TURNING THE TABLES

Mark 12:35-44

MARK 12:34When Jesus saw that he answered intelligently,

He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question

Him any longer.

1. JESUS QUESTIONS THE RELIGIOUS ELITE

MARK 12:35-37So Jesus asked this question as He taught in the temple complex, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the Son of David? David himself

says by the Holy Spirit: The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand until

MARK 12:35-37I put Your enemies under Your feet.’ David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how then can the

Messiah be his Son?” And the large crowd was listening to Him with delight.

WHAT IS THE QUESTION?

MARK 12:35How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the

Son of David?

MATTHEW 22:41-42While the Pharisees were together, Jesus

questioned them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose Son is He?”

“David’s,” they told Him.

2 SAMUEL 7:12-16“‘The Lord declares to you: The Lord Himself

will make a house for you. When your time comes and you rest with your fathers, I will raise

up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

2 SAMUEL 7:12-16He will build a house for My name, and I will

establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me.

When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a human rod and with blows from others.

2 SAMUEL 7:12-16But My faithful love will never leave him as I

removed it from Saul; I removed him from your way. Your house and kingdom will endure before Me forever, and your throne will be established

forever.’”

ISAIAH 11:1Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

JEREMIAH 23:5“The days are coming”—this is the Lord ’s

declaration— “when I will raise up a RighteousBranch of David. He will reign wisely as king and

administer justice and righteousness in theland.”

WHAT IS JESUS DOING? What is He trying to

communicate?

He is revealing the ignorance of the scribes and the true

nature of the Messiah

MARK 12:36David himself says by the Holy Spirit:

The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand

until I put Your enemies under Your feet.’

MARK 12:37David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how then can the

Messiah be his Son?”

WHO BEST FITS THE DESCRIPTION OF THE

MESSIAH?

Jesus Christ

MARK 12:29-30“This is the most important,” Jesus answered:

Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord isOne. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all

your strength.

DR. BARCLAY“Jesus is doing here what he so constantly tried to do. He is trying to take from men's minds their idea of a conquering warrior Messiah who would foundan earthly empire, and seeking to put into them theidea of a Messiah who would be the servant of God

and bring to men the love of God.”

2. JESUS CONDEMNS THE LEADERS

MARK 12:38-40He also said in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes, and who wantgreetings in the marketplaces, 39 the front seats in

the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and say

long prayers just for show. These will receiveharsher punishment.”

Why did Jesus warn the people about the scribes?

What is Jesus condemning them for?

1. DUE TO THEIR HYPOCRISY

MARK 7:6-7He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly

about you hypocrites, as it is written: These peoplehonor Me with their lips, but their heart is far fromMe. They worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines

the commands of men.”

MARK 12:38-40He also said in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes, and who wantgreetings in the marketplaces, 39 the front seats in

the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and say

long prayers just for show. These will receiveharsher punishment.”

2. DUE TO THE RESULT OF THEIR TEACHING

MATTHEW 23:13But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You lock up the kingdom of heaven from people.

For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow thoseentering to go in.

MATTHEW 23:15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You

travel over land and sea to make one proselyte , and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit

for hell as you are!