Monday, January 4, 2016

The Genealogy of Jesus: A Few Comments and Resources

* Notes from a bulletin insert I did when preaching on the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1.1-17.


So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
--Matthew 1.17

Abraham
David
Jeconiah
Isaac
Solomon
Shealtiel
Jacob
Rehoboam
Zerubbabel
Judah
Abijah
Abihud
Perez
Asa
Eliakim
Hezron
Jehoshaphat
Azor
Ram
Joram
Zadok
Amminidab
Uzziah
Achim
Nahshon
Jotham
Eliud
Salmon
Ahaz
Eleazar
Boaz
Hezekiah
Matthan
Obed
Manasseh
Jacob
Jesse
Amon
Joseph
David
Josiah
Jesus

NOTES:

·      Matthew is presenting a stylized genealogy.  Not everyone in the line is mentioned.

·      “David” is counted twice because he is shown special prominence in genealogy.

o   Mentioned in 1.1.
o   Verse 6—“David the king.”
o   Mentioned 2x’s in v. 17.
o   The numerical value of David’s name in Hebrew equals 14.
o   One of Matthew’s favorite titles for the Messiah is “the Son of David” (1.1; 9.27; 12.23; 15.22; 20.30-31; 21.9, 15; 22.42-45)
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Proposed Solutions to Alleged Contradictions in Genealogies

1.     Matthew gives Joseph’s line of descent and Luke gives Mary’s line of descent. 

a.     First proposed by Annius of Viterbo (c. AD 1490)
b.     Martin Luther
c.      R. Larry Overstreet (GTJ, 1981)

2.     Matthew gives Mary’s line of descent and Luke gives Joseph’s line of descent.

a.     Tertullian

3.     Matthew gives Joseph’s natural descent through actual father (Jacob) and Luke gives Joseph’s legal descent through Heli after a levirate marriage.

a.     Julius Africanus (d. AD 240)

4.     Matthew gives legal line and Luke gives Joseph’s actual, physical descendants.

a.     Lord A. Hervey
b.     J. Gresham Machen

5.     Matthew gives line through Joseph’s mother (maternal grandfather = Jacob) and Luke gives line through Joseph’s father.

a.     R. P. Nettelhorst (JETS, 1988)

For Further Research:


R. P. Nettelhorst, “The Genealogy of Jesus” JETS 31 (1988). 

R. Larry Overstreet, “Difficulties of New Testament Genealogies”
(GTJ, 1981).  Available online: