The Meaning of Mark 12:36 Explained

Mark 12:36

KJV: For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

YLT: for David himself said in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said to my lord, Sit thou on My right hand, till I place thine enemies -- thy footstool;

Darby: for David himself said speaking in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand until I put thine enemies as footstool of thy feet.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  David  himself  said  by  the Holy  Ghost,  The LORD  said  to my  Lord,  Sit thou  on  my  right hand,  till  I make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool. 

What does Mark 12:36 Mean?

Study Notes

The Lord Jehovah.
my Lord Adonai, Psalms 110:1 .
For David Inspiration. (Jesus affirms the inspiration and Davidic authorship of Psalms 110) Matthew 12:36 ; Luke 1:3 ; Exodus 4:15 ; Revelation 22:19
The Lord Jehovah.
my Lord Adonai, Psalms 110:1 .

Context Summary

Mark 12:28-44 - The First Commandment
To the young ruler our Lord named one command as great-the love of one's neighbor. Now, in answer to this scribe, he turned with unerring choice, first to Deuteronomy 6:4-5, and then to Leviticus 19:18, for the two pillars on which the collective and individual life of man must rest. The reverent answer of the scribe proves that he was no ordinary questioner; and our Lord acknowledged this when He told him that a few steps more would bring him into the kingdom of God. Our Lord was David's son by human descent, but as Son of God, proceeding from the Father, He is exalted far above David and all mankind.
In terrible words, Mark 12:38-40, Christ denounced the moral and religious leaders of the time. They made a pretense and a gain of their religion. How great the contrast between them and this poor widow, who cast into God's treasury all that she had to provide for her day's living! Our Lord is quick to notice acts like these, which give evidence of the true heart. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 12

1  Jesus tells the parable of the tenants
13  He avoids the snare of the Pharisees and Herodians about paying tribute to Caesar;
18  convicts the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection;
28  resolves the scribe, who questioned of the first commandment;
35  refutes the opinion that the scribes held of the Christ;
38  bidding the people to beware of their ambition and hypocrisy;
41  and commends the poor widow for her two mites, above all

Greek Commentary for Mark 12:36

The footstool [υποποδιον]
Westcott and Hort read υποκατω — hupokatō (under) after Aleph B D L. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 12:36

Luke 20:42 For David himself [αυτος γαρ Δαυειδ]
This language of Jesus clearly means that he treats David as the author of Psalm 110:1-7. The inspiration of this Psalm is expressly stated in Mark 12:36; Matthew 22:43 (which see) and the Messianic character of the Psalm in all three Synoptics who all quote the lxx practically alike. Modern criticism that denies the Davidic authorship of this Psalm has to say either that Jesus was ignorant of the fact about it or that he declined to disturb the current acceptation of the Davidic authorship. Certainly modern scholars are not agreed on the authorship of Psalm 110:1-7. Meanwhile one can certainly be excused for accepting the natural implication of the words of Jesus here, “David himself.” [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 12:36 mean?

Himself David said by the Spirit - Holy [the] Lord to the Lord of me Sit at [the] right hand until - I place of the enemies of You [as] a footstool of the feet
αὐτὸς Δαυὶδ εἶπεν ἐν τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ Ἁγίῳ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν Ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου Ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν

αὐτὸς  Himself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Δαυὶδ  David 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Δαβίδ 
Sense: second king of Israel, and ancestor of Jesus Christ.
εἶπεν  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Πνεύματι  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἁγίῳ  Holy 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: ἅγιος  
Sense: most holy thing, a saint.
Κύριος  [the]  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
τῷ  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Κυρίῳ  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
μου  of  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
Κάθου  Sit 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Middle or Passive, 2nd Person Singular
Root: κάθημαι  
Sense: to sit down, seat one’s self.
ἐκ  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐκ 
Sense: out of, from, by, away from.
δεξιῶν  [the]  right  hand 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: δεξιός  
Sense: the right, the right hand.
Ἕως  until 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἕως  
Sense: till, until.
ἂν  - 
Parse: Particle
Root: ἄν  
Sense: has no exact English equivalent, see definitions under AV.
θῶ  I  place 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: τίθημι  
Sense: to set, put, place.
τοὺς  of  the 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐχθρούς  enemies 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐχθρός  
Sense: hated, odious, hateful.
σου  of  You 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
Ὑποκάτω  [as]  a  footstool 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ὑποκάτω  
Sense: under, underneath.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ποδῶν  feet 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: πούς  
Sense: a foot, both of men or beast.