Mark 12:37
David therefore himself calleth him Lord, and whence is he then his son? And a great multitude heard him gladly.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Ipse ergo David dicit eum Dominum, et unde est filius ejus ? Et multa turba eum libenter audivit.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- αὐτὸς Δαυὶδ λέγει αὐτὸν κύριον, καὶ πόθεν αὐτοῦ ἐστιν υἱός; καὶ ὁ πολὺς ὄχλος ἤκουεν αὐτοῦ ἡδέως.
Haydock's commentary
This interrogation of Jesus instructs us how to refute the adversaries of truth; for if any assert that Christ was but a simple and holy man, a mere descendant of the race of David, we will ask them, after the example of Jesus: If Christ be man only, and the Son of David, how does David, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, call him Lord? The Jews were not blamed for calling him the Son of David, but for denying him to be the Son of God. (Ven. Bede)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
Theophylact Catena Aurea on verses 35-37
Because Christ was coming to His Passion, He corrects a false opinion of the Jews, who said that Christ was the Son of David, not his Lord. Wherefore it is said, "And Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple."
Pseudo-Jerome Catena Aurea on verses 35-37
That is, He openly speaks to them of Himself, that they may be inexcusable. For it goes on: "How say the Scribes that Christ is the Son of David?"
Theophylact Catena Aurea on verses 35-37
But Christ shews Himself to be the Lord, by the words of David. For it goes on: "For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on My right hand;" as if He had said, Ye cannot say that David said this without the grace of the Holy Spirit, but he called Him Lord in the Holy Spirit; and that He is Lord, he shews, by this that is added, "Till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool;" for they themselves were His enemies, whom God put under the footstool of Christ.
St Bede Catena Aurea on verses 35-37
But the putting down of His enemies by the Father, does not shew the weakness of the Son, but the unity of nature, by which One works in the Other; for the Son also subjects the Father's enemies, because He glorifies His Father upon earth.
Gloss Catena Aurea on verses 35-37
Thus then Lord concludes from what has gone before the doubtful questions. For from the foregoing words of David it is proved that Christ is the Lord of David, but according to the saying of the Scribes, it is proved that He is his Son. And this is what is added, "David himself then calls Him Lord, how is He then his Son?"
St Bede Catena Aurea on verses 35-37
The question of Jesus is useful for us even now against the Jews; for they, acknowledging that Christ is to come, assert that He is a mere man, a holy Person descended from David. Let us then ask them, as our Lord has taught us, if He be a mere man, and only the son of David, how David in the Holy Spirit calls Him Lord. They are not however reproved for calling Him David's son, but for not believing Him to be the Son of God. It goes on: "And the common people heard Him gladly."
Gloss Catena Aurea on verses 35-37
Namely, because they saw that He answered and put questions wisely.
St Augustine The Harmony of the Gospels, Of the Passage in Which the Jews are Asked to Say Whose Son They Suppose Christ to Be; And of the Question Whether There is Not a Discrepancy Between Matthew and the Other Two Evangelists, in So Far as He States the Inquiry to Have Been, ‘What Think Ye of Christ? Whose Son is He?’ And Tells Us that to This They Replied, ‘The Son of David;’ Whereas the Others Put It Thus, ‘How Say the Scribes that Christ is David’s Son?’
143. Matthew goes on thus: “Now when the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? Whose son is 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 answer Him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions.” This is given also by Mark in due course, and in the same order. …
The Fathers are given as they wrote. Where a passage lays the Passion on the Jewish people, the Church teaches that it cannot be charged against all the Jews then living, nor against the Jews of today, and that all sinners were its authors (CCC 597, 598).