Bible Strands
Luke 20:41
Then Jesus declared, “How can it be said that the Christ is the Son of David?
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses the assembled religious leaders immediately after they cease their questioning. He poses a challenge regarding the traditional claim about the Messiah's lineage.
The words — πῶς (pōs) translates to "how" and λέγουσιν (legousin) means "do they say." These terms frame a direct challenge to the prevailing scribal teaching.
The thread — The inquiry appears in parallel form at Mark 12:35 and Matthew 22:42. Matthew 22:41 only records the introductory setup before Jesus poses the question.
Why it lands — The text states that the Christ is called the Son of David and demands an explanation of how that title functions. It asks the reader to reconcile messianic kingship with the broader scriptural claim of divine authority.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s son?
Cross-references
- Mark 12:35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, He asked, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?
- Matthew 1:1 This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
- Matthew 22:41 While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus questioned them:
- Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Isaiah 11:1 Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
- Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
- Jeremiah 33:15 In those days and at that time I will cause to sprout for David a righteous Branch, and He will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
- Luke 18:38 So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
- John 7:42 Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
- Acts 2:30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne.