Church Fathers Commentary Mark 12:35-37

"And Jesus answered and said, as he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that the Christ is the son of David? David himself said in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet. David himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he his son? And the common people heard him gladly." — Mark 12:35-37 (ASV)

Theophylact of Ohrid: Because Christ was approaching His Passion, He corrects a false opinion of the Jews, who said that Christ was the Son of David, but not his Lord.

Therefore it is said, And Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple.

Pseudo-Jerome: That is, He openly speaks to them of Himself, so that they may be inexcusable.

For it goes on: How say the Scribes that Christ is the Son of David?

Theophylact of Ohrid: But Christ shows Himself to be the Lord by the words of David.

For it goes on: For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on My right hand. It is as if He had said, "You cannot claim that David said this without the grace of the Holy Spirit; rather, he called Him Lord in the Holy Spirit."

And that He is Lord, he shows by what is added: Till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. For they themselves were His enemies, whom God placed under the footstool of Christ.

The Venerable Bede: But the Father’s subduing of His enemies does not show any weakness in the Son, but rather the unity of their nature, by which the One works in the Other. For the Son also subjects the Father's enemies, because He glorifies His Father on earth.

Glossa Ordinaria: Thus, the Lord resolves the disputed question based on what has come before. From David’s preceding words, it is proved that Christ is the Lord of David, but according to the teaching of the Scribes, it is proved that He is his Son. And this is what is added: David himself then calls Him Lord, how is He then his Son?

The Venerable Bede: The question of Jesus is useful for us even now against the Jews. For they, while acknowledging that Christ is to come, assert that He is a mere man—a holy person descended from David. Let us then ask them, as our Lord has taught us: if He is a mere man and only the son of David, how does David, in the Holy Spirit, call Him Lord?

They are not, however, reproved for calling Him David's son, but for not believing Him to be the Son of God.

It goes on: And the common people heard Him gladly.

Glossa Ordinaria: Namely, this was because they saw that He answered and asked questions wisely.