3890 — The Genealogy of Jesus
By Editor
I would like it if you could give me any light on the genealogy of Jesus, as there is a very great difference in the records of Matthew and Luke. L. P. There are two objects in giving the genealogies. That of Matthew is to give the kingly side of the genealogy, and show that Jesus is the rightful King, the rightful Heir of Abraham. Some of the generations are omitted. The Spirit thought it wise to divide them into three groups of fourteen generations each. It may be said, however, that this is not an uncommon thing in the Bible, to omit a generation. Sometimes a grandfather is called a father, because he was the leading type, just the same as the Jews are called children of Abraham, tho many generations intervened between those so called and Abraham himself. The kingship came through the male line. Joseph was the legal father of Jesus, and he therefore is given as the ancestor of our Lord. Christ received legally the kingship through him. Luke, however, gives the mother's side, with a different object in view, to show that Jesus was of man, of the human family. But as it was not customary to trace the genealogy through women, the male members are mentioned instead of the female, the husband of Mary instead of Mary herself. And through this side of the family, the human side, the genealogy is traced back to Adam, the very first man, and yet still back of Adam,—the Son of God. So that the Son of God was truly the Son of Man. We believe that our inquirer, looking upon it this way, will find help.