Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 31:2 (Jun 1988)
Article: The Genealogy Of Jesus
Author: R. P. Nettelhorst

JETS 31:2 (June 1988) p. 169

The Genealogy Of Jesus

R. P. Nettelhorst*

An old problem for expositors has been the apparently contradictory genealogies of Christ given in Matthew and Luke. Matthew traces Jesus’ lineage through forty-two generations from Abraham to Christ. Luke traces it from Adam to Christ for more than seventy generations.

It is unnecessary to examine in detail the genealogy between Adam and Abraham in Luke. That genealogy appears to derive from the Old Testament (1 Chr 1:1–4, 24–27; Gen 5:3–32; 11:10–26). Matthew gives no listing from Adam to Abraham, so no problems arise there. Both Matthew and Luke list the people from Abraham to David, but again there is no problem. The two genealogies are nearly identical at that point.

The problem that has confounded readers of the NT is found in the listing of names between David and Joseph. Matthew traces Joseph’s line through Solomon and the successive kings of Judah. Luke, however, gives a completely different account, tracing Joseph’s line through Nathan, Solomon’s brother: