Asbury Bible Commentary – C. The Genealogy of Jesus (3:23-38)
Resources chevron-right Asbury Bible Commentary chevron-right C. The Genealogy of Jesus (3:23-38)
C. The Genealogy of Jesus (3:23-38)

C. The Genealogy of Jesus (3:23-38)

Both Matthew and Luke give the genealogy or family tree of Jesus. Attempts have been made to explain the differences between the two accounts, but there is no clear solution to the problem. Luke’s genealogy was traced through Joseph rather than Mary because Jesus was legally the son of Joseph. There are three important features about his genealogy. First, it traces Jesus' descent from David, showing him to be the Messiah of the house of David. Second, it traces his descent from Adam, showing his relationship to the whole human race (the genealogy in Mt 1:1-17 goes back only to Abraham). Third, it describes Adam as the son of God, implying a contrast between Adam, the son who yielded to temptation, and Jesus, the Son who resisted temptation.