Past to Future

Luke 3:23-38 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melki, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, 38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
 
THIS genealogy of Jesus’ human birth is different than Matthew 1:1-17. Many ask, “Why the different genealogies?” Such a difference could be reason, too, for some to say, “See, the Bible contradicts itself with the different accounts of Jesus’ life.  
   The different generations are debated among many, but the simplest explanation in this space is that Matthew’s genealogy is the history of Joseph’s ancestors, beginning with Abraham and going to Jesus. And Luke’s list is considered to be directed in part to Mary’s family history, which becomes the Jews’ and mankind’s history as Luke follows the line to Adam. Neither genealogy has every generation, but they have enough to trace the necessary heritage of the Son of God become man. Note that Luke says He was the son it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli. This is affirming Jesus was not Joseph’s son.
   In addition, Matthew, the Jew, wrote to convince the Jews that Jesus is the Savior prophesied to Abraham. Luke, the Gentile, pointed all people to Jesus’ as Savior for all mankind. As Luke has detailed Jesus’ Heaven-sent birth in Luke 1-2, he here teaches us of Jesus’ human lineage to Adam. In Jesus’ heaven and human origins, we can see the evidence of Jesus as fully God, who became fully man in the way the Father had promised. The genealogies help us know the Bible has revealed God’s plan for mankind’s salvation from ages past. And thus, we can trust his saving promises for the ages to come.
   Luke places this evidence directly after Jesus’ baptism and before the actions of his ministry. This is the historian defining the truth claims of Christians. Luke has given us evidence to this point that Jesus is the Son of God, Son of Man, come to proclaim the Kingdom of God.