Top 29 How Many Generations Since The Birth Of Christ All Answers

You are looking for information, articles, knowledge about the topic nail salons open on sunday near me how many generations since the birth of christ on Google, you do not find the information you need! Here are the best content compiled and compiled by the https://chewathai27.com team, along with other related topics such as: how many generations since the birth of christ how many years is 42 generations, how many generations since adam and eve, how many generations since 0 ad, how many generations between noah and abraham, how many years between jesus and now, how many years is 77 generations, how many generations from david to jesus, 42 generations in the bible

How many generations are we from the birth of Jesus?

The total of 42 generations is achieved only by omitting several names, so the choice of three sets of fourteen seems deliberate. Various explanations have been suggested: fourteen is twice seven, symbolizing perfection and covenant, and is also the gematria (numerical value) of the name David.

How many years is 14 generations in the Bible?

Reasons for the summary

The numbers may be linked to Daniel 9:24–27, which states that seventy weeks of years, or 490 years, would pass between the restoration of Jerusalem and the coming of the messiah. Since generations were commonly placed at 35 years, this means exactly 14 generations.

How many generations passed 100 years?

Generally, three or four generations span 100 years, but depending on a number of factors, that same amount of time could produce as little as two generations or as many as five generations. The average span between one generation and the next is about 25 to 30 years, so a safe answer would be 75 to 90 years.

How far back is 8 generations?

How far back does 12 generations go?
GENERATIONS BACK NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS
8th great-grandparents 10 1024
9th great-grandparents 11 2048
10th great-grandparents 12 4096
11th great-grandparents 13 8192
24 thg 2, 2022

How many generations is 1000 years?

Counting back, every generation twice as many ancestors as the generation of descendants. Given 25 years per generation, 40 generations occur in 1000 years.

How many years was it from Adam to Jesus?

So 69 weeks amount to 483 years; for, from the said year of Darius, unto the 42nd year of Augustus, in which year our Saviour Christ was born, are just and complete so many years, whereupon we reckon, that from Adam unto Christ, are 3974 years, six months, and ten days; and from the birth of Christ, unto this present …

How many years does it take to make a generation?

A generation refers to all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively. It can also be described as, “the average period, generally considered to be about 20–⁠30 years, during which children are born and grow up, become adults, and begin to have children.”

What is the meaning of 14 generations?

LAKE. FOURTEEN GENERATIONS: 490 YEARS. AN EXPLANATION OF THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS. “‘So the whole number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah fourteen generations.” Matt. 1, 17.

How many generations is 600 years?

​So let’s break down the number of ancestors you have by generation. So if you consider a generation is usually 30 years 10 generations back will take you back 300 years and give you 2046 ancestors. If you take it back to 20 generations or 600 years you’d have 2,097,150 ancestors.

How many years is 20 generations?

In other words, our ancestors increase exponentially the further back we look. About 20 generations (about 400 years), ago we each have about a million ancestors – and after that the numbers start to get even sillier. Forty generations ago (800 years) gives us one trillion ancestors, and fifty gives one quadrillion.

How many generations have there been since year zero?

A generation is about one-third of a lifetime. Approximately how many generations have passed since the year 0 AD? The answer is 10^2 generations.

How long is a generation?

A generation refers to all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively. It can also be described as, “the average period, generally considered to be about 20–⁠30 years, during which children are born and grow up, become adults, and begin to have children.”

How many generations are there?

Currently, five generations make up our society.

How many generations have there been since humans first?

By simple mathematics, it follows that the human race is about 300 generations old. If one assumes a typical generation is about 20 years, this gives an age of about 6000 years.

How many generations have there been since year zero?

A generation is about one-third of a lifetime. Approximately how many generations have passed since the year 0 AD? The answer is 10^2 generations.


Genealogy of Jesus
Genealogy of Jesus


Error 403 (Forbidden)

  • Article author: www.quora.com
  • Reviews from users: 15174 ⭐ Ratings
  • Top rated: 4.4 ⭐
  • Lowest rated: 1 ⭐
  • Summary of article content: Articles about Error 403 (Forbidden) At an average of 20 years per generation, there would have been 101 generations since Jesus’s birth, including his own. …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Error 403 (Forbidden) At an average of 20 years per generation, there would have been 101 generations since Jesus’s birth, including his own.
  • Table of Contents:
Error 403 (Forbidden)
Error 403 (Forbidden)

Read More

Genealogy of Jesus – Wikipedia

  • Article author: en.wikipedia.org
  • Reviews from users: 46443 ⭐ Ratings
  • Top rated: 3.0 ⭐
  • Lowest rated: 1 ⭐
  • Summary of article content: Articles about Genealogy of Jesus – Wikipedia Updating …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Genealogy of Jesus – Wikipedia Updating
  • Table of Contents:

Contents

Matthew’s genealogy[edit]

Luke’s genealogy[edit]

Comparison of the two genealogies[edit]

Explanations for divergence[edit]

Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel[edit]

Fulfillment of prophecy[edit]

Women mentioned[edit]

Mary’s kinship with Elizabeth[edit]

Virgin birth[edit]

Islam[edit]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

External links[edit]

Navigation menu

Genealogy of Jesus - Wikipedia
Genealogy of Jesus – Wikipedia

Read More

Matthew 1:17 – Wikipedia

  • Article author: en.wikipedia.org
  • Reviews from users: 43605 ⭐ Ratings
  • Top rated: 4.0 ⭐
  • Lowest rated: 1 ⭐
  • Summary of article content: Articles about Matthew 1:17 – Wikipedia Updating …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Matthew 1:17 – Wikipedia Updating
  • Table of Contents:

Contents

Text[edit]

Reasons for the summary[edit]

Missing person[edit]

References[edit]

Sources[edit]

Navigation menu

Matthew 1:17 - Wikipedia
Matthew 1:17 – Wikipedia

Read More

How Long is a Generation? We Explain

  • Article author: yourdna.com
  • Reviews from users: 28812 ⭐ Ratings
  • Top rated: 3.9 ⭐
  • Lowest rated: 1 ⭐
  • Summary of article content: Articles about How Long is a Generation? We Explain Updating …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How Long is a Generation? We Explain Updating As lifestyles change and lifespans lengthen, the amount of years in a generation also tends to change over time. Learn more here.
  • Table of Contents:

How Many Years is 3 Generations

How Many Years is 10 Generations

How Can DNA Tests Help Determine Generations

What are Male-Line Generations

What are Female-Line Generations

How are Generations Studied

What is Epigenetics

How Can DNA Differ from Generation to Generation

Speak with a Genetic Counselor

How Long is a Generation? We Explain
How Long is a Generation? We Explain

Read More

How Many Human Generations: Adam Until Today

| Answers in Genesis

  • Article author: answersingenesis.org
  • Reviews from users: 34128 ⭐ Ratings
  • Top rated: 3.1 ⭐
  • Lowest rated: 1 ⭐
  • Summary of article content: Articles about
    How Many Human Generations: Adam Until Today

    | Answers in Genesis
    The full genealogy from Adam to Jesus was 76 clearly listed generations, and from Noah to Jesus, it was 66. In Luke 3, we even have a full … …

