Around this time of year, the story of the birth of Jesus is read in churches and homes all around the world. Both Matthew and Luke wrote in their gospel accounts about the birth of the Messiah. Each account contains unique details about the coming of the Lord as a baby born in Bethlehem to Joseph and Mary. Each of the accounts also includes a genealogy of Jesus. It’s easy to get lost in the long list of names listed, however, those paying close attention have probably noticed that the lists are not the same. Why is that exactly, and what does it mean?
Here is the account as written in Matthew’s gospel:
"An account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers, Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Aram, Aram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered King David. David fathered Solomon by Uriah's wife, Solomon fathered Rehoboam, Rehoboam fathered Abijah, Abijah fathered Asa, Asa fathered Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat fathered Joram, Joram fathered Uzziah, Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, Ahaz fathered Hezekiah, Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered Amon, Amon fathered Josiah, and Josiah fathered Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. After the exile to Babylon Jeconiah fathered Shealtiel, Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel fathered Abiud, Abiud fathered Eliakim, Eliakim fathered Azor, Azor fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Achim, Achim fathered Eliud, Eliud fathered Eleazar, Eleazar fathered Matthan, Matthan fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, who gave birth to Jesus who is called the Messiah." Matthew 1:1-17
The first thing to point out is that Matthew emphasizes the royal kingly line coming from David, and the Jewish lineage of Jesus, starting with Abraham, the father of the Jewish Nation, himself. He refers to Jesus as both the “Son of David” and the “Son of Abraham”, pointing out Jesus’ direct descent from both men. The term “Son of David” is used many times in connection to the coming Messiah, as scripture promised that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David himself: "They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" Matthew 21:7-9
Matthew then proceeds from father to son, tracing a path from Abraham forward in time ending at Jesus the Messiah. He follows Solomon’s royal kingly line to Joseph, who Matthew describes as “the husband of Mary, who gave birth to Jesus who is called the Messiah.” This is the genealogical lineage of Joseph, which follows the line of King David’s son Solomon who was also King. Joseph of course was not the father of Jesus, and contributed no genetic lineage to Jesus. However, through the laws of adoption present in Jewish law and practice, Jesus was connected legally to the lineage of Joseph through adoption as a true son.
It is interesting to note that Matthew includes the names of five women in his genealogy of Jesus, which is not a typical thing to do. The list includes Tamar who was the daughter-in-law of Judah (Gen. 38), the son of Jacob. Rahab, the prostitute in Jericho that hid the two spies (Joshua 2). Ruth, the Moabite daughter-in-law of a Jewish woman who married Boaz (Book of Ruth). Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, who David had killed after sleeping with Bathsheba, and mother of Solomon (2 Samuel 11). And lastly, Mary, the mother of Jesus the Messiah. Not only are each of these women ancestors to Jesus, but each of them came from unusual and questionable circumstances involving their past. Despite this, God used these women to bring about the birth of the Messiah to this world.
Here is the account as written in Luke’s gospel:
"As he began his ministry, Jesus was about thirty years old and was thought to be the son of Joseph, son of Heli, son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph, son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai, son of Maath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein, son of Josech, son of Joda, son of Joanan, son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Neri, son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmadam, son of Er, son of Joshua, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim, son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Simeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonam, son of Eliakim, son of Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David, son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Salmon, son of Nahshon, son of Amminadab, son of Ram, son of Hezron, son of Perez, son of Judah, son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor, son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Shelah, son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech, son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalalel, son of Cainan, son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God”. Luke 3:23-38
Luke focuses on the humanity of Jesus, starting with Joseph and going backwards in time all the way to Adam who is called the “son of God”, as Adam was the first man. The Messiah is referred to throughout scripture as the “Son of Man”: "Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He said, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God! "" Acts 7:55-56. The genealogical lineage Luke gives includes Joseph, but he is described as the “son of Heli” instead of listing Joseph’s actual father as “Jacob” as Matthew does. This is not a mistake, but instead is Mary’s actual father. Heli (or Eli) was Mary’s father, and so the lineage detailed by Luke is that of Mary instead of Joseph. Her lineage also goes back to King David, but instead of coming through Solomon, it follows the lineage of David’s other son Nathan. This again is a legal and proper way of tracing lineage according to adoption laws and practices. As Mary’s parents did not have a son, Joseph could be legally adopted as their son once he became the legal husband of their daughter Mary.
While the genealogies included by Matthew and Luke in their Gospel accounts are the ones most often referenced when looking at Jesus’ background and determining his lineage, however, I feel there is another Gospel account that provides information on Jesus’ background. After all, genealogy is defined as “an account of the origin and historical development of someone or something.”
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:1-14
Jesus was the Word of God. He was there in the beginning at creation with God. In fact, John emphasizes that it was actually Jesus who created all things, and that He was life and light. Paul in his letter to the Colossians also refers to Jesus as the creator: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -- all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together." Colossians 1:15-17. John’s gospel account of the origin and history of Jesus describes Jesus as the creator, present with God at creation. The Word of God was made flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus was God, and like God, has always been. Matthew in his Gospel account quotes Jesus directing His disciples to go out and make disciples of the nations, “... baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19)”. Likewise, Paul in his second letter to the church at Corinth closes his letter in typical fashion with a blessing, saying: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14. John reminds us that the origin of Jesus is not only flesh and blood as Luke points out, and not only royal blood from kings as Matthew points out, but also that Jesus is life, light, creator, and eternal. Jesus is God and part of the Trinity. This makes it even more wonderful that God would choose to become man, and be born as a baby in a little town called Bethlehem to a virgin called Mary. Thank you Lord for this wonderful gift which we celebrate at Christmas each year.
