{"id":11001,"date":"2024-01-25T03:23:48","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T03:23:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/?p=11001"},"modified":"2025-08-19T08:45:59","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T08:45:59","slug":"genealogy-of-jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/genealogy-of-jesus\/","title":{"rendered":"Genealogy of Jesus: Exploring the \u201cSon of David\u2019s\u201d Lineage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Genealogy of Jesus: Exploring the \u201cSon of David\u2019s\u201d Lineage<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

Written by <\/a>Joshua Schachterle, Ph.D<\/a><\/p>\n

Author |  Professor | Scholar<\/p>\n

Author |  Professor | BE Contributor<\/p>\n

Verified!  See our editorial guidelines<\/a><\/p>\n

Verified!  See our guidelines<\/a><\/p>\n

Edited by Laura Robinson, Ph.D.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\nDate written: January 25th, 2024\n

\nDate written: January 25th, 2024<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily match my own. – Dr. Bart D. Ehrman<\/p>\n

There are two places in the New Testament where there are <\/strong>genealogies of Jesus<\/strong><\/a>: the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke<\/strong>. Interestingly, their genealogies differ significantly. Why is this? Why was the genealogy of Jesus so important to these two Gospel writers? And why is Jesus called \u201cSon of David\u201d in the Bible, something both Matthew and Luke agree on? In this article, I\u2019ll answer these questions. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Genealogy<\/span><\/p>\n

How are Luke and Matthew\u2019s Genealogies Similar and Different?<\/h2>\n

In order to see the similarities and differences between the two genealogies, take a look at the chart below split into sections. The orange section is the one in which Luke\u2019s tracing of Jesus\u2019 bloodline all the way back to Adam. This section has no parallel in Matthew. The green sections are where both Gospels share the same names, and the white sections are where the two genealogies diverge completely.<\/p>\n

By the way, Matthew\u2019s version begins with Abraham and moves forward in time while Luke\u2019s begins with Jesus and works backward. The chart has to invert Luke\u2019s timeline in order to compare it easily to Matthew\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Luke<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Matthew<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

1. God,<\/p>\n

2. Adam,3. Seth,<\/p>\n

4. Enos,5. Cainan,<\/p>\n

6. Mahalalel,7. Jared,<\/p>\n

8. Enoch,9. Methuselah,<\/p>\n

10. Lamech,11. Noah,<\/p>\n

12. Shem,13. Arphaxad,<\/p>\n

14. Cainan,15. Shelah,<\/p>\n

16. Eber,<\/p>\n

17. Peleg,<\/p>\n

18. Reu,<\/p>\n

19. Serug,<\/p>\n

20. Nahor,<\/p>\n

21. Terah,<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

22. Abraham,<\/p>\n

23. Isaac,24. Jacob,<\/p>\n

25. Juda,26. Perez,<\/p>\n

27. Hezron,28. Arni,<\/p>\n

29. Amminadab,30. Nahshon,<\/p>\n

31. Salmon,32. Boaz,<\/p>\n

33. Obed,34. Jesse,<\/p>\n

35. David<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

22. Abraham,<\/p>\n

23. Isaac,24. Jacob,<\/p>\n

25. Juda,26. Perez,<\/p>\n

27. Hezron,28. Arni,<\/p>\n

29. Amminadab,30. Nahshon,<\/p>\n

31. Salmon,32. Boaz,<\/p>\n

33. Obed,34. Jesse,<\/p>\n

35. David<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

36. Nathan, <\/p>\n

37. Mattatha,38. Menna, <\/p>\n

39. Melea,40. Eliakim, <\/p>\n

41. Jonam,42. Joseph, <\/p>\n

43. Judah,44. Simeon, <\/p>\n

45. Levi,46. Maththat, <\/p>\n

47. Jorim,48. Eliezer, <\/p>\n

49. Jesus,50. Er, <\/p>\n

51. Elmodam,52. Cosam, <\/p>\n

53. Addi,54. Melchi, <\/p>\n

55. Neri<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

36. Solomon,37. Rehoboam,38. Abijam,39. Asa,40. Jehoshaphat,41. Joram,42. Uzziah,43. Jotham,44. Ahaz,45. Hezekiah,46. Manasseh,47. Amon,48. Josiah,49. Jeconiah<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