  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for
    How Many Human Generations: Adam Until Today

    | Answers in Genesis
    The full genealogy from Adam to Jesus was 76 clearly listed generations, and from Noah to Jesus, it was 66. In Luke 3, we even have a full … Adam,Genealogy,GenerationsEstimated human generations from creation using biblical & extrabiblical lineages with probabilities while accounting for reasonable gaps in the records

  • Table of Contents:

Estimated human generations from creation using biblical & extrabiblical lineages with probabilities while accounting for reasonable gaps in the records

Introduction

Bodie’s Short Lineage

Is This Lineage Feasible

Possible Gap

What Can We Know for Sure

Footnotes

Recommended Resources


	    How Many Human Generations: Adam Until Today
	    
	    
	    
	     | Answers in Genesis
How Many Human Generations: Adam Until Today

| Answers in Genesis

Read More

Forty-two generations to bring us closer to Christ this Advent | Angelus News

  • Article author: angelusnews.com
  • Reviews from users: 12722 ⭐ Ratings
  • Top rated: 4.7 ⭐
  • Lowest rated: 1 ⭐
  • Summary of article content: Articles about Forty-two generations to bring us closer to Christ this Advent | Angelus News “The generations from Abraham to Dav were fourteen generations, and from Dav to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from … …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Forty-two generations to bring us closer to Christ this Advent | Angelus News “The generations from Abraham to Dav were fourteen generations, and from Dav to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from … We can imagine people wondering, “Could this Jesus be the son of David — the one who will bring back the kingdom and free us from our enemies?”advent,faith
  • Table of Contents:
Forty-two generations to bring us closer to Christ this Advent | Angelus News
Forty-two generations to bring us closer to Christ this Advent | Angelus News

Read More

Genealogy of Jesus – Wikipedia

  • Article author: en.wikipedia.org
  • Reviews from users: 39617 ⭐ Ratings
  • Top rated: 3.6 ⭐
  • Lowest rated: 1 ⭐
  • Summary of article content: Articles about Genealogy of Jesus – Wikipedia Matthew has twenty-seven generations from Dav to Joseph, whereas Luke has forty-two, with almost no overlap between the names on the two lists. …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Genealogy of Jesus – Wikipedia Matthew has twenty-seven generations from Dav to Joseph, whereas Luke has forty-two, with almost no overlap between the names on the two lists.
  • Table of Contents:

Contents

Matthew’s genealogy[edit]

Luke’s genealogy[edit]

Comparison of the two genealogies[edit]

Explanations for divergence[edit]

Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel[edit]

Fulfillment of prophecy[edit]

Women mentioned[edit]

Mary’s kinship with Elizabeth[edit]

Virgin birth[edit]

Islam[edit]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

External links[edit]

Navigation menu

Genealogy of Jesus - Wikipedia
Genealogy of Jesus – Wikipedia

Read More

How many generations from jesus to now? – Answers

  • Article author: www.answers.com
  • Reviews from users: 37894 ⭐ Ratings
  • Top rated: 3.5 ⭐
  • Lowest rated: 1 ⭐
  • Summary of article content: Articles about How many generations from jesus to now? – Answers How many generations from jesus to now? … For population studies, a “generation” is usually taken to be about thirty years. So, 2011 ÷ 30 = 67. …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How many generations from jesus to now? – Answers How many generations from jesus to now? … For population studies, a “generation” is usually taken to be about thirty years. So, 2011 ÷ 30 = 67. For population studies, a “generation” is usually taken to be
    about thirty years.
    So, 2011 ÷ 30 = 67.
    This means that, if the ‘average’ person’s ancestors all had
    their first child at the age of 30, then there would be 65 “great-”
    before “grandfather” for the member of their family who was alive
    in the correct timespan.
  • Table of Contents:

Old Testament

A very important value of the Bible is that it

The Bible came primarily from

The Old Testament included the book of

What is known of the actual words of Jesus

Add your answer

Which terminal does flybe arrive at Manchester

What does it mean when a guy calls you feisty

What is the standard ceiling height of a restaurant

What happens to blood when warming up

What is 25 percent of 72kg

Subjects

Top Categories

Company

Product

Legal

How many generations from jesus to now? - Answers
How many generations from jesus to now? – Answers

Read More

404 Not Found

  • Article author: ccaugusta.org
  • Reviews from users: 38107 ⭐ Ratings
  • Top rated: 3.4 ⭐
  • Lowest rated: 1 ⭐
  • Summary of article content: Articles about 404 Not Found Which son of Noah d Jesus come from? According to Luke 3:36 Jesus is a descendant of Shem. How long after Adam and Eve was Jesus born? day of October … …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for 404 Not Found Which son of Noah d Jesus come from? According to Luke 3:36 Jesus is a descendant of Shem. How long after Adam and Eve was Jesus born? day of October …
  • Table of Contents:
404 Not Found
404 Not Found

Read More

How many generations from Jesus to Abraham?

  • Article author: skepticsannotatedbible.com
  • Reviews from users: 41046 ⭐ Ratings
  • Top rated: 3.4 ⭐
  • Lowest rated: 1 ⭐
  • Summary of article content: Articles about How many generations from Jesus to Abraham? So all the generations from Abraham to Dav are fourteen generations; and from Dav until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; … …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How many generations from Jesus to Abraham? So all the generations from Abraham to Dav are fourteen generations; and from Dav until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; …
  • Table of Contents:
How many generations from Jesus to Abraham?
How many generations from Jesus to Abraham?

Read More

Is there an error in the counting of the 14 generations in Matthew chapter 1? | GotQuestions.org

  • Article author: www.gotquestions.org
  • Reviews from users: 41983 ⭐ Ratings
  • Top rated: 4.7 ⭐
  • Lowest rated: 1 ⭐
  • Summary of article content: Articles about Is there an error in the counting of the 14 generations in Matthew chapter 1? | GotQuestions.org Matthew’s genealogy traces the ancestors of Joseph, the legal father of Jesus. The structure of the genealogy descends from father to son, … …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Is there an error in the counting of the 14 generations in Matthew chapter 1? | GotQuestions.org Matthew’s genealogy traces the ancestors of Joseph, the legal father of Jesus. The structure of the genealogy descends from father to son, … 14 generationsIs there an error in the counting of the 14 generations in Matthew chapter 1? What happened to the 42nd generation, going by the 14+14+14?
  • Table of Contents:
Is there an error in the counting of the 14 generations in Matthew chapter 1? | GotQuestions.org
Is there an error in the counting of the 14 generations in Matthew chapter 1? | GotQuestions.org

Read More

JSTOR: Page Loading Error

  • Article author: www.jstor.org
  • Reviews from users: 406 ⭐ Ratings
  • Top rated: 4.4 ⭐
  • Lowest rated: 1 ⭐
  • Summary of article content: Articles about JSTOR: Page Loading Error It was to indicate that at the time of Jesus’ birth, fourteen generations … with many others who claimed descent from Dav. For this pur-. …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for JSTOR: Page Loading Error It was to indicate that at the time of Jesus’ birth, fourteen generations … with many others who claimed descent from Dav. For this pur-. JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources.
  • Table of Contents:
 JSTOR: Page Loading Error
JSTOR: Page Loading Error

Read More


See more articles in the same category here: https://chewathai27.com/toplist.

