On the Son of David

 Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (22:41-45)

Jerome of Stridon, Bl. (†420):

Verses 41-44 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?" They said to Him, "The Son of David." He said to them, "How then does David, by inspiration, call Him 'Lord,' saying: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool"'? If then David calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his son?"

Those who had gathered to tempt Jesus and were trying to discover the truth through a deceitfully posed question, gave occasion for themselves to be thrown into confusion. A question is put to them concerning the Christ: whose son is He? Jesus' question is useful for us even now in our struggle against the Jews, because they, while confessing that the Christ must come, maintain that He is a simple man and a holy man from the line of David. Thus we also, taught by the Lord, will ask them: "If He is a simple man and only a descendant (filius) of David, how is it that David calls Him his Lord, not because of error, not of his own will, but by the Holy Spirit [or: in the Spirit]?" And the testimony which He brought forward is taken from the One Hundred and Ninth Psalm. Therefore, the Lord is called the [Son] of David not because He was born from him, but because He is eternally (always - semper) begotten of the Father, existing even before His own father according to the flesh. To resolve this question, the Jews invent many empty things, maintaining that Abraham had a servant, who had a son, Eliezer of Damascus; that the psalm was written from his person, and that supposedly after the slaughter of the five kings, the Lord God said to his master Abraham: "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool" (Ps 110:1). But in that case, how could God have said to Abraham what follows: "Your people shall be willing in the day of Your power, in the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth"; and: "The Lord has sworn and will not relent, 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek'" (Ps. 110:3-4). On the other hand, they are compelled to answer: how was Abraham born before the daystar and was a priest according to the order of Melchizedek, when Melchizedek offered bread and wine as a sacrifice for him and when he received a tenth of the spoils from him?