56. Shealtiel, <\/p>\n

57. Zerubbabel<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

50. Shealtiel, <\/p>\n

51. Zerubbabel<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

58. Rhesa, <\/p>\n

59. Joannan,60. Joda, <\/p>\n

61. Josech,62. Semein, <\/p>\n

63. Mattathias,64. Maath, <\/p>\n

65. Nagge,66. Esli, <\/p>\n

67. Naum,68. Amos, <\/p>\n

69. Mattathias,70. Joseph, <\/p>\n

71. Jannai,72. Melchi, <\/p>\n

73. Levi74. Matthat, <\/p>\n

75. Heli<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

52. Abiud,53. Eliakim,54. Azor,55. Zadok,56. Achim,57. Eliud,58. Eleazar,59. Matthan60. Jacob<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

76. Joseph, <\/p>\n

77. Jesus<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

76. Joseph,<\/p>\n

77. Jesus<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Bart Ehrman<\/a> notes several interesting points in comparing Luke<\/a> and Matthew\u2019s <\/a>versions of Jesus\u2019 lineage. First, while both claim to be genealogies of Jesus, take a closer look: they are both genealogies of Joseph. This is fascinating, given that both Matthew and Luke emphasize that Joseph is not Jesus\u2019 biological father.<\/p>\n

Both authors probably felt they needed to do it this way because in antiquity, Jewish family lines were traced through the fathers. However, it\u2019s an odd contradiction to the virgin birth narratives<\/a> in both Gospels.<\/p>\n

Second, you\u2019ll notice that Matthew\u2019s genealogy goes back only to Abraham while Luke\u2019s goes all the way to Adam (well, to God, technically). Why is this?<\/p>\n

I noted in another article that Matthew is generally considered the most Jewish of the canonical Gospels.<\/a> As such, Matthew wanted to emphasize Jesus\u2019 Jewishness. He therefore traces Jesus back to Abraham, the father of the Jews. Luke, of course, knows that Jesus was Jewish, but that is not his primary emphasis.<\/p>\n

Third, in many places, the genealogies are strikingly dissimilar. Whole sections of the chart above are entirely different, not even sharing a single name.<\/p>\n

Even more surprisingly, they disagree on who the father of Joseph was. Matthew says it was Jacob while Luke says it was Heli. How can we understand these vast differences?<\/p>\n

How Did Ancient Christians Explain the Differences?<\/h2>\n

The differences and contradictions between Luke and Matthew\u2019s genealogies of Jesus must have tied Christian authors in knots. How could their sacred book contradict itself? They therefore came up with several explanations, attempting to erase any doubts.<\/p>\n

Eusebius, a 4th-century bishop and Church historian, does some impressive explanatory gymnastics to argue that there is actually no contradiction between the two versions.<\/p>\n

Eusebius says that some genealogies in ancient Judaism were written according to nature, that is, tracing only biological offspring, and others according to Law, which could include adopted children, for example. He thought that one of the genealogies was written according to nature and the other according to Law<\/strong>, although he didn\u2019t know which was which. Unfortunately, since both Matthew and Luke write genealogies of Joseph, who was said to be Jesus\u2019 adoptive father, most scholars think this explanation doesn\u2019t entirely hold water.<\/p>\n

John of Damascus, a monk and priest in the 7th century, took a different tack, specifically in reference to the different names of Joseph\u2019s father. He maintains that Heli, claimed by Luke as Joseph\u2019s father, actually died childless, and that Jacob, claimed as Joseph\u2019s father by Matthew, married Heli\u2019s wife who gave birth to Joseph.<\/p>\n

Again, it\u2019s an almost tortured twisting of what the genealogies actually say and doesn\u2019t give a satisfactory explanation.<\/p>\n

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE of the Historical Jesus!<\/p>\n

Think you know the Jesus of the Bible?  Uncover the historical figure behind the texts!<\/p>\n