Genealogy of Jesus

Ancestry of Jesus

This article is about the biblical genealogy of Jesus. For the article about claims to a genealogical descent from the historical Jesus , see Jesus bloodline

Rose window in Basilica of Saint-Denis , France, depicting the ancestors of Jesus from Jesse onwards

The New Testament provides two accounts of the genealogy of Jesus, one in the Gospel of Matthew and another in the Gospel of Luke.[1] Matthew starts with Abraham, while Luke begins with Adam. The lists are identical between Abraham and David, but differ radically from that point. Matthew has twenty-seven generations from David to Joseph, whereas Luke has forty-two, with almost no overlap between the names on the two lists.⁠ Notably, the two accounts also disagree on who Joseph’s father was: Matthew says he was Jacob, while Luke says he was Heli.[2]

Traditional Christian scholars (starting with Africanus and Eusebius[3]) have put forward various theories that seek to explain why the lineages are so different,[4] such as that Matthew’s account follows the lineage of Joseph, while Luke’s follows the lineage of Mary, although both start with Jesus and then go to Joseph, not Mary. Some modern critical scholars like Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan state that both genealogies are inventions, intended to bring the Messianic claims into conformity with Jewish criteria.[5]

Matthew’s genealogy [ edit ]

South dome of inner narthex at Chora Church , Istanbul, depicting the ancestors of Christ from Adam onwards

Matthew 1:1–17 begins the Gospel with “A record of the origin of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, …” and continues on until “… Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.”

Matthew emphasizes, right from the beginning, Jesus’ title Christ—the Greek rendering of the Hebrew title Messiah—meaning anointed, in the sense of an anointed king. Jesus is presented as the long-awaited Messiah, who was expected to be a descendant of King David. Matthew begins by calling Jesus the son of David, indicating his royal origin, and also son of Abraham, indicating that he was an Israelite; both are stock phrases, in which son means descendant, calling to mind the promises God made to David and to Abraham.[6]

Matthew’s introductory title (βίβλος γενέσεως, book of generations) has been interpreted in various ways, but most likely is simply a title for the genealogy that follows, echoing the Septuagint use of the same phrase for genealogies.[7]

Patrilineage of Jesus according to Matthew Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah and Tamar Perez Hezron Ram Amminadab Nahshon Salmon and Rahab Boaz and Ruth Obed Jesse David and Bathsheba Solomon Rehoboam Abijah Asa Jehoshaphat Jehoram Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Manasseh Amon Josiah Jeconiah Shealtiel Zerubbabel Abiud Eliakim Azor Zadok Achim Eliud Eleazar Matthan Jacob Joseph Jesus

Matthew’s genealogy is considerably more complex than Luke’s. It is overtly schematic, organized into three sets of fourteen, each of a distinct character:

The first is rich in annotations, including four mothers and mentioning the brothers of Judah and the brother of Perez.

The second spans the Davidic royal line, but omits several generations, ending with “Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.”

The last, which appears to span only thirteen generations, connects Joseph to Zerubbabel through a series of otherwise unknown names, remarkably few for such a long period.

The total of 42 generations is achieved only by omitting several names, so the choice of three sets of fourteen seems deliberate. Various explanations have been suggested: fourteen is twice seven, symbolizing perfection and covenant, and is also the gematria (numerical value) of the name David.[6]

The rendering into Greek of Hebrew names in this genealogy is mostly in accord with the Septuagint, but there are a few peculiarities. The form Asaph seems to identify King Asa with the psalmist Asaph. Likewise, some see the form Amos for King Amon as suggesting the prophet Amos, though the Septuagint does have this form. Both may simply be assimilations to more familiar names. More interesting, though, are the unique forms Boes (Boaz, LXX Boos) and Rachab (Rahab, LXX Raab).[8]

Omissions [ edit ]

Omission of generations Old Testament[9] Matthew David Solomon Rehoboam Abijah Asa Jehoshaphat Joram Ahaziah Joash Amaziah Azariah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Manasseh Amon Josiah Jehoiakim Jeconiah Pedaiah Zerubbabel David Solomon Roboam Abia Asaph Josaphat Joram — — — Ozias Joatham Achaz Ezekias Manasses Amos Josias — Jechonias Salathiel Zorobabel

Three consecutive kings of Judah are omitted: Ahaziah, Jehoash, and Amaziah. These three kings are seen as especially wicked, from the cursed line of Ahab through his daughter Athaliah to the third and fourth generation.[10] The author could have omitted them to create a second set of fourteen.[11]

Another omitted king is Jehoiakim, the father of Jeconiah, also known as Jehoiachin. In Greek the names are even more similar, both being sometimes called Joachim. When Matthew says, “Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile,” he appears to conflate the two, because Jehoiakim, not Jeconiah, had brothers, but the exile was in the time of Jeconiah. While some see this as a mistake, others argue that the omission was once again deliberate, ensuring that the kings after David spanned exactly fourteen generations.[11]

The final group also contains fourteen generations. If Josiah’s son was intended as Jehoiakim, then Jeconiah could be counted separately after the exile.[6] Some authors proposed that Matthew’s original text had one Joseph as the father of Mary, who then married another man of the same name.[12]

Fourteen generations span the time from Jeconiah, born about 616 BC, to Jesus, born circa 4 BC. The average generation gap would be around forty-four years. However, in the Old Testament, there are even wider gaps between generations.[13] Also, we do not see any instances of papponymic naming patterns, where children are named after their grandparents, which was a common custom throughout this period. This may indicate that Matthew has telescoped this segment by collapsing such repetitions.[14]

Luke’s genealogy [ edit ]

In the Gospel of Luke, the genealogy appears at the beginning of the public life of Jesus. This version is in ascending order from Joseph to Adam.[15] After telling of the baptism of Jesus, Luke 3:23–38 states, “Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was [the son] of Heli, …” (3:23) and continues on until “Adam, which was [the son] of God.” (3:38) The Greek text of Luke’s Gospel does not use the word “son” in the genealogy after “son of Joseph”. Robertson notes that, in the Greek, “Luke has the article tou repeating uiou (Son) except before Joseph”.[16]

Patrilineage of Jesus according to Luke God Adam Seth Enos Cainan Maleleel Jared Enoch Mathusala Lamech Noah Shem Arphaxad Cainan Sala Heber Phalec Ragau Saruch Nachor Thara Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah Phares Esrom Aram Aminadab Naasson Salmon Boaz Obed Jesse David Nathan Mattatha Menan Melea Eliakim Jonam Joseph Judah Simeon Levi Matthat Jorim Eliezer Jose Er Elmodam Cosam Addi Melchi Neri Salathiel Zorobabel Rhesa Joannan Juda Joseph Semei Mattathias Maath Nagge Esli Naum Amos Mattathias Joseph Jannai Melchi Levi Matthat Heli Joseph Jesus

This genealogy descends from the Davidic line through Nathan, who is an otherwise little-known son of David, mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.[17]

In the ancestry of David, Luke agrees completely with the Old Testament. Cainan is included between Arphaxad and Shelah, following the Septuagint text (though not included in the Masoretic Text followed by most modern Bibles).

