Paul is still discussing the third event in his chronology, as he now moves on to explain why Christ will deliver the kingship to the Father. He alludes to Psalm 110:1: The Lord says to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.
Psalm 110:1 was used by Jesus himself when he reasoned with the Pharisees (Matthew 22:41–46). From this it appears that the Jews generally viewed Psalm 110:1–7 as a Messianic prophecy. They understood the words my Lord
in Psalm 110:1 as referring to the Messiah (in Greek, the Christ
).
From David’s words we see that God the Father (whom David calls the Lord
) has appointed Christ (my Lord
) to rule as king, until all his enemies are subjected to him. God even says that he will make Christ’s enemies his footstool (or put them under his feet
). When enemies cast themselves down to become a king’s living footstool, it shows their total humiliation, defeat, and submission (see also Philippians 2:10).
Both Peter and the writer of Hebrews saw the ascension of Christ as the event by which the prophecies of Psalm 110:1–7 were fulfilled (Acts 2:34–35; Hebrews 7:17, Hebrews 7:21; Hebrews 8:1).
Paul’s use of Psalm 110:1 suggests that the subjection of Christ’s enemies is an ongoing process, which began with his resurrection and ascension and will be completed at his second coming. Although this is not clear from the text itself, Paul’s readers would know from Psalm 110:1–7 that it is God the Father who is putting Christ’s enemies under his feet.
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.