Subject: what was Mary's geneology |
Bible Note: Actually, Luke 3:23 (NASB) says Jesus "was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph," whereas the Matthew account says "Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born." Textually, the intention of Luke 3:23 is not perfectly clear. However, there are many reasons why correlating Luke to Mary and Matthew to Joseph seems valid (see my 2/18/02 response to "how is that so?") This evidence seems to make assuming Luke traced through Joseph's father-in-law reasonable, especially when one remembers that this was a highly paternalistic society (though clan was inherited from the mother). Also, if Matthew's declaration that his account deals with the lineage of Joseph weren't enough, the name Jechonias confirms that it is Joseph's lineage, for, according to Jer 22:30, Jechonias's "seed" was not to produce any king (and by blood he never did, but Jesus adopted the royal status from David/Solomon/Jechonias' regal line). Thus Luke's lineage must be another line, and ascribing it to Mary seems reasonable. Does this address the issue fully? |