Augustine[18] notes that the count of generations in the Book of Luke is 77, a number symbolizing the forgiveness of all sins.[19] This count also agrees with the seventy generations from Enoch[20] set forth in the Book of Enoch, which Luke probably knew.[21] Though Luke never counts the generations as Matthew does, it appears he also followed hebdomadic principle of working in sevens. However, Irenaeus counts only 72 generations from Adam.[22]

The reading “son of Aminadab, son of Aram”, from the Old Testament is well attested. The Nestle-Aland critical edition, considered the best authority by most modern scholars, accepts the variant “son of Aminadab, son of Admin, son of Arni”,[23] counting the 76 generations from Adam rather than God.[24]

Luke’s qualification “as was supposed” (ἐνομίζετο) avoids stating that Jesus was actually a son of Joseph, since his virgin birth is affirmed in the same gospel. Some view that “as was supposed of Joseph” regards Luke as calling Jesus a son of Eli—meaning that Heli (Ἠλί, Heli) was the maternal grandfather of Jesus, with Luke tracing the ancestry of Jesus through Mary.[25] Therefore, per Adam Clarke (1817), John Wesley, John Kitto and others the expression “Joseph, [ ] of Heli”, without the word “son” being present in the Greek, indicates that “Joseph, of Heli” is to be read “Joseph, [son-in-law] of Heli”. This view is strongly supported by the classical Jewish Rabbinical records, which state that Mary was the daughter of “Eli.”[26] This is also supported by the Jewish tradition of patrilineality that “the family of the mother is not called a family,” further indicating that Luke is referencing Mary’s genealogy (that, by marriage to Mary, Joseph was the son of Heli).[27] There are, however, other interpretations of how this qualification relates to the rest of the genealogy. Some see the remainder as the true genealogy of Joseph, despite the different genealogy given in Matthew.[28]

Comparison of the two genealogies [ edit ]

The following table is a side-by-side comparison of Matthew’s and Luke’s genealogies. Converging sections are shown with a green background, and diverging sections are shown with a red background.

Comparison of Matthew’s and Luke’s genealogies Matthew Luke God, Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Maleleel, Jared, Enoch, Mathusala, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Arphaxad, Cainan, Sala, Heber, Phalec, Ragau, Saruch, Nachor, Thara, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Perez, Hezron, Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz, Obed, Jesse, David, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Juda, Phares, Esrom, Aram, Amminadab, Naasson, Salmon, Boaz, Obed, Jesse, David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, Jeconiah, Nathan , Mattatha, Menan, Melea, Eliakim, Jonam, Joseph, Judah, Simeon, Levi, Matthat, Jorim, Eliezer, Jose, Er, Elmodam, Cosam, Addi, Melchi, Neri, Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, Salathiel, Zorobabel, Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Zadok, Achim, Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob, Rhesa, Joannan, Juda, Joseph, Semei, Mattathias, Maath, Nagge, Esli, Naum, Amos, Mattathias, Joseph, Heli, Jannai, Melchi, Levi, Matthat Joseph, Jesus Joseph, Jesus

Explanations for divergence [ edit ]

The Church Fathers held that both accounts are true. In his book An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, John Damascene argues that Heli of the tribe of Nathan died childless, and Jacob of the tribe of Solomon took his wife and raised up seed to his brother and begat Joseph, in accordance with scripture, namely, yibbum (the mitzvah that a man must marry his brother’s childless widow); Joseph, therefore, is by nature the son of Jacob, of the line of Solomon, but by law he is the son of Heli of the line of Nathan.[29]

Modern scholarship tends to see the genealogies of Jesus as theological constructs rather than factual history: family pedigrees would not usually have been available for non-priestly families, and the contradictions between the two lists are seen as clear evidence that these were not based on genealogical records. Additionally, the use of titles such as ‘Son of God’ and ‘Son of David’ are seen as evidence that they do not come from the earliest Gospel traditions.[30] Raymond E. Brown says the genealogies “tell us nothing certain about his grandparents or his great-grand-parents”.[31] Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan contend that both genealogies are inventions to support Messianic claims.[5]

Gundry suggests the series of unknown names in Matthew connecting Joseph’s grandfather to Zerubbabel as an outright fabrication, produced by collecting and then modifying various names from 1 Chronicles.[32] Sivertsen sees Luke’s as artificially pieced together out of oral traditions. The pre-exilic series Levi, Simeon, Judah, Joseph consists of the names of tribal patriarchs, far more common after the exile than before, while the name Mattathias and its variants begin at least three suspiciously similar segments.[33] Kuhn likewise suggests that the two series Jesus–Mattathias (77–63) and Jesus–Mattatha (49–37) are duplicates.[34]

The contradictions between the lists have been used to question the accuracy of the gospel accounts since ancient times,[35] and several early Christian authors responded to this. Augustine, for example, attempted on several occasions to refute every criticism, not only because the Manichaeans in his day were using the differences to attack Christianity,[36] but also because he himself had seen them in his youth as cause for doubting the veracity of the Gospels.[37] His explanation for the different names given for Joseph’s father is that Joseph had a biological father and an adoptive father, and that one of the gospels traces the genealogy through the adoptive father in order to draw parallels between Joseph and Jesus (both having an adoptive father) and as a metaphor for God’s relationship with humankind, in the sense that God “adopted” human beings as his children.[36]

One common explanation for the divergence is that Matthew is recording the actual legal genealogy of Jesus through Joseph, according to Jewish custom, whereas Luke, writing for a Gentile audience, gives the actual biological genealogy of Jesus through Mary.[16] This argument is problematic, however, because both trace their genealogy through Joseph. Eusebius of Caesarea, on the other hand, affirmed the interpretation of Africanus that Luke’s genealogy is of Joseph (not of Mary), who was the natural son of Jacob, though legally of Eli who was the uterine brother of Jacob.[38]

Levirate marriage [ edit ]

The earliest tradition that explains the divergence of Joseph’s lineages involves the law of levirate marriage. A woman whose husband died without issue was bound by law to be married to her husband’s brother, and the first-born son of a Yibbum was reckoned and registered as the son of the deceased brother (Deuteronomy 25:5 sqq.).[39] Sextus Julius Africanus, in his 3rd-century Epistle to Aristides, reports a tradition that Joseph was born from just such a levirate marriage. According to this report, Joseph’s natural father was Jacob son of Matthan, as given in Matthew, while his legal father was Eli son of Melchi (sic), as given in Luke.[40][41]

