Jesus' Family Tree
Notes
Transcript
INTRO
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ
The first book of the NT reminds us of the first OT book--Genesis, the book of generations
The OT begins and ends with genealogies (Genesis and Chronicles
3 Functions of Genealogies (CLC)
Show the character of a particular line (Gen 4:25)
Demonstrate God’s working in history with a particular people
Prove biological succession
Knowing one’s lineage was important for...
Property distribution
the priesthood (Neh 7:61-64)
Ensuring the blood lines were pure from foreign blood, especially during the days of Hellenization (Dt 7:1-4; Dt 23:1-8)
Jewish military arranged by tribes (Num 1:2-4; 2:2)
Taxes and offerings in the temple (Num 7:11-89)
Messianic fulfillment depended on the line of David (Is 11:1-5)
DISCUSSION
The Son of David
The Son of David
The Importance of Matthew’s Genealogy (France, TNTC)
Places Jesus fully in line with the OT history
3 groups of 14 indicates “the time of preparation is now complete” and Jesus was the fulfillment of Jewish expectations
Stakes Jesus’ claim to the title “King of the Jews”
Establishes his status as the “Son of David” with David mentioned twice and the number 14
The scandalous nature of the line of David fits with the manner of Christ’s birth
Observations on Matthew’s Genealogy
It is all about showing Jesus’ connection to David, “son of David” listed prior to son of Abraham vs 1
3 sets of 14 generations
Abraham to David
David to the exile
The exile to Joseph
David is counted twice according to Mt 1:17
Numeric value of David = 14
Hebrews counted using their alphabet (aleph = 1, beth = 2, etc)
Daleth (4) + vav (6) + Daleth = 14
The Son of Man
The Son of Man
Differences in Matthew and Luke
Matthew begins with Abraham and goes forward, but Luke starts with Jesus and works backward to Adam
From Abraham to David is nearly identical in both lists, but from David to Joseph, Luke is very different. They are two different lists. Only similarities are Shealtiel and Zerubbabel (Mt 1:12; Lk 3:27)
In Luke 42 generations from David to Joseph; Matthew 27
How do we explain the differences in the two?
Matthew gives the legal descent while Luke gives the physical descent of Christ
Matthew asks, “Who is the heir of David?” Luke: “Who is Joseph’s father?”
doubtful that Luke gives the line of Mary; he doesn’t even mention Mary
The Savior
The Savior
4 women mentioned
Uncommon to mention women in a genealogy
These are women of scandal and foreign
Tamar--guilty of prostitution and incest (Gen 38:6-30); probably a Canaanite (Gen 38:11, 13-14)
Rahab--harlot (Josh 2:1, 3; 6:17, 23, 25); Canaanite
Ruth the Moabitess
Bathsheba---an adulteress (2 Sam 12:24); wife of Uriah the Hittite
Mary’s description different than the other women
first four “...begat...of” (Mt 1:4-6)
Mary “Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ” (Mt 1:16)
Matthew is showing that Joseph was not the natural father of Jesus. “Of whom” is feminine, a subtle claim to Jesus being born of a virgin
Exhortation
God is interested in people--all of these listed are made in the image of God, people who He loves
God can use unknown, sinful people to accomplish His will
God is sovereign; He controls history through humans. His will will be accomplished
We see the humanity of God’s Son
Jesus is King; He’s both God and Man; and He’s the Savior. Is he yours?