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It’s free!<\/em><\/p>\n

What Do Modern Scholars Say About the Differences?<\/h2>\n

Most scholars, like Raymond Brown<\/a> in his gigantic book on the birth narratives of Jesus, believe that the genealogies of Jesus are mostly invented for theological purposes, and John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg<\/a> say much the same thing. If this is the case, Matthew and Luke\u2019s genealogical differences are only differences of theological emphasis, not history.<\/p>\n

For Matthew, Jesus is the new Moses, a new lawgiver and Torah teacher,<\/a> as well as the Messiah. This is why his genealogy starts with Abraham, but also why it includes so many kings of Israel, including David. As Ehrman<\/a> says, Matthew\u2019s genealogy is \u201cmeant to emphasize Jesus\u2019 \u2018credentials\u2019 precisely as the Messiah. And so it indicates that Jesus was \u2018the son of David, the son of Abraham.\u2019 (\u2018son of\u2019 in this context obviously means: \u201cdescendant from\u2019).\u201d<\/p>\n

Remember that Abraham was the father of the Jews and David was its greatest ruler. Matthew\u2019s genealogy is supposed to show that Jesus comes from a long and auspicious Jewish family tree<\/strong>, and that he is therefore worthy of being called the Messiah.<\/p>\n

Luke, however, will position Jesus as the Messiah for all people, which is why he is concerned with showing that God\u2019s salvation through Jesus is for Jews and Gentiles alike. As such, his genealogy doesn\u2019t need to focus on Jewish royalty like Matthew\u2019s (except King David, of course!).<\/p>\n

Instead, he takes his genealogy back to the first human, Adam. If Adam was, as the Hebrew Bible says, the first human being, then all people\u2019s ancestry goes back to him. Therefore, Jesus is connected to both Jews and Gentiles (and so are we, of course!).<\/p>\n

Why Does Luke\u2019s Genealogy OF JESUS Occur So Late?<\/h2>\n

Another interesting point about Luke\u2019s genealogy of Jesus is its placement in the story. While Matthew\u2019s Gospel starts with a genealogy, which seems logical before a birth narrative, Luke doesn\u2019t give his genealogy until chapter 3, long after his birth narrative. Why did he do this?<\/p>\n

One clue is found in what comes directly before his genealogy: Jesus\u2019 baptism. You might remember that it is a significant event, both for Jesus and for Christianity. Luke puts it this way: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, \u201cYou are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Some scholars believe that Luke purposely placed his genealogy after Jesus\u2019 baptism precisely because this is where God declares Jesus to be his son. The genealogy then goes on to show the direct line back to Adam and ultimately to God.<\/p>\n

The general scholarly consensus, however, says something different: Luke 3 may have originally been the beginning of Luke\u2019s Gospel. Look at how it begins:<\/p>\n

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Doesn\u2019t this sound like a beginning? We are given the time and place and the beginnings of John the Baptist\u2019s<\/a> ministry. s. The infancy narratives in Luke 1 and 2 were added later.<\/p>\n

If this is true, it certainly explains why the genealogy would appear to occur late in the story. Also, Mark and John both begin with John\u2019s ministry and Jesus\u2019 baptism, so the idea of Luke doing the same certainly seems plausible.<\/p>\n

How Did Matthew and Luke Know About Jesus\u2019 Genealogy?<\/h2>\n

It seems clear to most scholars that the genealogies in both Matthew and Luke are theologically rather than historically motivated. But wait! Did all Jews in the first century know their genealogies as Luke and Matthew seem to know that of Jesus. <\/p>\n

Scholar Marshall Johnson says that family pedigrees would not usually have been available for non-priestly families. Priestly families, on the other hand, needed to know and prove their bloodline in order to qualify for their roles as priests.<\/p>\n

In addition, Johnson says that the contradictions between Luke and Matthew show that they were likely not based on actual genealogical records at the time.<\/p>\n

This, again, lends weight to the argument that both genealogies were largely inventions, either of the authors of Luke and Matthew themselves or, more likely, of sources they used to write their Gospels.<\/p>\n

\"why<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Is Jesus Called \u2018Son of David\u2019?<\/h2>\n