Commenting on Africanus’s explanation, Christian author Valeriy Sterkh writes:

It must be added that the levirate links between the two genealogies are found not only at the end, but also in the beginning. This conclusion is obvious because both genealogies intersect in the middle at Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel (see Mt 1:12–13; Lk 3:27). Nathan was the older brother; Solomon was younger, next in line after him (see 2 Sam 5:14–16; 1 Chron 3:5), therefore he was the first candidate to a levirate marriage (compare Ruth 3–4; Lk 20:27–33). The Old Testament is silent on whether Nathan had children, so we may very well conclude that he had none. Solomon, however, had much capacity for love: «And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines» (1 Kings 11:3). So, in theory, he could have married Nathan’s widow. If this is so, Mattatha is the son of Solomon according to the flesh and the son of Nathan according to the Law. In light of the above-mentioned circumstances, the differences between the two genealogies no longer present a problem.[42]

It has been questioned, however, whether levirate marriages actually occurred among uterine brothers;[43] they are expressly excluded in the Halakhah Beth Hillel but permitted by Shammai.[44] According to Jesuit theologian Anthony Maas, the question proposed to Jesus by the Sadducees in all three Synoptic Gospels[45] regarding a woman with seven levirate husbands suggests that this law was observed at the time of Christ.[39]

Maternal ancestry in Luke [ edit ]

A common explanation among theologians is that Luke’s genealogy is of Mary, with Eli being her father, while Matthew’s describes the genealogy of Joseph.[46]

Luke’s text says that Jesus was “a son, as was supposed, of Joseph, of Eli”.[47] The qualification has traditionally been understood as acknowledgment of the virgin birth, but some instead see a parenthetical expression: “a son (as was supposed of Joseph) of Eli.”[48] In this interpretation, Jesus is called a son of Eli because Eli was his maternal grandfather, his nearest male ancestor.[46] A variation on this idea is to explain “Joseph son of Eli” as meaning a son-in-law, perhaps even an adoptive heir to Eli through his only daughter Mary.[7] An example of the Old Testament use of such an expression is Jair, who is called “Jair son of Manasseh”[50] but was actually son of Manasseh’s granddaughter.[51] In any case, the argument goes, it is natural for the evangelist, acknowledging the unique case of the virgin birth, to give the maternal genealogy of Jesus, while expressing it a bit awkwardly in the traditional patrilinear style.

According to R. A. Torrey, the reason Mary is not implicitly mentioned by name is because the ancient Hebrews never permitted the name of a woman to enter the genealogical tables, but inserted her husband as the son of him who was, in reality, but his father-in-law.[52]

Lightfoot sees confirmation in an obscure passage of the Talmud,[53] which, as he reads it, refers to “Mary daughter of Eli”; however, both the identity of this Mary and the reading are doubtful.[54] Patristic tradition, on the contrary, consistently identifies Mary’s father as Joachim. It has been suggested that Eli is short for Eliakim,[46] which in the Old Testament is an alternate name of Jehoiakim,[55] for whom Joachim is named.

The theory is consistent with early traditions ascribing a Davidic ancestry to Mary. It also aligns with Luke’s greater focus on Mary, in contrast to Matthew’s focus on Joseph’s perspective. On the other hand, there is no explicit indication whatsoever, either in the Gospel or in any early tradition, that the genealogy is Mary’s.

A Jewish tradition ascribing a Davidic ancestry to Mary is recorded in the Doctrina Jacobi (written in 634), in which a Tiberian rabbi mocks the Christian veneration of Mary by recounting her genealogy according to the tradition of the Jews of Tiberias:[56]

Why do Christians extol Mary so highly, calling her nobler than the Cherubim, incomparably greater than the Seraphim, raised above the heavens, purer than the very rays of the sun? For she was a woman, of the race of David, born to Anne her mother and Joachim her father, who was son of Panther. Panther and Melchi were brothers, sons of Levi, of the stock of Nathan, whose father was David of the tribe of Judah.[57]

A century later, John of Damascus and others report similar information, only inserting an extra generation, Barpanther (Aramaic for son of Panther, thus indicating a misunderstood Aramaic source).[58] A certain prince Andronicus later found the same polemic in a book belonging to a rabbi named Elijah.[59]

The claim that Luke gives Mary’s genealogy is mentioned in a single extant 5th century text, in which pseudo-Hilary cites it as an opinion held by many, though not himself.[60] This claim was revived by Annius of Viterbo in 1498[61] and quickly grew in popularity.

Modern scholars discount this approach: Raymond E. Brown called it a “pious deduction”; and Joachim Gnilka “the desperation of embarrassment”.[62]

Jewish law is relevant to these matters. It differs radically on such issues from Roman law, but is what applied within Jewish society and the state of Judea, and was the only one that Jesus himself explicitly acknowledged as binding and authoritative, as recorded in Matt. 23:1-3. It does not accept maternal ancestry as applying to lineage claims, which go through the father alone.[63]

Maternal ancestry in Matthew [ edit ]

A minority view holds that while Luke gives the genealogy of Joseph, Matthew gives the genealogy of Mary. A few ancient authorities seem to offer this interpretation.[64] Although the Greek text as it stands is plainly against it, it has been proposed that in the original text Matthew had one Joseph as Mary’s father and another as her husband. This neatly explains not only why Matthew’s genealogy differs from Luke’s, but also why Matthew counts fourteen generations rather than thirteen. Blair sees the various extant versions as the predictable result of copyists repeatedly attempting to correct an apparent mistake.[12] Others, including Victor Paul Wierwille,[65] argue that here the Aramaic original of Matthew used the word gowra (which could mean father), which, in the absence of vowel markings, was read by the Greek translator as gura (husband).[66] In any case, an early understanding that Matthew traced Mary’s genealogy would explain why the contradiction between Matthew and Luke apparently escaped notice until the 3rd century.[citation needed]

Lukan version of Levirate marriage theory [ edit ]

Although most accounts ascribing the Luke genealogy to Mary’s line do not include a levirate marriage this is added by the above sources. Each of these texts then goes on to describe, just as in Julius Africanus (but omitting the name of Estha), how Melchi was related to Joseph through a levirate marriage.

Family tree David Solomon Nathan Many Generations Many Generations Eleazar Levi Matthan Estha Melchi Panther Jacob (unnamed) Eli Anne Joachim Joseph Mary Jesus

Bede assumed that Julius Africanus was mistaken and corrected Melchi to Matthat.[67] Since papponymics were common in this period,[33] however, it would not be surprising if Matthat were also named Melchi after his grandfather.

