Matthew 22:43

He saith vnto them, How then doth Dauid in spirit call him Lord, saying, Matthew 22:43 (KJV)

Jesus’ words here belong to a larger dialogue with the Pharisees, who were trying to trap Him with questions about the Messiah and His lineage. To see the full picture, read the surrounding passage (Matthew 22:41‑46, KJV):

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word: neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

In this exchange Jesus refers to Psalm 110:1, where David declares, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.” By quoting this psalm, Jesus points out that David, though a human king, addresses the Messiah as “my Lord.” This raises a logical challenge: if David calls the Messiah Lord, how can the Messiah also be David’s son? The question forces the listeners to confront the dual identity of the Messiah as both a descendant of David and one who possesses authority above David.

Jesus therefore highlights that the Messiah is not merely a human heir of David’s line but also holds a divine role that commands David’s own reverence. The phrasing “in spirit” underscores that David’s psalm points beyond his earthly reign to a heavenly reality fulfilled in Christ.

The impact of the question is evident: no one could answer, and from that day on no one dared to pose further questions to Him. The episode demonstrates Jesus’ profound grasp of Scripture, His ability to turn the Pharisees’ expectations back on themselves, and the revelation that the Messiah occupies a unique, exalted position that transcends simple genealogical expectations.