As Bart Ehrman mentioned, \u201cson of\u201d in ancient writings often meant \u201cdescended from.\u201d Why was it important that Jesus be descended from King David?<\/p>\n

While there were many beliefs in 1st-century Judaism about the requirements for being the Messiah, one of the more prevalent beliefs was that he would come from the bloodline of David. This was based on prophecy in the Hebrew Bible, such as this verse from 2 Samuel 7:12-14 in which God makes a promise to King David:<\/p>\n

When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

God promises that the Messiah, one who will rule forever, will be one of David\u2019s descendants. As such, those who believed Jesus to be the Messiah might have felt pressure to prove it by showing that he was descended from David. This explains the references to David in Matthew and Luke\u2019s genealogies but could also explain why Jesus is called Son of David in all the Synoptic Gospels.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Both the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke contain their own genealogy of Jesus. While they share many similarities, they diverge significantly in some ways.<\/p>\n

The similarities include a whole line of names going from Abraham, the father of the Jews, to David, the greatest Jewish king. This makes sense; both authors wanted to prove that Jesus was the Messiah partially by virtue of his impressive family tree. It is for this reason that all the Synoptic Gospels call Jesus \u2018Son of David\u2019 at least once<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Strangely, both authors seem to be writing not the bloodline of Jesus but that of Joseph who both authors claim is not Jesus\u2019 biological father. This may seem an odd contradiction, but really just shows that ancient Jewish genealogies were traced through fathers rather than mothers.<\/p>\n

However, the genealogies differ on many names, including the father of Joseph. While not all the differences can be explained, the scholarly consensus is that the genealogies were more theological than historical. We can be reasonably sure that Jesus\u2019 parents were named Joseph and Mary, but beyond that we have no idea about his other descendants.<\/p>\n

Luke\u2019s genealogy comes relatively late in his Gospel in chapter 3 while Matthew\u2019s comes at the very beginning. The late placement of Luke\u2019s genealogy can probably be explained by the possibility that Luke 3 was originally the beginning of the Gospel, the infancy narratives being added later.  <\/p>\n

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE of the Historical Jesus!<\/p>\n

Think you know the Jesus of the Bible?  Uncover the historical figure behind the texts!<\/p>\n

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It’s free!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Genealogy of Jesus: Exploring the \u201cSon of David\u2019s\u201d Lineage Written by Joshua Schachterle, Ph.D Author |  Professor | Scholar Author |  Professor | BE Contributor Verified!  See our editorial guidelines Verified!  See our guidelines Edited by Laura Robinson, Ph.D. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":11020,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"

\n\t
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Genealogy of Jesus: Exploring the \u201cSon of David\u2019s\u201d Lineage<\/h2><\/div>
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily match my own. - Dr. Bart D. Ehrman<\/p><\/div>

\t

There are two places in the New Testament where there are <\/strong>genealogies of Jesus<\/strong><\/a>: the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke<\/strong>. Interestingly, their genealogies differ significantly. Why is this? Why was the genealogy of Jesus so important to these two Gospel writers? And why is Jesus called \u201cSon of David\u201d in the Bible, something both Matthew and Luke agree on? In this article, I\u2019ll answer these questions. <\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/div>

\"Genealogy<\/span><\/div>

How are Luke and Matthew\u2019s Genealogies Similar and Different?<\/h2><\/div>

In order to see the similarities and differences between the two genealogies, take a look at the chart below split into sections. The orange section is the one in which Luke\u2019s tracing of Jesus\u2019 bloodline all the way back to Adam. This section has no parallel in Matthew. The green sections are where both Gospels share the same names, and the white sections are where the two genealogies diverge completely.<\/p>

By the way, Matthew\u2019s version begins with Abraham and moves forward in time while Luke\u2019s begins with Jesus and works backward. The chart has to invert Luke\u2019s timeline in order to compare it easily to Matthew\u2019s.<\/p><\/div>

