Q: In Matthew 22:45, Jesus calls into question the appropriateness of the title Son of David for the Messiah. This touches the question, Was Joseph the father of Jesus? Some verses say, or at least imply, that Joseph was Jesus father, while other verses, such as this one, say the opposite.
A: Regarding the issue of whether or not Joseph was Jesus father, see my response at Matthew 1:18 at p089.ezboard.com/fsabdisc...1523.topic . Joseph was legally Jesus father, but Joseph did not sire Jesus. Jesus conception in the womb of the virgin Mary was a miracle.
References to Jesus as the Seed of Abraham and to His physical nature being of the seed of David may be accounted for by the idea that Mary was a descendant of David (which is not my view, but is a possible view and one that was popular in the early church), or by the idea that the genotype which Jesus body possessed at the first moment of its physical existence in Marys womb matched that which a descendant of David c. 4 B.C. would normally have had. Of course this idea about Jesus genotype did not leap to the minds of Peter and Paul, but their observation that Jesus was a Jewish male from the tribe of Judah, and from a family descended from David, gave them the basis on which to make statements consistent with that idea.
Incidentally, here in Matthew 22:45, Jesus doesnt deny (or even directly affirm) that He is the Son of David. He merely points out that Psalm 110:1 implies that David understood that the Son of David was his (i.e., Davids) superior, which would be a real puzzle in those days when the greater status of a father to a son was practically automatic. Theres a hint here, I think , that Jesus knew that while He was operating in the role of the Son of David, as Israels promised King, He possessed a nature intrinsically superior to Davids (i.e., a divine nature, having God as His Father without the involvement of a male human being in the production of his human body).
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
A: Regarding the issue of whether or not Joseph was Jesus father, see my response at Matthew 1:18 at p089.ezboard.com/fsabdisc...1523.topic . Joseph was legally Jesus father, but Joseph did not sire Jesus. Jesus conception in the womb of the virgin Mary was a miracle.
References to Jesus as the Seed of Abraham and to His physical nature being of the seed of David may be accounted for by the idea that Mary was a descendant of David (which is not my view, but is a possible view and one that was popular in the early church), or by the idea that the genotype which Jesus body possessed at the first moment of its physical existence in Marys womb matched that which a descendant of David c. 4 B.C. would normally have had. Of course this idea about Jesus genotype did not leap to the minds of Peter and Paul, but their observation that Jesus was a Jewish male from the tribe of Judah, and from a family descended from David, gave them the basis on which to make statements consistent with that idea.
Incidentally, here in Matthew 22:45, Jesus doesnt deny (or even directly affirm) that He is the Son of David. He merely points out that Psalm 110:1 implies that David understood that the Son of David was his (i.e., Davids) superior, which would be a real puzzle in those days when the greater status of a father to a son was practically automatic. Theres a hint here, I think , that Jesus knew that while He was operating in the role of the Son of David, as Israels promised King, He possessed a nature intrinsically superior to Davids (i.e., a divine nature, having God as His Father without the involvement of a male human being in the production of his human body).
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
