How can Jesus be the Son of David when he's not Joseph's biological son?

by Questioning Christian
(USA)

We know for a fact that Jesus is not Joseph's biological son, Luke 3:23, but we cannot overlook the possibility that Joseph and Jesus were still blood relatives.

Your question assumes something we don't know and cannot prove, that Jesus is not a blood relative of Joseph. I believe Jesus probably was related by blood to Joseph although Joseph was not His biological father.

Matthew and Luke's genealogies are presented for a practical purpose, to show us the real humanity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He was truly God yet He was also truly human.

Matthew 1:1 tells us this is "the book of the generation of Jesus Christ." Although Matthew 1:16 seems to indicate that this is the genealogy of Joseph (the legal but not the biological father of Jesus), we approach the question with God's assurance that this is "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ."

That is enough for us to trust the accuracy of the genealogy and that it IS indeed the genuine genealogy of Jesus' human ancestors. Because of their similarities then, both Matthew and Luke give the genealogy of Jesus.

Luke 3:23 seems to indicate that Dr. Luke is giving the genealogy of Joseph although some understand Luke to be giving Mary's genealogy. Luke carefully parses his words so that readers understand Joseph is not the biological father of Jesus, Luke 3:23.

Matthew, Luke and God were no doubt well aware that presenting the genealogies this way would raise questions. Therefore Matthew and Luke were careful to also indicate that Jesus is Messiah, God in the flesh, Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:35, 47.

Here are the facts we have

1. God tells us clearly that Matthew's genealogy IS the generation of Jesus Christ, Matthew 1:1.
   
   
2. Since Matthew and Luke's genealogies are similar, we know that both genealogies trace the human Jewish lineage of Jesus based on Matthew 1:1.
   
   
3. Since Joseph in not the biological father of Jesus, Luke 3:23, how do Matthew and Luke's genealogy relate to Jesus?
   
   
4. We know that Jesus is the biological son of Mary, Matthew 1:16, Luke 2:16.
   
   
5. We can't prove that Jesus is not a blood relative of Joseph.
   
   
6. The most plausible explanation of the genealogies is that Mary and Joseph were blood relatives, legally allowed by Jewish law to marry.
   
   
7. As blood relatives, they shared some of the same relatives, some of the same bloodlines and similar genealogies. So Matthew 1 and Luke 3 give the genealogy of Mary, Joseph and Jesus as God intended us to have it.

This explanation (1) fits all the facts given in scripture without questioning the trustworthiness of scripture, (2) preserves the clear teaching of scripture that Jesus was virgin born without a man being involved, Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:34, and (3) answers your question: How can Jesus be the son of David? Click here to add your comments.

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