Luke<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/th>

Matthew<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>

1. God,<\/p>

2. Adam,
3. Seth,<\/p>

4. Enos,
5. Cainan,<\/p>

6. Mahalalel,
7. Jared,<\/p>

8. Enoch,
9. Methuselah,<\/p>

10. Lamech,
11. Noah,<\/p>

12. Shem,
13. Arphaxad,<\/p>

14. Cainan,
15. Shelah,<\/p>

16. Eber,<\/p>

17. Peleg,<\/p>

18. Reu,<\/p>

19. Serug,<\/p>

20. Nahor,<\/p>

21. Terah,<\/p><\/div><\/td>


<\/p><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

22. Abraham,<\/p>

23. Isaac,
24. Jacob,<\/p>

25. Juda,
26. Perez,<\/p>

27. Hezron,
28. Arni,<\/p>

29. Amminadab,
30. Nahshon,<\/p>

31. Salmon,
32. Boaz,<\/p>

33. Obed,
34. Jesse,<\/p>

35. David<\/p><\/div><\/td>

22. Abraham,<\/p>

23. Isaac,
24. Jacob,<\/p>

25. Juda,
26. Perez,<\/p>

27. Hezron,
28. Arni,<\/p>

29. Amminadab,
30. Nahshon,<\/p>

31. Salmon,
32. Boaz,<\/p>

33. Obed,
34. Jesse,<\/p>

35. David<\/p><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

36. Nathan, <\/p>

37. Mattatha,
38. Menna, <\/p>

39. Melea,
40. Eliakim, <\/p>

41. Jonam,
42. Joseph, <\/p>

43. Judah,
44. Simeon, <\/p>

45. Levi,
46. Maththat, <\/p>

47. Jorim,
48. Eliezer, <\/p>

49. Jesus,
50. Er, <\/p>

51. Elmodam,
52. Cosam, <\/p>

53. Addi,
54. Melchi, <\/p>

55. Neri<\/p><\/div><\/td>

36. Solomon,
37. Rehoboam,
38. Abijam,
39. Asa,
40. Jehoshaphat,
41. Joram,
42. Uzziah,
43. Jotham,
44. Ahaz,
45. Hezekiah,
46. Manasseh,
47. Amon,
48. Josiah,
49. Jeconiah<\/p><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

56. Shealtiel, <\/p>

57. Zerubbabel<\/p><\/div><\/td>

50. Shealtiel, <\/p>

51. Zerubbabel<\/p><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

58. Rhesa, <\/p>

59. Joannan,
60. Joda, <\/p>

61. Josech,
62. Semein, <\/p>

63. Mattathias,
64. Maath, <\/p>

65. Nagge,
66. Esli, <\/p>

67. Naum,
68. Amos, <\/p>

69. Mattathias,
70. Joseph, <\/p>

71. Jannai,
72. Melchi, <\/p>

73. Levi
74. Matthat, <\/p>

75. Heli<\/p><\/div><\/td>

52. Abiud,
53. Eliakim,
54. Azor,
55. Zadok,
56. Achim,
57. Eliud,
58. Eleazar,
59. Matthan
60. Jacob<\/p><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

76. Joseph, <\/p>

77. Jesus<\/p><\/div><\/td>

76. Joseph,<\/p>

77. Jesus<\/p><\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>

\t

Bart Ehrman<\/a> notes several interesting points in comparing Luke<\/a> and Matthew\u2019s <\/a>versions of Jesus\u2019 lineage. First, while both claim to be genealogies of Jesus, take a closer look: they are both genealogies of Joseph. This is fascinating, given that both Matthew and Luke emphasize that Joseph is not Jesus\u2019 biological father.<\/p>

Both authors probably felt they needed to do it this way because in antiquity, Jewish family lines were traced through the fathers. However, it\u2019s an odd contradiction to the virgin birth narratives<\/a> in both Gospels.<\/p>

Second, you\u2019ll notice that Matthew\u2019s genealogy goes back only to Abraham while Luke\u2019s goes all the way to Adam (well, to God, technically). Why is this?<\/p>

I noted in another article that Matthew is generally considered the most Jewish of the canonical Gospels.<\/a> As such, Matthew wanted to emphasize Jesus\u2019 Jewishness. He therefore traces Jesus back to Abraham, the father of the Jews. Luke, of course, knows that Jesus was Jewish, but that is not his primary emphasis.<\/p>

