Morning Bible Study: Luke 3:23-38

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

23 As he began his ministry, Jesus was about thirty years old and was thought to be the

son of Joseph, son of Heli,

24 son of Matthat, son of Levi,

son of Melchi, son of Jannai,

son of Joseph, 

25 son of Mattathias,

son of Amos, son of Nahum,

son of Esli, son of Naggai,

26 son of Maath, son of Mattathias,

son of Semein, son of Josech,

son of Joda, 

27 son of Joanan,

son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel,

son of Shealtiel, son of Neri,

28 son of Melchi, son of Addi,

son of Cosam, son of Elmadam,

son of Er, 

29 son of Joshua,

son of Eliezer, son of Jorim,

son of Matthat, son of Levi,

30 son of Simeon, son of Judah,

son of Joseph, son of Jonam,

son of Eliakim, 

31 son of Melea,

son of Menna, son of Mattatha,

son of Nathan, son of David,

32 son of Jesse, son of Obed,

son of Boaz, son of Salmon,

son of Nahshon, 

33 son of Amminadab,

son of Ram, son of Hezron,

son of Perez, son of Judah,

34 son of Jacob, son of Isaac,

son of Abraham, son of Terah,

son of Nahor, 

35 son of Serug,

son of Reu, son of Peleg,

son of Eber, son of Shelah,

36 son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad,

son of Shem, son of Noah,

son of Lamech, 

37 son of Methuselah,

son of Enoch, son of Jared,

son of Mahalalel, son of Cainan,

38 son of Enos, son of Seth,

son of Adam, son of God.

Commentary

(the following is from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, 1706 -- www.christianity.com)

"The list of names ends thus, "Who was the son of Adam, the son of God;" that is, the offspring of God by creation. Christ was both the son of Adam and the Son of God, that he might be a proper Mediator between God and the sons of Adam, and might bring the sons of Adam to be, through him, the sons of God. All flesh, as descended from the first Adam, is as grass, and withers as the flower of the field; but he who partakes of the Holy Spirit of life from the Second Adam, has that eternal happiness, which by the gospel is preached unto us."

My notes;

It's tempting to skip over these long genealogy lists. However, there are some important facts to notice here. Read the genealogy list from the bottom to the top. 

• Jesus is descended from one of two Old Testament figures that are said to have not died a natural death, but instead are taken up by God, Enoch in this case. In Enoch's case, Genesis 5:24: Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him. 
• The Gospel of Luke also tells us that Jesus comes through Abraham, then Isaac and Jacob, and through the tribe of Judah, not the tribe of Levi from which the Levitical priesthood was formed. 
• Jesus is also descended from Ruth (Book of Ruth) and Boaz, through their son Obed. Ruth was born a Moabite and "grafted" into the family of God through conversion to Judaism.
• And Obed was the grandfather of King David, who himself was not born into the role of king but was placed by God into this role. Saul (the first king of Israel) was descended from the tribe of Benjamin, while David (the second king of Israel) we know was from the tribe of Judah.        

Conclusions from some of these entries in the genealogy: These people I mentioned are noted for how they are in one way or another "selected" by God and set apart. Holy = to be set apart for a purpose. And the noted figures are not what one would expect, ie outside the Levitical priesthood, born to a Moabite woman, a "chosen" king of Israel, not the son of the king.      lm