Pastor Thad posed an interesting question on this last Sunday in his sermon: Why are there two different genealogies for Jesus in the gospels of Matthew and Luke? Well the truth is that the Bible doesn’t tell us for certain. But there are some clues that might help us understand. And there are some fascinating implications to these two genealogies.
Big Truths
But first there are some truths we need to have in mind as we begin to look at why these authors thought this was so important.
As we celebrate Christmas we are celebrating the truth that God became part of his own creation. He took on actual human flesh. Truly God and truly man; the creator of all things becomes part of his creation.
God made some promises about the one who would come to redeem us, Jesus. We were told that he would be a descendent of David (2 Sam. 7, 23). We were told that he would sit on the throne of David as King (2 Sam. 7:12-13). We were also promised that Jesus would die in our place (Is. 53). Lastly, we were promised that Jesus would be born of a virgin (Is. 7:14).
Jesus was miraculously born of a virgin. The necessity of the virgin birth is probably too long to treat in this short blog, but it was both prophesied and necessary.
Crowns and thrones were inherited through ones earthly father, not their mother. Again this is a longer discussion than can be had here, but kings often had many wives (David had children from many wives. Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba, was not even David’s first wife). Some kings traded their wives at a whim (c.f. Esther and Queen Vashti).
Though these are only a few of the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled in the Scriptures, they matter the most as we consider Jesus genealogy.
Big Problem
This leaves us with one big problem that we need to sort out. Since thrones are inherited through fathers, and since Jesus had no earthly father, how could he be a king on David’s throne?
The solution can be found in the genealogies. Let’s look first at some clues regarding each one and then draw some conclusions.
Matthew’s Genealogy
The clue to understanding Matthew’s genealogy can be found in understanding his purpose for writing. Each Gospel writer presents Jesus from a bit of a different perspective. While Mark presents us with Jesus as Sovereign Servant, and John as Sovereign God…Matthew presents us with Jesus as Sovereign King.
Remember that thrones and kingdoms were inherited from ones earthly father. In order for Jesus to be eligible for the throne of his father David, his earthly father had to be of the line of David. So Matthews genealogy, which is abridged, end with Joseph. Here is how it ends…
“and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of who Jesus was born, who is called the Christ.”
Because Matthew wants us to accept Jesus as king he apparently gives us the genealogy of Jesus earthly father, Joseph, so that we might see Jesus as able to inherit the throne of his forefather David.
Luke’s Genealogy
Luke presents Jesus differently than the other three gospels, as Sovereign Savior. But Luke’s genealogy, found in chapter 3, traces a different lineage than Matthews. The hard part to understand here is that he also starts his genealogy with Joseph. But that is where the similarities end.
I think Luke’s genealogy is that of Mary, even though he doesn’t name her. He doesn’t name her because genealogies were never presented through anyone’s mother in that day. But Luke’s attention to detail in the two books he penned is tremendous. He gives attention to the lines of Jesus, John the Baptist, Elizabeth and Zechariah. He tells us that the census from Caesar Augustus took place before the registration that took place while Quirinius was governor of Cyria. Luke was very given to details.
Because Jesus had to be from the lineage of David, and because he was born of virgin, it seems that Luke gives us Jesus’ genealogy through the lineage of Mary.
Implications
There are some really cool implications that come as a result of all of this.
Jesus fulfilled an impossible amount of prophecies concerning his birth. Clearly God’s sovereign hand must have brought it about.
The authors of scripture were meticulous, but God ensured that his Word is both inerrant and infallible.
Adoption is real. Joseph contributed nothing to Jesus physical birth or DNA. But nonetheless it is through his line that Jesus is able to ascend to the throne of David. This means that though Joseph was not Jesus biological father, he was nonetheless Jesus’ earthly father.
All of this leads to the remarkable conclusion that when God tells us that he has adopted those who have trusted in the virgin birth, sinless life, vicarious death, and victorious resurrection of Jesus…we can be sure that we are truly made real sons and daughters of a our sovereign, saving God!