Why was Jesus called the Son of David?

Many people do not understand why Jesus in his incarnation was called the Son of David. The purpose for this article is to help you comprehend what it means that Jesus is the Son of David. Jesus was called "Son of David" on several occasions, see (Matthew 9; 27, 12; 23, 20: 30-31, Luke 18; 39). But the question is, what does the title "Son of David" really means? It means that when you trace Jesus genealogy, you will see that he was a direct descendant of David. Jesus in his human nature was from the house of David. Matthew wrote: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ (Matthew 1:1,16).

 Matthew tells us that Jesus in his humanity was the Son of David, and he traced his roots from the line of his adopted human father Joseph. The title "Son of David" signifies that Jesus as a Man was a descendant of David. Apostle Paul wrote: Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh (Romans 1:3). And in another place, the apostle wrote: Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel (2 Timothy 2:8). The apostle communicates the same truth that Jesus Christ according to the flesh was the Son of David, he was David's offspring, he sprouted from the house of David. Every person on earth has a genealogy, and Jesus Christ was not an exception when he tabernacled among us.

The title "Son of David" was understood to be a Messianic title also. It was a title reserved for the Messiah. God sworn to David that he will establish his kingdom forever, and that he will raise up one from the fruit of his loins according to the flesh to sit upon his throne: And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever (2 Samuel 7: 12-13). The Messiah who is the Son of David according to the flesh, is the One who will sit upon the throne of David and his kingdom will be established forever. When Jesus came on the scene, the people called him the Son of David: And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us (Matthew 9:27). And in another place it is written: And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? (Matthew 12; 23).

 When Jesus was about to enter into Jerusalem the throng spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way (Matthew 21:9). And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest (Matthew 21:9). The multitude at this point believed that Jesus was the Son of David their long awaited Messiah, the One who will sit upon the throne of David, and God will establish his kingdom forever, and also save them from the yoke of the Romans. The Jews at that time were governed and ill treated by the Romans, and they anticipated for deliverance from the hands of their enemies. They thought Jesus will bring them the salvation they have been desiring for a long time now. That was the main reason why they cried out saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David". The etymology of Hosanna is a desperate cry for deliverance. Hosanna literally means "save us now". The crowd were beseeching Jesus to save them from the hands of the Romans. Jesus the Son of David, their Messiah came not to rescue them from the hands of the Romans, but to give them a greater deliverance, and that is deliverance from the dominion and penalty of sin, he came to secure the salvation of his people through the sacrifice of himself.

 One day, Jesus asked the scribes and Pharisees an intelligent question that confounded them, and exposed their ignorance of the scriptures: While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions (Matthew 22: 41-46). David by the Spirit called the Messiah Lord and yet was his Son according to the flesh. The passage that Jesus alluded to is found in Psalm 110; 1. The answer to the question is to understand the two natures of Christ, his human and divine nature. He is David's Lord and God, he is David's creator, he is David's root according to his divine nature, and yet he is the Seed of David according to the flesh. In the book of Revelation, it is written: I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star (Revelation 22:16). God bless you

               A thought to ponder
The etymology of hosanna is a desperate cry for deliverance

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