The One Genealogy of Great Importance

GENEALOGIES are of concern to some people today, who would like to discover the roots of their family tree. But there is really little practicality in tracing one’s family tree into all its branches and identifying our ancient ancestors. Christians, in fact, know that all men are imperfect and there is nothing to boast about or to be humiliated about as to their distant ancestry. The apostle Paul wrote to the young man Timothy that he should not “pay attention to . . . genealogies, which end up in nothing, but which furnish questions for research rather than a dispensing of anything by God in connection with faith.”​—1 Tim. 1:3, 4.

Timothy was then in the Asian city of Ephesus. There were many Christianized Jews in that city, and some of them still hung onto the Jewish customs. They loved to trace back and discuss their ancestral connections and those of others, more from a sense of pride or show of knowledge than from any practical or constructive motive. The Jewish Encyclopedia, speaking of the early centuries of the Common Era, says: “How prolific these Biblical books [Chronicles] were in provoking genealogical conceits is shown by the statement [in the Babylonian Talmud, Pes. 62b] that 900 camel-loads of commentary existed on I 1 Chron. viii. 37 to ix. 44. . . . Much mischief must have been done by this speculation on family origins and pedigrees.”​—Vol. V, p. 597 (1910).

So, while a person’s genealogy might be of occasional usefulness in legal matters, to argue over or take special pride in our ancestry is a waste of time and a detriment to faith. There is only one genealogy that is really important. That is the line of descent of Jesus Christ. Why is it of such great importance? And why should we now be concerned with it?

One of the strongest reasons for concern is that it serves to establish and strengthen our faith. We need everything that God has provided to this end, in order that we may not weaken during trials and under attacks by those who try to destroy our faith. Moreover, we want to be able to prove to others that Jesus Christ is the Messiah​—to present a strong basis on which others can exercise faith.

Now, with regard to Jesus’ genealogy, there are a few problems, all solvable. This very fact gives weight to the authenticity of the genealogy. For, although the Hebrews, who kept the genealogical records through the ages, knew that the Messiah was to come in Abraham’s line of descent, they at first did not know that it would be restricted to the line of Judah, Abraham’s great-grandson and, later, to the descendants of King David. Further, they did not know ahead of time that the legal kingly right would be through David’s son, Solomon. Neither did they know when and how the Messiah would arrive. If the genealogy was perfectly smooth, with no difficulties, no legal adoptions, and so forth, we would have good reason to have strong suspicion that the genealogy had been “doctored.” So some difficulties in untangling the line of descent gives greater evidence of its being an honest record.

It is good, therefore, to consider this most important genealogy and to see the amazing accuracy and extent of it, for it is more detailed and comprehensive than any other ‘family tree’ in human history. We will be convinced that God carefully watched over this line of descent and saw that it was properly recorded, at times by men who had no idea of its real importance.

GENEALOGICAL LISTS ESTABLISH CHRIST’S MESSIAHSHIP

There are four primary lists of Christ’s line of descent, three of them beginning with Adam, and they appear in the Bible as follows: (1) Genesis and Ruth; (2) 1 Chronicles, chapters 1-3; (3) Matthew, chapter 1; and (4) Luke, chapter 3 (Luke actually runs back from Jesus to Adam). With one exception,a they agree exactly from Adam to Solomon, the son of David. Then, parallel to Solomon, Luke lists Nathan, another son of David. To this point Luke traces the genealogy of Jesus from Heli, the father of Mary, the wife of Joseph, thereby proving Jesus’ natural right to the Messiahship as a son of David, for Jesus had no earthly father, being the foster son of Joseph, but the actual Son of God by a miracle.​—Luke 1:34, 35.

REASONS FOR DIFFERENCES IN ANCESTRAL LISTS

The account by Matthew traces Jesus’ descent in the line of Solomon, through which the legal right to the throne of David ran. Therefore Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts purposely differ on lines of descent from David down to Jesus. It is noteworthy, however, that both writers take care to make it clear that Jesus was not actually the son of Joseph, but was the true natural son of Mary. Matthew says: “Jacob became father to Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.” (Matt. 1:16) Luke says: “Jesus himself, when he commenced his work, was about thirty years old, being the son, as the opinion was, of Joseph.”​—Luke 3:23.