Third, in many places, the genealogies are strikingly dissimilar. Whole sections of the chart above are entirely different, not even sharing a single name.<\/p>

Even more surprisingly, they disagree on who the father of Joseph was. Matthew says it was Jacob while Luke says it was Heli. How can we understand these vast differences?<\/p><\/div>

How Did Ancient Christians Explain the Differences?<\/h2><\/div>
\t

The differences and contradictions between Luke and Matthew\u2019s genealogies of Jesus must have tied Christian authors in knots. How could their sacred book contradict itself? They therefore came up with several explanations, attempting to erase any doubts.<\/p>

Eusebius, a 4th-century bishop and Church historian, does some impressive explanatory gymnastics to argue that there is actually no contradiction between the two versions.<\/p>

Eusebius says that some genealogies in ancient Judaism were written according to nature, that is, tracing only biological offspring, and others according to Law, which could include adopted children, for example. He thought that one of the genealogies was written according to nature and the other according to Law<\/strong>, although he didn\u2019t know which was which. Unfortunately, since both Matthew and Luke write genealogies of Joseph, who was said to be Jesus\u2019 adoptive father, most scholars think this explanation doesn\u2019t entirely hold water.<\/p>

John of Damascus, a monk and priest in the 7th century, took a different tack, specifically in reference to the different names of Joseph\u2019s father. He maintains that Heli, claimed by Luke as Joseph\u2019s father, actually died childless, and that Jacob, claimed as Joseph\u2019s father by Matthew, married Heli\u2019s wife who gave birth to Joseph.<\/p>

Again, it\u2019s an almost tortured twisting of what the genealogies actually say and doesn\u2019t give a satisfactory explanation.<\/p><\/div>

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What Do Modern Scholars Say About the Differences?<\/h2><\/div>
\t

Most scholars, like Raymond Brown<\/a> in his gigantic book on the birth narratives of Jesus, believe that the genealogies of Jesus are mostly invented for theological purposes, and John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg<\/a> say much the same thing. If this is the case, Matthew and Luke\u2019s genealogical differences are only differences of theological emphasis, not history.<\/p>

For Matthew, Jesus is the new Moses, a new lawgiver and Torah teacher,<\/a> as well as the Messiah. This is why his genealogy starts with Abraham, but also why it includes so many kings of Israel, including David. As Ehrman<\/a> says, Matthew\u2019s genealogy is \u201cmeant to emphasize Jesus\u2019 \u2018credentials\u2019 precisely as the Messiah. And so it indicates that Jesus was \u2018the son of David, the son of Abraham.\u2019 (\u2018son of\u2019 in this context obviously means: \u201cdescendant from\u2019).\u201d<\/p>

Remember that Abraham was the father of the Jews and David was its greatest ruler. Matthew\u2019s genealogy is supposed to show that Jesus comes from a long and auspicious Jewish family tree<\/strong>, and that he is therefore worthy of being called the Messiah.<\/p>

Luke, however, will position Jesus as the Messiah for all people, which is why he is concerned with showing that God\u2019s salvation through Jesus is for Jews and Gentiles alike. As such, his genealogy doesn\u2019t need to focus on Jewish royalty like Matthew\u2019s (except King David, of course!).<\/p>

Instead, he takes his genealogy back to the first human, Adam. If Adam was, as the Hebrew Bible says, the first human being, then all people\u2019s ancestry goes back to him. Therefore, Jesus is connected to both Jews and Gentiles (and so are we, of course!).<\/p><\/div>

Why Does Luke\u2019s Genealogy OF JESUS Occur So Late?<\/h2><\/div>
\t

Another interesting point about Luke\u2019s genealogy of Jesus is its placement in the story. While Matthew\u2019s Gospel starts with a genealogy, which seems logical before a birth narrative, Luke doesn\u2019t give his genealogy until chapter 3, long after his birth narrative. Why did he do this?<\/p>

One clue is found in what comes directly before his genealogy: Jesus\u2019 baptism. You might remember that it is a significant event, both for Jesus and for Christianity. Luke puts it this way: <\/strong><\/p><\/div>

