In type, the Passover lamb was examined for four days before it was killed (Exo. 12:3-6). The Slave-Savior, as the real Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7), was also examined for four days before He was killed. He came to Bethany six days before the Passover (John 12:1; Mark 11:1). The next day He came into Jerusalem and went back to Bethany (John 12:12; Mark 11:11). The third day He came to Jerusalem again (11:12-15) and began to be examined by the leaders of the Jews, according to the Jewish law (11:27—12:37; 14:53-65; John 18:13, 19-24), and by Pilate, the Roman governor, according to the Roman law (John 18:28—19:6), until the Passover day when He was crucified (Mark 14:12; John 18:28). This insidious and ensnaring examination from many angles took exactly four days, and the Lord Jesus fully passed through every test. This proved that He was fully qualified to be the Lamb required by God for the accomplishment of His redemption so that God may pass over sinners, both Jews and Gentiles.
As we shall see, under God’s sovereignty, the Slave-Savior was judged not only by the Jewish leaders as a sheep before the shearer (Isa. 53:7; Mark 14:53-65), but also by the Roman governor, as a criminal before the accusers (14:64; 15:1-15), that He might die to serve sinners with His life as a ransom (10:45). He died not only for the Jews, represented by the Jewish leaders, but also for the Gentiles, represented by the Roman governor.
Mark 12:35 says, “And Jesus, teaching in the temple, answered and said, How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?” The Lord had been questioned about a number of different things. But here He asked His testers and examiners a question concerning Christ.
During these days in Jerusalem, the center of Judaism, the Slave-Savior had been surrounded by the chief priests, elders, scribes, Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees, who endeavored to ensnare Him by asking puzzling and insidious questions. First, the chief priests, scribes, and elders, representing the authority of the Jewish religion and the Jewish people, asked Him concerning His authority (11:27-33). This was a question according to their religious concept. Second, the fundamental Pharisees and the political Herodians asked Him a question related to politics (12:13-17). Third, the modernistic Sadducees questioned Him concerning fundamental belief, in particular concerning belief in resurrection. Fourth, a scribe, a lawyer, asked Him a question related to the interpretation of the Bible.
After answering all their questions wisely, the Lord asked them a question concerning Christ. This is the question of questions. Their questions were related to religion, politics, belief, and the interpretation of the Scriptures. His question was concerning Christ, who is the center of all spiritual and divine things. They knew religion, politics, belief, and the Scriptures in letter, but they paid no attention to Christ. Therefore, in 12:35-37 He asked them concerning Christ.
After asking why the scribes say that Christ is the son of David, the Lord Jesus continued, “David himself said in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet. David himself calls Him Lord, and how can He be his son?” (vv. 36-37). The answer to the Lord’s question is that as God, in His divinity, Christ is the Lord of David, and as a man, in His humanity, He is the son of David. The Pharisees and scribes had only part of the scriptural knowledge concerning Christ’s Person, that He was the son of David according to His humanity. They did not have the other part concerning Christ’s divinity as the Son of God.
After the Lord answered the four different kinds of questions raised by those who were testing and examining Him, and after He asked the question of questions—the question concerning Christ—He went on to give a warning concerning the scribes and to speak approvingly of a poor widow. We shall consider these matters in the following message.