The Genealogy Of Christ

By David Padfield

As the Jews questioned the Deity of Christ, Jesus said, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39). Many Old Testament promises find their fulfillment in the genealogy of Christ (Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38). Let us notice a few of the great truths we can find in the genealogy of our Lord.

1. It proves Christ is the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. Through the fleshly seed of Abraham, all nations of the earth were going to be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3; cf. Galatians 3:15-29). The Messiah was not just to be a descendant of Abraham, but would also be a descendant of Isaac (Genesis 21:12), Jacob (Genesis 28:13, 14), Judah (Genesis 49:10), Jesse (Isaiah 11:1, 10), and David (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Matthew starts off his record by giving us "the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1).

2. It proves Christ's right to sit on the throne of David. Jacob said, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes" (Genesis 49:10). Shiloh, "the bringer of peace," is none other than Jesus. The angel Gabriel told Mary "the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David" (Luke 1:32). In the first gospel sermon preached in the name of our risen Lord, Peter referred to David and said, "being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne" (Acts 2:30). Christ has been raised from the grave and now sits on the throne of His Father (Revelation 3:21).

3. It proves Christ's throne would not be on this earth. When God pronounced a curse upon Jeconiah (also known as Coniah), He said "none of his descendants shall prosper, sitting on the throne of David, and ruling anymore in Judah." (Jeremiah 22:30)Since Christ is a descendant of Jeconiah (Matthew 1:12), He cannot rule in the land of Judah. The throne of Christ is in heaven (Hebrews 8:1). Christ is also a priest on His throne (Zechariah 6:13; Hebrews 7:17).

4. It shows the importance of the Gentiles. In Matthew 1:5 we read, "Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth." Rahab had been a heathen prostitute in Jericho (Joshua 2:1). Ruth was a heathen woman from the land of Moab; she became an ancestor of King David and Jesus.

5. It proves there can never be another Messiah. At the destruction of Jerusalem, the Roman army destroyed all of the birth records of the Jewish people. Since the genealogy of the Messiah would be needed to prove His right to sit on the throne of David, there can never be another Messiah.

Simeon was a just man who "waited for the Consolation of Israel" (Luke 2:25). "It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ" (Luke 2:26). When Mary and Joseph brought our Lord into the temple after His birth, Simeon picked up Jesus and said, "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel" (Luke 2:29-32). &

 The Lineage of Jesus and Biblical Accuracy

By Joe R. Price

Those who wish to reject the Bible as the verbally inspired word of God think they establish their case by claiming inconsistencies in the recorded lineages of Jesus, Matthew 1 and Luke 3. A Bible question just received asks about one variation on this theme:

“Concerning the lineage of Christ. An atheist claims to have found an error in scripture. Please help me, as I am unable to refute. He made a couple of arguments. 1. Since Jesus was not from the actual line of Joseph, Jesus is disqualified as messiah. Jesus lacked the tribal identification through the male line.”

Matthew 1 and Luke 3 offer different genealogies for Jesus that merge when they arrive at King David (to whom the Messianic promise was made, 2 Sam. 7:12-14; Matt. 1:6; Luke. 3:31).

The genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:1-17 established his legal lineage and his right to claim the throne of David. It is Joseph’s ancestry that constituted this Jewish requirement. While it is true that Jesus was not literally from the body of Joseph, he was nevertheless the carpenter’s son (Matt. 13:55). Joseph exercised a father’s prerogative to name his son (Matt. 1:25; cf. Luke. 1:62). Mary referred to Joseph as the father of Jesus in Luke 2:48. Joseph raised Jesus as His adopted son (look closely at the wording of Matt. 1:16 to see that although Joseph did not “beget” Jesus, he was “the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ”). Anyone claiming the right to inherit the throne of David would have his lineage scrutinized to see if such a claim would be legitimate. So, as Matthew introduces Jesus Christ as “the Son of David” (a Messianic expression), he gives the lineage that establishes his case (Matt. 1:1).

While Jesus’ legal claim to the throne is established through the genealogy in Matthew 1, his physical lineage is recorded in Luke 3:23-38 (Mary…David…Judah…Jacob…Abraham…Adam). Jesus, the “Son of Man,” was from the tribe of Judah (see Heb. 7:13-14).

It is indeed curious that if Jesus’ claim of Messiah is discredited by a false and faulty lineage, why didn’t the high priest and the Sanhedrin council offer this “proof” into evidence against Jesus when they put him on trial (Matt. 26:59-66). The best they could do was to gather false witnesses (liars) against Him. There was no valid evidence against Jesus. The genealogical records of Jesus establish both his legal and physical claim as the Messiah. The Bible accurately records the evidence. &

One Solitary Life

Author Unknown

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. Then for three years, he was an itinerant preacher. He never set foot in a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place he was born. He never wrote a book, or held an office. He did none of these things that usually accompany greatness. While he was still a young man, the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends deserted him. He was turned over to his enemies, and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, His executioners gambled for the only piece of property he had – his coat. When he was dead, he was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave. Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure for much of the human race. All of the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever sailed, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together have not affected the life of a man upon this earth as powerfully as this One Solitary Life. &

What Is a Sound Church?

Author Unknown

A “sound” church is not merely a church with a big name (Rev. 3:1, 15-17), or a church that is sound in doctrine (Acts 20:20, 26, 27, 31; I Tim. 1:3; Rev. 2:3-5), although it will be sound in doctrine.

A “sound” church is one that is “healthy” overall, not just in certain areas. A “sound” church is one that seeks to be scripturally organized with qualified men serving as elders and deacons (Acts 14:23; Phil. 1:1; 3 John 9; Titus 1:5). A “sound” church is one in which every member knows his place and fills it. (Josh. 6:5, 20; Judges 7:15-21; 1 Peter 5:2, 3; 1 Tim. 3:8, 9; Eph. 4:16)

A “sound” church is one whose members demand (not merely tolerate) plain, strong, doctrinal preaching. (2 Tim. 4:2-4; Acts 20:28-32; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1; 1 Tim. 1:19, 20; 2 Tim. 2:16-18; 4:10, 14; Titus 1:10-13; 3 John 9)

A “sound” church is one whose members are not content with what is being done, but aspire to do even more.  (Phil. 1:3-5; 4:10-18; 3:13,14; Col. 1:3-8; 1:9,10; 1 Thess. 1:2-4,6-8; 4:1,10) &