. (2
Pet 3:16 KJV) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in
which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned
and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own
destruction. The fact that they had rejectedJesus as Messiahwhile the

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