Mathew and Luke are the two gospel writers who have opened their books with Jesus genealogy. They have used the first chapters to give an account of his history. They are in agreement that he was not born of man but begotten of God. There is the mention of Virgin Mary as the mother. Differences emerge in these accounts but there is a clear similarity.
Mathew has taken the route of Abraham through to David, King Solomon as well as Jeconiah. There is a curse associated with the descendants of King David. There is a wide mention of Joseph as a foster father. Mathew is insistent that the lineage was made up of kings.
Luke gives a slightly different account by mentioning a minor descendant, Nathan, who was a son to David. This story is traced backwards to Adam but ends up with Joseph as a foster father. This variation can be attributed to the fact that the histories were not written at the same time, they were reconstructed and at the same time were done by different authors.
Jesus genealogy offered by Luke and that offered by Mathew are significantly different. They are linked by both David and Adam and the people who fall in between. David is considered as the point of departure. These two writers are said to take different directions from this point.
Luke is said to have traced the lineage of Mary in developing his account. The lineage of Joseph informed Mathew as he recounted the history of the Son of Man. The two however converge and agree that he was a descendant of David. This explains the differences and similarities.
The position taken by David is preserved by history and is therefore important in this narrative. He had been promised by God that his descendant would rule forever. This is the promise that is fulfilled by Jesus. It is clear that this inheritance is by blood through Mary and by right through Joseph.
The mention of Nathan is pivotal in fulfillment of this promise. God had cursed the sons of David and it would have been difficult to fulfill his promise with this curse in place. Relief is provided by Nathan who was not as significant as the other sons. This is a point of rescue for the promise.
Some of the names mentioned in Jesus genealogy by Luke can be found in the Old Testament. Maccabaeus mentions such generations as Mattathias which is important in tracing the lineage back to David. The number of generations mentioned by Luke is 77. This is symbolic number for forgiveness according to Augustine, a biblical scholar.
Mathew is insistent that he was born of a royal priesthood. He begins his accounts with such names as Messiah and Son of David. The two writers have not left out such names as Mary, Ruth and Rehab. They tally with the accounts provided in the Old Testament.
Jesus genealogy omits several kings in succession. This is viewed as a way of cleaning this lineage of wicked persons who would rather not be associated with the Son of God. It is therefore viewed as deliberate. A clear picture can be gotten when one compares biblical accounts with historical accounts of the Jews.
Mathew has taken the route of Abraham through to David, King Solomon as well as Jeconiah. There is a curse associated with the descendants of King David. There is a wide mention of Joseph as a foster father. Mathew is insistent that the lineage was made up of kings.
Luke gives a slightly different account by mentioning a minor descendant, Nathan, who was a son to David. This story is traced backwards to Adam but ends up with Joseph as a foster father. This variation can be attributed to the fact that the histories were not written at the same time, they were reconstructed and at the same time were done by different authors.
Jesus genealogy offered by Luke and that offered by Mathew are significantly different. They are linked by both David and Adam and the people who fall in between. David is considered as the point of departure. These two writers are said to take different directions from this point.
Luke is said to have traced the lineage of Mary in developing his account. The lineage of Joseph informed Mathew as he recounted the history of the Son of Man. The two however converge and agree that he was a descendant of David. This explains the differences and similarities.
The position taken by David is preserved by history and is therefore important in this narrative. He had been promised by God that his descendant would rule forever. This is the promise that is fulfilled by Jesus. It is clear that this inheritance is by blood through Mary and by right through Joseph.
The mention of Nathan is pivotal in fulfillment of this promise. God had cursed the sons of David and it would have been difficult to fulfill his promise with this curse in place. Relief is provided by Nathan who was not as significant as the other sons. This is a point of rescue for the promise.
Some of the names mentioned in Jesus genealogy by Luke can be found in the Old Testament. Maccabaeus mentions such generations as Mattathias which is important in tracing the lineage back to David. The number of generations mentioned by Luke is 77. This is symbolic number for forgiveness according to Augustine, a biblical scholar.
Mathew is insistent that he was born of a royal priesthood. He begins his accounts with such names as Messiah and Son of David. The two writers have not left out such names as Mary, Ruth and Rehab. They tally with the accounts provided in the Old Testament.
Jesus genealogy omits several kings in succession. This is viewed as a way of cleaning this lineage of wicked persons who would rather not be associated with the Son of God. It is therefore viewed as deliberate. A clear picture can be gotten when one compares biblical accounts with historical accounts of the Jews.
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