Jesus’ Genealogy Luke 3:23-38 Jesus’ Genealogy • The phrase, “the son of” is repeated 77 times in these 16 verses. Jesus’ Genealogy • In the gospels, there are two genealogies of Jesus. • They are found in the gospels of Luke and Matthew. • If you glance through those two genealogies, you’ll see several notable differences. Jesus’ Genealogy • Luke’s genealogy begins with Jesus and works back to Adam. • Matthew begins with Abraham and works his way up to Jesus. • Jewish genealogies usually appear at the introduction, rather than in the body of a narrative. Jesus’ Genealogy • Luke placed his genealogy about 30 years into the narrative. • Luke 3:23—When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age… • …being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli, Jesus’ Genealogy • Genealogies generally start in the past and work their way to the present. • Luke worked from Jesus back to Adam. Jesus’ Genealogy • Luke 3:31-32—31…the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse… • Matthew 1:6—Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. Jesus’ Genealogy • Luke’s genealogy lists Nathan as David’s son. • However, Matthew lists Solomon as David’s son. • The two genealogies of Jesus don’t match each other. Jesus’ Genealogy • From Abraham to David, the two genealogies line up with each other. • However, after David the genealogies move in separate directions. Jesus’ Genealogy • Two different individuals are listed as Jesus’ grandfather. • Luke said His grandfather is Eli. • However, Matthew lists Jesus’ grandfather as Jacob. Jesus’ Genealogy • Matthew 1:16—Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. • Luke 3:23—When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli, Jesus’ Genealogy • If we don’t believe the Bible is fully inerrant, then we can’t believe anything in it. • We should look for possible resolutions to the perceived contradictions. • Are there any possible ways in which a potential contradiction can be resolved? Jesus’ Genealogy • If there is at least one potential resolution, then the perceived contradiction isn’t a contradiction at all. • There are, however, several paradoxes. Jesus’ Genealogy • A paradox is something that is seemingly contradictory but actually has a possible resolution. • The genealogies in Matthew and Luke are one of the paradoxes found in the Bible. Jesus’ Genealogy • Many scholars believe that the genealogies diverge after David because Matthew traced the lineage of Joseph, while Luke traced the lineage of Mary. • That view explains the fact that two different men are listed as Jesus’ grandfather. Jesus’ Genealogy • Luke 3:23—When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli, • Luke’s readers already knew Joseph wasn’t Jesus’ biological father. Jesus’ Genealogy • It makes sense that Luke would list Mary’s genealogy, not Joseph’s. • Jewish custom of the time would have listed the father, not the mother, even though it was the physical linage of the mother that was being discussed. Jesus’ Genealogy • Some scholars believe Luke 3:23 should be read this way: Luke 3:23—When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed, the son of Joseph) the son of Eli, • With that reading, the focus is on Jesus being the “son” of Eli, rather than Joseph. Jesus’ Genealogy • In English, the word “son” appears 77 times in Luke 3:23-38. • However, in the Greek, the word for “son” appears only once. • Luke 3:23—…being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph… Jesus’ Genealogy • This genealogy is not meant to be completely exhaustive. • In the gospels, Jesus is often referred to as “the son of David.” • Matthew 1:1—The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Jesus’ Genealogy • In Matthew 1:20, Joseph is also referred to as “son of David.” • “Father” doesn’t always refer to a literal father-son relationship. • It was often used in the more general sense of an ancestor. Jesus’ Genealogy • Luke 3:23—When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli, • Luke 3:22—…“You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” • Jesus was believed to be Joseph’s son but was, in reality, God’s Son. Jesus’ Genealogy • Jesus wasn’t Joseph’s son physically, but He was his son legally. • Matthew’s genealogical record traced the physical ancestry of Joseph to establish Jesus as a legal heir to the throne of Israel. Jesus’ Genealogy • 2 Samuel 7:12-13—12 “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” Jesus’ Genealogy • Legally, Jesus was Joseph’s son. • Joseph was a descendant of both David and Solomon. • Jesus was legally Joseph’s son, but He was actually the Son of God. Jesus’ Genealogy • Luke 1:35—The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.” Jesus’ Genealogy • In Luke 3:22, God verbally affirmed that Jesus was His Son. • At the beginning of chapter 4, Satan challenged Jesus concerning His divine sonship. Jesus’ Genealogy • If the genealogy in Matthew’s gospel belongs to Joseph, then Jesus was a legal descendant of David. • By tracing Jesus’ earthly lineage back through His mother, Luke showed us that Jesus was also a physical descendant of David. Jesus’ Genealogy • Luke also stated that Jesus was the son of Abraham, and the son of Adam. • Luke 3:31—…the son of Nathan, the son of David, • Luke 3:33-34—33 …the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham… Jesus’ Genealogy • Luke 3:38—the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. • Adam was created righteous and without sin or a sin nature. • In the Garden of Eden, Adam served as the representative of all of mankind. Jesus’ Genealogy • Romans 5:12—Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— Jesus’ Genealogy • Jesus was proclaimed by the Heavenly Father to be the righteous Son of God. • He remained faithful to the Father and did not yield to temptation. • Therefore, He was able to bring life to those who had, in Adam, died. Jesus’ Genealogy • Jesus was also the son of Abraham. • God promised Abraham that, through his seed, all the nations of the world would be blessed. Jesus’ Genealogy • Jesus was also the son of David. • And, as such, He would be the one to rule on the throne of David for all eternity.