Can We Learn Anything from Jesus' Genealogy?

Genealogy is the study of family history.  Different people embrace this activity or hobby for different reasons. 

 

Some are simply looking to have fun, and for entertainment purposes, they research their family history and family tree.  For others, they are in search of significance or importance for what they otherwise see as an uneventful or meaningless life. 

 

Many spend countless hours and countless dollars and a lot energy on their genealogy, and our Mormon friends are also interested in such so that their dead family members can be baptized by proxy in what is known in the Mormon Church as baptism for the dead. 

 

In Matthew’s gospel and Luke’s gospel, you will find the genealogy of Jesus.  Before I direct your attention to the differences between the two records, consider these five reasons why genealogies were important in Bible times according to Pastor John MacArthur:

 

1. your family tree determined land divisions.
2. your family tree determined your inheritance rights.
3. your family tree was vital to the idea of kinsmen redeemer as in Ruth.
4. your family tree determined the amount of taxes you paid.
5. your family tree determined one’s eligibility to serve as a priest.

 

As for Jesus’ genealogy, you can find it in Matthew 1:1-17 and in our text for this morning, Luke 3:23-38. However, it may surprise you that the two accounts are very different from one another. 

 

First, Matthew’s account works from the past to the present.  Luke’s account works backward from the present to the past.

 

Second, Matthew’s account includes 42 names.  Luke’s account includes 77 names. 

 

Third, Matthew’s account traces Jesus’ lineage back to Abraham.  Luke’s account traces Jesus’ lineage back to Adam.

 

Why the discrepancies?  The honest answer is that we simply don’t have enough information as to why the two accounts are vastly different. 

 

Are they discrepancies irreconcilable?  No, we just don’t have all the necessary information to answer dogmatically. 

 

My answer to you this morning is that Matthew is tracing Jesus’ lineage through Joseph.  Luke is tracing Jesus’ lineage through Mary, and consequently, you will see in Luke’s gospel a greater emphasis on Mary as Matthew puts more emphasis on Joseph.  These two genealogies even come together as both Joseph and Mary were descendents of Adam, Abraham, and David.

 

In our remaining time, let me answer for you the question that serves as my sermon title, “Can we learn anything from the genealogy of Jesus?”  Absolutely, we can.

 

 

1. Jesus’ Genealogy Acknowledges His Ministry, 3:23.

23 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age,

 

Luke tells us that Jesus was 30 years old when He was baptized and began His public ministry.  I think you will find it interesting to know that other biblical characters also began certain ministries at 30 years of age. 

 

In Genesis 41:46, Joseph became the prime minister of Egypt. 

 

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

 

In 2 Samuel 5:4, David was 30 years old when he became king of Israel. 

 

4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

 

In Ezekiel 1:1, Ezekiel began his prophetic ministry when he was 30 years old.

 

1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

 

For me personally, 30 will always be significant as I was 30 years old when I pastored a church for the very first time.  Jesus’ genealogy acknowledges His ministry.

 

 

2. Jesus’ Genealogy Affirms His Deity, Luke 3:23.

23 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli…

 

Notice in verse 23 what Luke writes regarding Jesus’ relationship with Joseph.  He wrote, “…being, as supposed, the son of Joseph.” 

 

Did Luke not know that Jesus was born of a virgin?  Of course he did.  He described the miraculous conception in chapter 1.  See Luke 1:35.

 

35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

 

Why did he write this?  Even though Luke knew that Jesus was born of a virgin and was the Son of God, to the general population, Jesus was the son of Joseph. 

 

That is what the public supposed because Joseph was married to Mary and had adopted Jesus.  In a very unique fashion, in Jesus’ genealogy, Luke affirmed His deity or being God.

 

 

3. Jesus’ Genealogy Announced His Humanity, Luke 3:24-38.

 

I want to point out four names in this genealogy that are certainly more recognizable than others. 

 

First, notice that Jesus was the son of David in verse 31 meaning Jesus was of the royal line and a fulfillment of prophecy.  Second, notice that Jesus was the son of Abraham in verse 34 meaning that Jesus was the Savior for the Jews.  He was the promised Messiah. 

 

Third, notice that Jesus was the son of Adam in verse 38 meaning that Jesus was the Savior not only for the Jews but for all of humanity.  God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son that anyone who believes in Him would not die by have eternal life. 

 

Fourth, Jesus had to be like man to be the Savior of man, but to be the Savior of anyone and everyone, He had to be like God, and that is where this text ends in verse 38.  Jesus was the only begotten Son of God.

 

 

Conclusion

Let me show you two more Scriptures, and we’ll be done.  See Romans 5:17-19 and 1 Corinthians 15:45-49. 

 

17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)  18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

 

45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.  46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

 

If you don’t hear anything else this morning, hear this.  Jesus is not just the Savior for the Jews.  He is the Savior of the world: red, yellow, black and white, male and female, young and old, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, good and bad, and everyone else that somehow got left out. 

 

Will you confess Him as your Savior today for the very first time?