What does EGW write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "Contradictions in the Genealogy of Jesus"
Answer
The apparent contradictions in the genealogies of Matthew and Luke can be explained by the different objectives of the evangelists. While Matthew emphasizes the royal succession through Solomon to present Jesus as the rightful heir to the throne, Luke either shows the private paternal lineage of Joseph or the actual biological descent through Mary. These different approaches serve to confirm Jesus both as the legal heir of David's throne and as his actual physical descendant.
Harmonizing the Royal and Private Genealogies
The simple fact that one evangelist presents the genealogy that contains the successive heirs of the throne of David and Solomon, while the other presents the paternal line of the one who was the heir, explains all the anomalies of the two genealogies, their agreements as well as their discrepancies, and the fact that there are two in the first place.
The Role of Mary in Luke's Genealogy
Godet, Lange, and many others hold the view that Luke records Mary's genealogy... In this case Mary, as explained in the Targums, was the daughter of Heli, and Heli was Jesus' grandfather. Mary's name was omitted because “the prevailing mindset of the time did not allow the mention of the mother as a genealogical link.”
Two Fathers for Joseph?
The absolute necessity for the two genealogies thus appears obvious; but there is an apparent discrepancy that must be resolved. According to [Matthew], Joseph is the son of Jacob, and according to [Luke], he is the son of Heli. He could hardly be the son of both.
The Royal versus the Legal Genealogy
The line in Matthew is the royal line through Solomon, which ends in Joseph. The line in Luke is the legal line through Nathan, an older brother, which ends in Mary.
The Significance of Paternal Descent
The Gospel of Matthew is... Joseph's genealogy as the rightful successor to David's throne, i.e., it shows the successive heirs of the kingdom... Luke is Joseph's private genealogy, which reveals his actual birth as a son of David and thus explains why he was the heir of Solomon's crown.
- Genealogy of Jesus Matthew Luke Comparison
- Genealogy Mary Heli
- Succession of the throne David Solomon Nathan
Original Sources (English)
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