Reflections on a Difficult Gospel Passage: Genealogies of Jesus
By: Saundra L. Washington
Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38.
The genealogies of Jesus have been a source of tension and contention within the Church. Believers throughout the ages have experienced great confusion and apologetic difficulties over what appears to be nothing less than plain contradictions that come into view when studying Matthew and Luke’s account of Jesus’ pedigree.
The two primary prophecies concerning Jesus Christ’s coming were that he would be Jewish and that He would be a descendant of King David. Hence, the genealogy of Matthew shows that Jesus, as a descendant of Abraham is Jewish, and as a descendant of David inherited regality. Luke on the other hand, traces Jesus’ line back to Adam thereby stressing the humanity of Christ.
Stein support the view that Matthew’s record list the genealogical line of Joseph and Luke records the genealogy of Mary. He notes the apparently special interest Luke seems to have had in Mary as indicated by the space he allots her. Many of the difficulties these genealogies present, Stein admit are perplexing and hard to reconcile.
The purpose of Matthew’s genealogy, according to Barclay, was to prove that Jesus was the son of David and so he arranged the pedigree so as to make it easy for people to remember since few people during that time had access to actual copies. Luke, he suggests, traces the line back to the founder of the human race thereby removing the national and racial boundaries even from the ancestry of Jesus.
McKenzie concurs with Barclay. He observes the difference between the two writers for the period from David to Joseph and comments that there is no convincing explanation. He considers both genealogies however, to be highly artificial.
There are those who do not believe any discrepancy exist and are able to provide what seems like rational explanations, until scrutinized under the microscope of Biblical historical facts.
It is apparent that the discrepancy between the two genealogies constitutes a severe problem to interpreters. A final resolution to so intricate a question may be long in coming. And when it does come we may discover we made a mountain out of a molehill.
Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, though delayed in publication, is expected to be available early 2006.
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