Panther [ edit ]

Controversy has surrounded the name Panther, mentioned above, because of a charge that Jesus’ father was a soldier named Pantera. Celsus mentions this in his writing, The True Word, where he is quoted by Origen in Book 1:32. “But let us now return to where the Jew is introduced, speaking of the mother of Jesus, and saying that “when she was pregnant she was turned out of doors by the carpenter to whom she had been betrothed, as having been guilty of adultery, and that she bore a child to a certain soldier named Panthera.”[68][69] Epiphanius, in refutation of Celsus, writes that Joseph and Cleopas were sons of “Jacob, surnamed Panther.”[70]

Two Talmudic-era texts referring to Jesus as the son of Pantera (Pandera) are Tosefta Hullin 2:22f: “Jacob… came to heal him in the name of Jesus son of Pantera” and Qohelet Rabbah 1:8(3): “Jacob… came to heal him in the name of Jesus son of Pandera” and some editions of the Jerusalem Talmud also specifically name Jesus as the son of Pandera:[71] Jerusalem Abodah Zarah 2:2/7: “someone… whispered to him in the name of Jesus son of Pandera”; Jerusalem Shabboth 14:4/8: “someone… whispered to him in the name of Jesus son of Pandera”; Jerusalem Abodah Zarah 2:2/12: “Jacob… came to heal him. He said to him: we will speak to you in the name of Jesus son of Pandera”; Jerusalem Shabboth 14:4/13: “Jacob… came in the name of Jesus Pandera to heal him”. Because some editions of the Jerusalem Talmud do not contain the name Jesus in these passages the association is disputed.

Legal inheritance [ edit ]

One of the traditional explanations is that Matthew traces not a genealogy in the modern biological sense, but a record of legal inheritance showing the succession of Jesus in the royal line.

According to this theory, Matthew’s immediate goal is therefore not David, but Jeconiah, and in his final group of fourteen, he may freely jump to a maternal grandfather, skip generations, or perhaps even follow an adoptive lineage in order to get there.[72] Attempts have been made to reconstruct Matthew’s route, from the seminal work of Lord Hervey[73] to Masson’s recent work,[74] but all are necessarily highly speculative.

As a starting point, one of Joseph’s two fathers could be by simple adoption, as Augustine suggests, or more likely the special adoption by a father-in-law with no sons, or could be a maternal grandfather.[75] On the other hand, the resemblance between Matthan and Matthat suggests they are the same man (in which case Jacob and Eli are either identical or full brothers involved in a levirate marriage), and Matthew’s departure from Luke at that point can only be to follow legal line of inheritance, perhaps through a maternal grandfather. Such reasoning could further explain what has happened with Zerubbabel and Shealtiel.[73]

A key difficulty with these explanations, however, is that there is no adoption in Jewish law, which of course is the relevant legal tradition even according to Jesus (Matt. 23:1–3), not the Roman legal tradition. If Joseph is not the biological father, his lineage does not apply to Jesus, and there is no provision available within Jewish law for this to be altered. One’s natural father is always one’s father. Nor is inheritance of lineage claims even possible through one’s mother, in Jewish law.[76]

Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel [ edit ]

The genealogies in Luke and Matthew appear to briefly converge at Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, though they differ both above Shealtiel and below Zerubbabel. This is also the point where Matthew departs from the Old Testament record.

In the Old Testament, Zerubbabel was a hero who led the Jews back from Babylon about 520 BC, governed Judah, and rebuilt the temple. Several times he is called a son of Shealtiel.[77] He appears once in the genealogies in the Book of Chronicles,[78] where his descendants are traced for several generations, but the passage has a number of difficulties.[79] While the Septuagint text here gives his father as Shealtiel, the Masoretic text instead substitutes Shealtiel’s brother Pedaiah—both sons of King Jeconiah, according to the passage. Some, accepting the Masoretic reading, suppose that Pedaiah begot a son for Shealtiel through a levirate marriage, but most scholars now accept the Septuagint reading as original, in agreement with Matthew and all other accounts.[80]

The appearance of Zerubbabel and Shealtiel in Luke may be no more than a coincidence of names (Zerubbabel, at least, is a very common Babylonian name[81]). Shealtiel is given a completely different ancestry, and Zerubbabel a different son. Furthermore, interpolation between known dates would put the birth of Luke’s Shealtiel at the very time when the celebrated Zerubbabel led the Jews back from Babylon. Thus, it is likely that Luke’s Shealtiel and Zerubbabel were distinct from, and perhaps even named after, Matthew’s.[46]

If they are the same, as many insist, then the question arises of how Shealtiel, like Joseph, could have two fathers. Yet another complex levirate marriage has often been invoked.[46] Richard Bauckham, however, argues for the authenticity of Luke alone. In this view, the genealogy in Chronicles is a late addition grafting Zerubbabel onto the lineage of his predecessors, and Matthew has simply followed the royal succession. In fact, Bauckham says, Zerubbabel’s legitimacy hinged on descending from David through Nathan rather than through the prophetically cursed ruling line.[21]

The name Rhesa, given in Luke as the son of Zerubbabel, is usually seen as the Aramaic word rēʾšāʾ, meaning head or prince. It might well befit a son of Zerubbabel, but some see the name as a misplaced title of Zerubbabel himself.[21] If so, the next generation in Luke, Joanan, might be Hananiah in Chronicles. Subsequent names in Luke, as well as Matthew’s next name Abiud, cannot be identified in Chronicles on more than a speculative basis.

Fulfillment of prophecy [ edit ]

By the time of Jesus, it was already commonly understood that several prophecies in the Old Testament promised a Messiah descended from King David.[82][83] Thus, in tracing the Davidic ancestry of Jesus, the Gospels aim to show that these messianic prophecies are fulfilled in him.

The prophecy of Nathan[84]—understood as foretelling a son of God who would inherit the throne of his ancestor David and reign forever—is quoted in Hebrews[85] and strongly alluded to in Luke’s account of the Annunciation.[86] Likewise, the Psalms[87] record God’s promise to establish the seed of David on his throne forever, while Isaiah[88] and Jeremiah[89] speak of the coming reign of a righteous king of the house of David.

David’s ancestors are also understood as progenitors of the Messiah in several prophecies.[82] Isaiah’s description of the branch or root of Jesse[90] is cited twice by Paul as a promise of the Christ.[91]

More controversial are the prophecies on the Messiah’s relation, or lack thereof, to certain of David’s descendants:

God promised to establish the throne of King Solomon over Israel forever, [92] but the promise was contingent upon obeying God’s commandments. [93] Solomon’s failure to do so is explicitly cited as a reason for the subsequent division of his kingdom. [94]

but the promise was contingent upon obeying God’s commandments. Solomon’s failure to do so is explicitly cited as a reason for the subsequent division of his kingdom. Against King Jehoiakim, Jeremiah prophesied, “He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David,” [95] and against his son King Jeconiah, “Write this man childless, a man who will not prosper in his days; for no man of his seed will prosper, sitting on the throne of David or ruling again in Judah.” [96] Some see this prophecy as permanently disqualifying Jeconiah from the ancestry of the Messiah (though not necessarily of Joseph). [97] More likely, the curse was limited to Jeconiah’s lifetime, and even then, rabbinical tradition has it that Jeconiah repented in exile and the curse was lifted. [98] Additionally, the Old Testament recounts that none of the punishments listed in the curse actually came to pass. [99]

and against his son King Jeconiah, “Write this man childless, a man who will not prosper in his days; for no man of his seed will prosper, sitting on the throne of David or ruling again in Judah.” Some see this prophecy as permanently disqualifying Jeconiah from the ancestry of the Messiah (though not necessarily of Joseph). More likely, the curse was limited to Jeconiah’s lifetime, and even then, rabbinical tradition has it that Jeconiah repented in exile and the curse was lifted. Additionally, the Old Testament recounts that none of the punishments listed in the curse actually came to pass. To Zerubbabel, God declares through Haggai, “I will make you like my signet ring,” in clear reversal of the prophecy against his grandfather Jeconiah, “though you were a signet ring on my right hand, yet I would pull you off.”[100] Zerubbabel ruled as governor, though not as king, and has been regarded by many as a suitable and likely progenitor of the Messiah.