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, \u201cYou are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.\u201d<\/blockquote><\/div>

Some scholars believe that Luke purposely placed his genealogy after Jesus\u2019 baptism precisely because this is where God declares Jesus to be his son. The genealogy then goes on to show the direct line back to Adam and ultimately to God.<\/p>

The general scholarly consensus, however, says something different: Luke 3 may have originally been the beginning of Luke\u2019s Gospel. Look at how it begins:<\/p><\/div>

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.<\/blockquote><\/div>

Doesn\u2019t this sound like a beginning? We are given the time and place and the beginnings of John the Baptist\u2019s<\/a> ministry. s. The infancy narratives in Luke 1 and 2 were added later.<\/p>

If this is true, it certainly explains why the genealogy would appear to occur late in the story. Also, Mark and John both begin with John\u2019s ministry and Jesus\u2019 baptism, so the idea of Luke doing the same certainly seems plausible.<\/p><\/div>

How Did Matthew and Luke Know About Jesus\u2019 Genealogy?<\/h2><\/div>
\t

It seems clear to most scholars that the genealogies in both Matthew and Luke are theologically rather than historically motivated. But wait! Did all Jews in the first century know their genealogies as Luke and Matthew seem to know that of Jesus. <\/p>

Scholar Marshall Johnson says that family pedigrees would not usually have been available for non-priestly families. Priestly families, on the other hand, needed to know and prove their bloodline in order to qualify for their roles as priests.<\/p>

In addition, Johnson says that the contradictions between Luke and Matthew show that they were likely not based on actual genealogical records at the time.<\/p>

This, again, lends weight to the argument that both genealogies were largely inventions, either of the authors of Luke and Matthew themselves or, more likely, of sources they used to write their Gospels.<\/p><\/div>

\"why<\/span><\/div>

Why Is Jesus Called \u2018Son of David\u2019?<\/h2><\/div>

As Bart Ehrman mentioned, \u201cson of\u201d in ancient writings often meant \u201cdescended from.\u201d Why was it important that Jesus be descended from King David?<\/p>

While there were many beliefs in 1st-century Judaism about the requirements for being the Messiah, one of the more prevalent beliefs was that he would come from the bloodline of David. This was based on prophecy in the Hebrew Bible, such as this verse from 2 Samuel 7:12-14 in which God makes a promise to King David:<\/p>

When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.<\/blockquote>

God promises that the Messiah, one who will rule forever, will be one of David\u2019s descendants. As such, those who believed Jesus to be the Messiah might have felt pressure to prove it by showing that he was descended from David. This explains the references to David in Matthew and Luke\u2019s genealogies but could also explain why Jesus is called Son of David in all the Synoptic Gospels.<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>

Conclusion<\/h2><\/div>

Both the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke contain their own genealogy of Jesus. While they share many similarities, they diverge significantly in some ways.<\/p>

The similarities include a whole line of names going from Abraham, the father of the Jews, to David, the greatest Jewish king. This makes sense; both authors wanted to prove that Jesus was the Messiah partially by virtue of his impressive family tree. It is for this reason that all the Synoptic Gospels call Jesus \u2018Son of David\u2019 at least once<\/strong>.<\/p>

Strangely, both authors seem to be writing not the bloodline of Jesus but that of Joseph who both authors claim is not Jesus\u2019 biological father. This may seem an odd contradiction, but really just shows that ancient Jewish genealogies were traced through fathers rather than mothers.<\/p>

However, the genealogies differ on many names, including the father of Joseph. While not all the differences can be explained, the scholarly consensus is that the genealogies were more theological than historical. We can be reasonably sure that Jesus\u2019 parents were named Joseph and Mary, but beyond that we have no idea about his other descendants.<\/p>

Luke\u2019s genealogy comes relatively late in his Gospel in chapter 3 while Matthew\u2019s comes at the very beginning. The late placement of Luke\u2019s genealogy can probably be explained by the possibility that Luke 3 was originally the beginning of the Gospel, the infancy narratives being added later.  <\/p><\/div>

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