Mark 12:35-37. Who is Jesus to You? Friday 9th Week Ordinary Time

By Sanctus Mario Last updated Feb 16, 2022 580 3

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Breakfast With the Word Friday 9th Week Ordinary Time of the Year B

Mark 12:35-37

Sometimes how we take someone influences our response and attitude to the person. We treat people the way we see them and take them to be. In the same vein, sometimes how we see God influences how we take Him as part of our lives.

Insight from Today’s Gospel of Mark 12:35-37

The gospel of today continues to proceed from the readings of Mark 12. After Jesus must have answered His interrogators very well, He then takes his turn to correct a particular notion about Him.

When you read the text of today, it looks dry but full of meaning. To fully digest it, let us have a reference to Mathew’s account ( Mathew 22:41-45).

According to the gospel of Mathew, Jesus asks the Pharisees who they think is the Father of the Christ. They respond that the Messiah is the son of David.

Remember that Isaiah prophesied that a shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him ( Isaiah 11:1-2). It was widely believed that the Messiah will be a descendant of David.

The genealogy accounts in Mathew and Luke gave credence to this and it was widely accepted that the Messiah was of David genealogy, which is true, but there is more to this.

According to Jewish beliefs, the ancestor represents all his descendants. Making His descendants subordinated to Him. He is referred to as then the Father and higher in rank.

Remember the Samaritan woman who asked Jesus “Are you greater than our father Jacob who built this well ( John 4:12) and that of John 8:53 when the Jews were asking Jesus ” Are you greater than our father Abraham, who do you think you are “

So the implication is, If the Messiah, who would be the descendant of King David, is just a son, hence He is inferior and subordinate to David. Thus if He is subordinate to David, He would be a man not more special than David.

Though Jesus did not contradict this teaching in today’s gospel of Mark 12:35-37 but explains more fully what it means. He compares it to Psalm 110:1 (Mark 12:36) and shows how two seemingly contradictory statements can both be true.

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Mark 12:35-37: The Point to drive Home.

What Jesus is trying to let his hearers understand is that David’s “son” cannot also be his “Lord” (Mark 12:36). If David can say “The Lord said to my Lord”, it means He is calling the Messiah or the Christ who is to come “Lord”.

Therefore, the Messiah is more than just David’s son. He is not ordinarily a descendant of David, He is more than that. He is David’s Lord.

In John 8:58, He emphasizes this when He says ” Before Abraham was, I am. The Jews see the messiah from a human point of view, as many try to debate the divinity of Jesus Christ today.

The Jews even see Jesus as one who is inferior to their ancestors and this greatly affected how they approached Him and their relationship with Jesus. Jesus uses this chapter to provoke in the people that He is more than what they think He is.

The Way We see Jesus.

The way we see Jesus will greatly affect the way we approach Him. Many though have heard more and more about Him but do not think what they have been hearing is true. This somewhat leads to the utter neglect of the Lord.

As Jesus is exposing the truth to the people, today’s gospel of Mark 12:35-37 says, that they listen with delight. In essence, Our approach to God will greatly change whenever we come to the knowledge of the person we worship. When we decide to allow Him to reveal Himself to us.

The reason we are doing the way we do is that challenges and troubles have made us think God is not real. This has caused many to neglect Jesus in our lives.

This makes one enter the church busy enjoying himself still on social media. This is the reason many underestimate the power of the Holy Eucharist.

This is also the reason many will enter in the presence of God but busy reading newspapers and looking for who to hook up with or not. Ignorance of the Knowledge of God is the reason many will enter the chapel, a place of prayer busy laughing away their time or looking for something to steal.

If we see God real, our approach to Him will change. The questions for all are “How do we see Jesus? Who is Jesus for me and you? Do we certainly see Him real? How is our approach to Jesus? The way we take Him will answer these questions.

If we see Him as real, we shall take Him serious and as part of our lives. If we take Him as the Almighty and omnipotent, we will not assign almighty to ordinary human beings. We will not fear the seeming devilish power of anyone more than we fear the power of God. So, the question today is “Who is Jesus to You?”.

May God bless you today dearest and give us the strength to know Him. May you encounter Him today Amen