The promise to Solomon and Jeconiah’s curse, if applicable, argue against Matthew. Yet evidently Matthew didn’t find his respective genealogy incompatible with these prophecies.

Matthew also presents the virgin birth of Jesus as fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14, which he quotes.[101] Matthew apparently quotes the ancient Septuagint translation of the verse, which renders the Hebrew word “almah” as “virgin” in Greek.

Women mentioned [ edit ]

Matthew inserts four women into the long list of men. The women are included early in the genealogy—Tamar, Rachab, Ruth, and “the wife of Uriah” (Bathsheba). Why Matthew chose to include these particular women, while passing over others such as the matriarchs Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah, has been much discussed[by whom?].

There may be a common thread among these four women, to which Matthew wishes to draw attention. He sees God working through Tamar’s seduction of her father-in-law, through the collusion of Rahab the harlot with Joshua’s spies, through Ruth the Moabite’s unexpected marriage with Boaz, and through David and Bathsheba’s adultery.[102]

The NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible suggests that the common thread between all of these women is that they have associations with Gentiles.[103] Rahab was a prostitute in Canaan, Bathsheba was married to a Hittite, Ruth resided in Moab, and Tamar had a name of Hebrew origin. The women’s nationalities are not necessarily mentioned. The suggestion is that Matthew may be preparing the reader for the inclusion of the Gentiles in Christ’s mission. Others point out an apparent element of sinfulness: Rahab was a prostitute, Tamar posed as a prostitute to seduce Judah, Bathsheba was an adulteress, and Ruth is sometimes seen as seducing Boaz—thus Matthew emphasizes God’s grace in response to sin. Still others[who?] point out their unusual, even scandalous, unions—preparing the reader for what will be said about Mary. None of these explanations, however, adequately befits all four women.[104]

Nolland suggests simply that these were all the known women attached to David’s genealogy in the Book of Ruth.[6]

Mary’s kinship with Elizabeth [ edit ]

Luke states that Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, was a “relative” (Greek syggenēs, συγγενής) of Mary, and that Elizabeth was descended from Aaron, of the tribe of Levi.[105] Whether she was an aunt, a cousin, or a more distant relation cannot be determined from the word. Some, such as Gregory Nazianzen, have inferred from this that Mary herself was also a Levite descended from Aaron, and thus kingly and priestly lineages were united in Jesus.[106] Others, such as Thomas Aquinas, have argued that the relationship was on the maternal side; that Mary’s father was from Judah, Mary’s mother from Levi.[107] Modern scholars like Raymond Brown (1973) and Géza Vermes (2005) suggest that the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth is simply an invention of Luke.[108]

Virgin birth [ edit ]

These two Gospels declare that Jesus was begotten not by Joseph, but by the power of the Holy Spirit while Mary was still a virgin, in fulfillment of prophecy. Thus, in mainstream Christianity, Jesus is regarded as being literally the “only begotten son” of God, while Joseph is regarded as his adoptive father.

Matthew immediately follows the genealogy of Jesus with: “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit”.[109]

Likewise, Luke tells of the Annunciation: “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”[110]

The question then arises, why do both gospels seem to trace the genealogy of Jesus through Joseph, when they deny that he is his biological father? Augustine considers it a sufficient answer that Joseph was the father of Jesus by adoption, his legal father, through whom he could rightfully claim descent from David.[111]

Tertullian, on the other hand, argues that Jesus must have descended from David by blood through his mother Mary.[112] He sees Biblical support in Paul’s statement that Jesus was “born of a descendant of David according to the flesh”.[113] Affirmations of Mary’s Davidic ancestry are found early and often.[114]

The Ebionites, a sect who denied the virgin birth, used a gospel which, according to Epiphanius, was a recension of Matthew that omitted the genealogy and infancy narrative.[115] These differences reflect the Ebionites’ awareness of Jewish law (halakhah) relating to lineage inheritance, adoption, and the status of ancestry claims through the mother.

Islam [ edit ]

Jesus’ lineage in Islam, going back to his great-grandfather.

The Qurʼan upholds the virgin birth of Jesus (ʻĪsā)[116] and thus considers his genealogy only through Mary (Maryam), without mentioning Joseph.

Mary is very highly regarded in the Qurʼan, the nineteenth sura being named for her. She is called a daughter of ʻImrān,[117] whose family is the subject of the third sura. The same Mary (Maryam) is also called a sister of Aaron (Hārūn) in one place,[118] and although this is often seen as an anachronistic conflation with the Old Testament Miriam (having the same name), who was sister to Aaron (Hārūn) and daughter to Amram (ʻImrān), the phrase is probably not to be understood literally.[119]

According to Muslim Scholar Sheikh Ibn Al-Feasy Al-Hanbali, the Quran used “Sister of Aaron” and “Daughter of Amram” for several reasons. One of those is the “relative calling” or laqb that is always used in Arabic literature. “Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Shaybani”, for instance, is prevalently called “Ibn Hanbal” instead of “Ibn Muhammad”. Or, “Muhammad bin Idris ash-Shafi`i” is always called “Imam Al-Shafi’i” instead of “Imam Idris” or “Imam Muhammad”. This is how the Arabs refer to famous persons in their daily life. The same applies here; Sister of Aaron refers to “daughter of Aaron’s siblings'”, and daughter of Amram refers to “direct lineage of Amram” (Amram’s descendants). This means that Mary was from the line of Amram, but not of Aaron’s generation.[citation needed]

See also [ edit ]

Matthew 1:17

Matthew 1:17 is the seventeenth verse of the first chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. The verse is the conclusion to the section where the genealogy of Joseph, the step-father of Jesus, is listed.

Text [ edit ]

The original Koine Greek, according to Westcott and Hort, reads:

πασαι ουν αι γενεαι απο αβρααμ εως δαυιδ γενεαι δεκατεσσαρες και απο δαυιδ εως της μετοικεσιας βαβυλωνος γενεαι δεκατεσσαρες και απο της μετοικεσιας βαβυλωνος εως του χριστου γενεαι δεκατεσσαρες

In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

The World English Bible translates the passage as:

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.[1]

For a collection of other versions see BibleHub Matthew 1:17.

