Genealogy of Jesus Christ

The New Testament provides two varying accounts of the genealogy of Jesus, one in the Gospel of Matthew and another in the Gospel of Luke. Matthew's starts with Abraham, while Luke begins with Adam. The lists are identical between Abraham and David, but differ radically from that point. David the king begat Solomon.

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There are 27 generations listed from David to Jesus in Matthew's genealogy, while Luke 3:23-31 has 42. Except for David at one end and Jesus at the other, only three names in the two lists that are the same. Traditional Christian scholars (starting with the historian Eusebius). Biblical scholars such as Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan see both genealogies as inventions, to bring the Messianic claims into conformity with Jewish criteria.

Matthew 1:6-16

27 Generations

1. And David the king begat Solomon ...

2. And Solomon begat Roboam;

3. and Roboam begat Abia;

4. and Abia begat Asa;

5. And Asa begat Josaphat;

6. and Josaphat begat Joram;

7. and Joram begat Ozias;

8. And Ozias begat Joatham;

9. and Joatham begat Achaz;

10. and Achaz begat Ezekias;

11. And Ezekias begat Manasses;

12. and Manasses begat Amon;

13. and Amon begat Josias;

14. And Josias begat Jechonias

15. ... and Jechonias begat Salathiel;

16. and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;

17. And Zorobabel begat Abiud;

18. and Abiud begat Eliakim;

19. and Eliakim begat Azor;

20. And Azor begat Sadoc;

21. and Sadoc begat Achim;

22. and Achim begat Eliud;

23. And Eliud begat Eleazar;

24. and Eleazar begat Matthan;

25. and Matthan begat Jacob;

26. And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary,

27. of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Luke 3:23-31

42 Generations

1. And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph,
2. which was the son of Heli,
3. Which was the son of Matthat,
4. which was the son of Levi,
5. which was the son of Melchi,
6. which was the son of Janna,
7. which was the son of Joseph,
8. Which was the son of Mattathias,
9. which was the son of Amos,
10. which was the son of Naum,
11. which was the son of Esli,
12. which was the son of Nagge,
13. Which was the son of Maath,
14. which was the son of Mattathias,
15. which was the son of Semei,
16. which was the son of Joseph,
17. which was the son of Juda,
18. Which was the son of Joanna,
19. which was the son of Rhesa,
20. which was the son of Zorobabel,
21. which was the son of Salathiel,
22. which was the son of Neri,
23. Which was the son of Melchi,
24. which was the son of Addi,
25. which was the son of Cosam,
26. which was the son of Elmodam,
27. which was the son of Er,
28. Which was the son of Jose,
29. which was the son of Eliezer,
30. which was the son of Jorim,
31. which was the son of Matthat,
32. which was the son of Levi,
33. Which was the son of Simeon,
34. which was the son of Juda,
35. which was the son of Joseph,
36. which was the son of Jonan,
37. which was the son of Eliakim,
38. Which was the son of Melea,
39. which was the son of Menan,
40. which was the son of Mattatha,
41. which was the son of Nathan,
42. which was the son of David.

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Jesus's paternal grandfather Jacob or Heli?

And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Matthew 1:16

And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli. Luke 3:23

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Luke is not genealogy of Mary

Often some say genealogy in Matthew is Jesus’s, they say, but the one in Luke is Mary’s. That Luke’s genealogy never mentions Mary and explicitly says that it is Jesus's doesn’t concern them. In addition, Luke 1:36 says that Mary is a cousin of Elizabeth, who is a descendant of Levi (Luke 1:5). So Luke’s genealogy couldn't be Mary’s since it descends from Judah (Luke 3:33) not Levi.

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Conflicts with Matthew account and rest of Bible

Dived into groups of 14.

Matthew 1:6-11 gives the same genealogy as is given 1 Chronicles 3:11-12, 15-16, except Matthew, leaves out four generations (Joash, Amaziah, Azariah, and Jehoiakim).  One highly probable reason for this manipulation is to maintain the 14 generations per group as  shown above.

11 Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,

12 Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son,

15 And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum.

16 And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son.-1 Chronicles 3 King James Version

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Genealogies foolish?

Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. - 1 Timothy 1:4 King James Version

But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. - Titus 3:9 King James Version

Why would Matthew and Luke even trouble with genealogy?