There are different names in the Chronicles account from those of Matthew, who follows Solomon’s line, as do the Chronicles. These names appear after Zerubbabel, the nineteenth after Solomon. This difference can easily be explained by the fact that in many Bible genealogies some links are left out. A good example is found in Ezra’s genealogy, in which he showed that he was a priest. (Ezra 7:1-5) His list omitted several names that are found in a parallel listing at 1 Chronicles 6:3-14. Why did Ezra leave these names out? He likely did this to avoid unnecessary repetition and to shorten the long list. Also, he may have used only the best-known names, just as today, a person wanting to prove that he was a descendant of some famous man, such as George Washington, would need only to name a few of the most recognizable, acknowledged descendants of the famous man, and show that his own father or grandfather was one of them. Ezra used what was needed to serve his purpose, and achieved it. This practice appears in some other Bible genealogies.

JESUS’ OPPONENTS COULD NOT CHALLENGE PUBLIC RECORDS

As to Matthew’s and Luke’s listing of Jesus’ genealogy, they doubtless got their list from the public register in the town of Bethlehem of Judah, where Jesus was born. (Luke 2:1-5; Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:1-6) There is a remarkable fact that should end any doubt about Jesus’ being both the natural heir of David, and the one having the legal right to David’s throne, since he was the firstborn son (actually foster-son) of a man descended from King Solomon. It is this: None of Jesus’ enemies among the Jews ever challenged his descent from David, either on the side of his mother or of his foster-father. Now we know that the Pharisees and Sadducees were as eager as a pack of wolves, seeking any possible way to discredit Jesus. But they could not deny the official birth registers, well known to the people and available for anyone to check. Neither did the pagan enemies attack Jesus’ genealogy until after the Jewish records were destroyed when the Romans invaded and destroyed Jerusalem. Then, of course, no one could check their lying claims with the public records.

Jesus, being the long-looked-for Messiah, fulfilled and closed the Bible genealogy. He gained the throne of David, to sit on it without successors. (Luke 1:31-33) He was used by God to establish a new priesthood, he now being in heaven as a “high priest according to the manner of Melchizedek forever,” not of the Levitical priesthood of the Jews. (Heb. 6:20; 7:11-14, 23, 24) The Biblical record of Jesus’ genealogy remains in the Bible as part of the foundation of our faith and as a testimony to the sureness of the word and promises of God.

[Footnotes]

[Chart on pages 14, 15]

BIBLE LISTS OF JESUS’ GENEALOGY

Adam Adam Adam

Seth Seth Seth

Enosh Enosh Enos

Kenan Kenan Cainan

Mahalalel Mahalalel Mahalaleel

Jared Jared Jared

Enoch Enoch Enoch

Methuselah Methuselah Methuselah

Lamech Lamech Lamech

Noah Noah Noah

Shem Shem Shem

Shelah Shelah Shelah

Eber Eber Eber

Peleg Peleg Peleg

Reu Reu Reu

Terah Terah Terah

Isaac Isaac Isaac Isaac

Perez Perez Perez Perez

Hezron Hezron Hezron Hezron

Ram Ram Arni (Ram?) Ram

Amminadab Amminadab Amminadab Amminadab

Nahshon Nahshon Nahshon Nahshon

Obed Obed Obed Obed

Jesse Jesse Jesse Jesse

Solomon Nathanb Solomon

Rehoboam Mattatha Rehoboam

Abijah Menna Abijah

Asa Melea Asa

Jehoshaphat Eliakim Jehoshaphat

Ahaziah Judas

Jehoash Symeon

Amaziah Levi

Azariah (Uzziah) Matthat Uzziah (Azariah)

Jotham Jorim Jotham

Ahaz Eliezer Ahaz

Hezekiah Jesus Hezekiah

Manasseh Er Manasseh

Amon Elmadam Amon

Jehoiakim Melchi

Zerubbabele Zerubbabel Zerubbabel

Rhesa

Hananiah Joanan Abiud

Jeshaiah Joda

Josech Eliakim

Rephaiah Semein

Arnan Mattathias Azor

Maath

Obadiah Naggai Zadok

Esli

Shecaniah Nahum Achim

Shemaiah Amos Eliud

Mattathias

Neariah Joseph

Jannai Eleazar

Elioenai Melchi

Levi Matthan

Matthat

Jesus Jesus

(Mary’s son) (foster son)

[Footnotes]

[Pictures on page 14]

Adam

Abraham

[Picture on page 15]

Genealogical records clearly affirm JESUS as the Messiah