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Christ Confounds His Enemies
365
The scribe who had questioned Jesus was astonished. In the pres-
ence of the assembled priests and rulers he honestly acknowledged
that Christ had given the right interpretation to the law.
The scribe had some sense of how worthless were mere cere-
monial offerings and the faithless shedding of blood for cleansing
from sin. Love and obedience to God and unselfish regard for others
appeared to him to be more valuable than all these rites. His firm and
prompt response before the people showed a spirit entirely different
from that of the priests and rulers. Jesus’ heart went out in pity to
the honest scribe who had dared to speak his true convictions. “Now
when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, ‘You are
not far from the kingdom of God.’”
The Pharisees had gathered close around Jesus as He answered
the scribe. Now He asked them a question: “What do you think
about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” He intended this question to
show whether they regarded Him simply as a man or as the Son of
God. A chorus of voices answered, “The Son of David.” When Jesus
revealed His divinity by His mighty miracles, when He healed the
sick and raised the dead, the people had inquired among themselves,
“Could this be the Son of David?” But many who called Jesus the
Son of David did not recognize His divinity. The Son of David was
also the Son of God.
In reply, Jesus said, “‘How then does David in the Spirit [the
Spirit of Inspiration from God] call Him “Lord,” saying:
“The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool’”?
“‘If David then calls Him “Lord,” how is He his son?’ And no one
was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone
dare question Him anymore.”
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