Sermonette Outline: The Two Genealogies of Christ
Title: “The Two Genealogies of Christ”
SPS: To explain why there are two genealogies of Christ – one in Matthew and one in Luke.
Key Scripture: Matthew 1
Supporting Scriptures:
Jer.22:30, Luke 3:23, Num.27:1-7,36:6-7
Intro:
Have you ever wondered sometimes why the Bible mentions two genealogies of Christ – one in Matthew 1 and another in Luke 3? The most confusing thing about them is that they are totally different! Brethren, why are these two genealogies both in the Bible? Did God goof up and let this error into the Bible? Can we learn anything from them?
- Matthew’s Genealogy
- That of Joseph…
- Legal purposes – Jews’ custom in keeping records to trace descent through the father. He was writing to show the Jews that through Joseph, Christ was of the tribe of Judah and was “eligible” to be the Messiah.
- Joseph’s lineage given to emphasize the fact that Christ had to be born of a virgin. He could not be a literal son of Joseph even though a legal one:
- Jeconiah (Jeconias, Coniah, Jehoiachin) was one of His ancestors.
- Matt.1:11-12 Josiah begot Jeconiah
- Jer.22:30 “Write this man down as childless, A man who shall not prosper in his days; For none of his descendants shall prosper. Sitting on the throne of David, and ruling anymore in Judah.”
- Jeconiah had children but God said that he would never more have a descendant to reign on the throne. Therefore a child of Joseph would never be never be qualified to rule on the throne, (including Christ)
- Luke’s Genealogy:
- This is Mary’s. Jewish custom – Mary’s genealogy was given under her husband’s name.
- Luke 3:23 Joseph was “of Heli” = he was the son-in-law since his father was Jacob (Matt 1:16) “Jacob begot Joseph”
- Mary’s blood lineage – no block to the throne of David (Her ancestor was David’s other son, Nathan – (Luke 3:31) God had promised David that He would establish his throne forever – fulfilled that promise through making Nathan the ancestor of the promised King who would sit on David’s throne through eternity.
- How could Mary transmit David’s royal inheritance? All inheritances had to pass through the male descendants.
- Num.27:1-7,36:6-7 When a daughter was the only heir, she could inherit her father’s possessions and rights if she married within her own tribe. Apparently, Mary had no brothers. Joseph became heir by marriage to Mary – and inherited the right to rule on David’s throne. – this right passed on to Christ.
- Summary:
- Joseph’s genealogy shows Christ was a descendant of Jeconiah and thus could not sit on the throne through inheriting the right through Joseph. It further proves the virgin birth: The curse on Jeconiah’s line would have passed on to Christ if He were Joseph’s real son, but He wasn’t — He was begotten by the Holy Spirit and was the Son of God. But Christ was Mary’s son through Nathan and can inherit the throne legally because of her marriage to Joseph, whose genealogy shows he was of the tribe of Judah.
