Subject: Why are some ancestors not listed? |
Bible Note: Hi, EdB; Thanks for the reply. It may be that Matthew was commenting on the perfection and symmetry of God's plan - something much more important than the genealogy of a man, Joseph, who was not Jesus' genetic father anyway. God is superior to and larger than his creation (even though his creation is currently less than what he created). Similarly, his plan of reconciliation through a covenant stretching from his calling of Abraham to his gift of Jesus is superior to and larger than mere generations of men. If the human numbers don't work out quite right, what does it matter? God's plan is still perfect. Perhaps Mattew's message was that in all things, we must conform our understanding of this imperfect world to God's perfect plan. We must never (as happens so frequently in mainline denominations like mine) conform God's perfection to the reality of this fallen world. Counting Jeconiah twice may have been Matthew's way of conforming the reality of this world to the greater reality of God's perfect nature. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |