Craig Keener: Understanding Jesus' Genealogy

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What's the point of including genealogies in the Bible? Why are they included in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and what's the reason for some of the differences in them? In this Seven Minute Seminary, Dr. Craig Keener explains the function of Jesus' genealogies.

[@lanabowers5332]

The genealogies in Matthew & Luke are of Mary & Joseph. The genealogical list in Matthew from David to Jacob-Heli (spanning about 1000 years) contains 27 generations of 40 years, so as to comply with the 40 year royal generational standard. Luke, on the other hand, gives 40 generations of a more comprehensible 25 years each. Hence, Luke places Jesus in the 20th generation from Zerubbabel, whereas Matthew places him in the 11th generation from Zerubbabel. SUMMARY: Matthew--27 generatio s of 40 years from Solomon. Patriarchal--Zerubbabel's father's line. Luke-- 40 generations of 25 years from Nathan. Matriarchal--Zerubbabel's mother's line. Also, Mary & Joseph were related. Josephwas Mary's great-aunt Gadat's son.

[@ivanos_95]

Those are clearly two different genealogies, one is a paternal genealogy that focuses on Joseph as the biological father of Jesus, while the other is a maternal genealogy that focuses on Mary, because if you look at the genealogy in Luke, it starts from focusing strictly on Joseph as the father of Jesus and goes all the way back to Adam as the primal (genetic) ancestor of Jesus, without mentioning Mary at all, while the genealogy in Matthew starts from Abraham as the primal (spiritual) ancestor of Jesus, and mentions Joseph as only the husband of Mary, or son in law and spiritual leader of the family, since a female can't play this role in the Temple-Jewish tradition, however the genealogy itself ends with focus on Mary as the parent of Jesus, and so the second genealogy is focused on the lineage of Mary from the genetic point of view.

[@erasmushousepublishing6190]

Incredible insight! Thank you, Dr Keener. The genealogy, far from being a cold rote of names, really so clearly forming the foundation for the gospel that follows.

[@armandotimothy3921]

I realize I am quite off topic but does anybody know of a good place to watch newly released series online?

[@keagansilas2259]

@Armando Timothy I use FlixZone. You can find it by googling :)

[@bodiejairo2140]

@Armando Timothy I watch on FlixZone. You can find it by googling :)

[@jenniewren9351]

Love this! Perfect length for me to show, then discuss at my Christmas and craft group this week.

[@bouncycastle955]

I'd have a lot more respect for Christian's if they'd just be honest and say that one, or both of the gospels fucked up. The desperation in explanations like this gives me intense secondhand embarrassment.

[@darkknightsds]

How is this desperation? Did you not listen at all? He's explaining the literary mechanism of the genealogy, dispatching small minded theists and atheists alike who think taking something like this literally actually matters.

[@bouncycastle955]

@@darkknightsds Yes, I did listen. I listened while he, like so many others, invented outlandish explanations for an obvious, blatant biblical contradiction. This isn't something that was done. It would be another story if we had other examples of people in history doing this, but we don't. As he said, genealogies were important and descendants of royal lines would know theirs, Jesus didn't. The authors had to invent them because no one had a clue.