Reasons for the summary [ edit ]

The numbers may be linked to Daniel 9:24–27, which states that seventy weeks of years, or 490 years, would pass between the restoration of Jerusalem and the coming of the messiah. Since generations were commonly placed at 35 years, this means exactly 14 generations. W. D. Davies and Dale Allison also note that this might be linked to the lunar calendar. The lunar month is 28 days, 14 days of waxing and 14 days of waning. Thus the first grouping could be the initial waxing to David, the next fourteen the waning to the Babylonian captivity and the last period the waxing towards Jesus.[2]

The number 14 is itself important. It is twice 7, which was considered a holy number. David’s name, when turned into numbers, adds up to fourteen. 3 groups of 14 is the same of 6 groups of 7. W. D. Davies and Dale Allison mention a theory that the first six periods reflect the first six days of the week; with Jesus begins the seventh day, that of the eternal Sabbath.[2] Matthew’s enumeration may be an average estimate of the periodical generations in Israel’s history, but probably to imply that Israel was due for the coming of its Messiah with the birth of Jesus, just as in the case with the new Elijah in Matthew 3:4.

Some interpretations focus on the symbolism of the number fourteen without accounting for the aspect of three.

The three series of fourteens divide the generations into three distinct periods, by beginning and ending four significant points of time (Abraham; King David; Babylonian Exile; Messiah) thereby noting three beginning points and three end points (the middle two points, by overlapping periods, function doubly as end points and beginning points).

The aspect of three (either three groups or three beginning points and three end points) may be meant to be as significant as the number fourteen.

More than fifteen interpretations of the genealogical summary have been suggested throughout the history of interpretation.[1]

Missing person [ edit ]

However, there are some complications with this passage. There are 42 generations listed (including Tamar, verse 3 and Genesis 38:6-30) but only 41 men’s names listed, whereas one would expect 14 x 3 or 42. This certainly appears to leave one of the divisions a member short.

Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah Perez Hezron Aram Amminadab Nahshon Salmon Boaz Obed Jesse David Solomon Rehoboam Abijam Asa Jehoshaphat Joram Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Manasseh Amon Josiah Jeconiah Shealtiel Zerubbabel Abiud Eliakim Azor Zadok Achim Eliud Eleazar Matthan Jacob Joseph Jesus

A number of explanations have been advanced to explain this.[4] Other than the straightforward reason of simple miscounting, the significant view, first advocated by Krister Stendahl, which would preserve the inerrancy of the Bible, is that David’s name should appear twice just as it is mentioned twice in the verse.[5] By this count he is both one of the fourteen from “Abraham to David” and also one of the fourteen from “David to the exile to Babylon.” The main problem with this is that it would also suggest that since the exile to Babylon is mentioned twice the man at this time, Jeconiah, should also appear twice. Other theories that have been advanced include that Mary counts as one of the 14 or that Jeconiah legally counts as two separate people, one as king the other as dethroned civilian.[citation needed]

An explanation that scholars today[who?] find more probable is that the problem lies in Matthew 1:11. Almost all other sources report that a king named Jehoiakim was between Josiah and Jeconiah. A biblical reference for this may be seen in I Chronicles 3: 15-16. Many scholars feel it is likely that Jeconiah, whose name can be spelt Jehoiachin, was confused with his father and they were merged into one person. Thus the error was one by a later transcriber.[citation needed]

However there are several other people who were left out of the genealogy. Matthew 1:8 skips over Ahaziah, Athaliah, Jehoash, and Amaziah, two of whom were kings of Judah and all are well documented by other sources. Begat can also mean grandfather of and skipping unimportant generations is not uncommon in ancient genealogies. See Matthew 1:8 for a full discussion on why these four may have been left out. It may appear duplicitous[citation needed] to claim that there were fourteen generations, when in fact there were eighteen. Fowler argues that this verse is not in error, as it is not a description of the actual genealogy, but simply of the list that was presented in the Gospel. Fowler believes that the author of Matthew had good reason to drop the names he did and to skip unnecessary ancestors. Fowler sees instructions in this verse are to aid in the memorization of Matthew’s version of the genealogy, not the historical list of decedents. By tradition the first period from Abraham to David always had fourteen names, so the author of Matthew simply cut unneeded names from the other two sections to create an easily memorized triple structure.[6]

A transcriber skipping similar names in a list is a common error known as homoioteleuton. One theory is that the original author of Matthew probably had the list correct, and that a later scribe erased the four. This implies that this verse must be a later addition to text, as the 14/14/14 structure only came into being after that error was made.[7]

An added problem is that, even with several extra names added, there are far too few names for the many centuries this genealogy is meant to cover, as Matthew focuses mainly on Jesus’s royalty lineage, not the biological line (which is possibly used in Luke 3) which he did not have access to.

References [ edit ]

How Long is a Generation? We Explain

We take the information we share seriously. Review our Editorial Policy Here.

On the surface, asking the innocuous question of “How long is a generation?” may seem like it has an easy answer to it.

But in Western cultures, depending on who you ask and how they define what a generation is, you could get one of several different answers.

In high level terms, a generation is defined as a body of individuals who are born and living in about the same time in society. The accepted amount of time varies depending on the source and can range from 20 to 35 years or thereabouts.

As lifestyles change and lifespans lengthen, the amount of years in a generation also tends to change over time as well. In past centuries, when lifespans were shorter, more generations existed in a single century (the generally accepted amount was four).

But as times have changed, the number of generations in a century has also changed as well (it is moving closer to three).

Different researchers and cultural anthropologists may also apply different standards when trying to define a generation as well.

For example, a Biological generation is the transition from a parent to an offspring. A biological generation does not have a standard length. It simply means you are in one generation, your mother and father are in a different generation, and your child is in a different generation as well.

A Familial generation is used based on when an actual birth took place within a family. A few centuries ago, the accepted and often used value was about 20 years, meaning that as many as five familial generations could exist in a single century.

However, as older birthrates for women changed, the recommended estimate for a Familial generation is now 25 to 30 years.

A Cultural or Societal generation is a cohort (several people born in a specified time range) with an identifying name attached to it. These are widely used and accepted throughout society.

Recent generations in the Western world have become well known by the names that the media and advertising industries have given them:

The Lost Generation roughly describes those who fought in World War I. Members of this generation were typically born between 1883 and 1900.

The Greatest Generation are those who include veterans who fought in World War II. They were born from around 1901 to 1927 and came of age during the Great Depression.

The Silent Generation were born from approximately 1925 to 1942. Most of the people in this generation came of age during the Korean War and Vietnam War.

Baby Boomers, also known as the Me Generation, were born mostly from 1946 to 1964. A post WWII baby boom made them the largest demographic segment for many years.

Generation X, or Gen X, followed the baby boomers. Demographers and researchers typically use starting birth years ranging from the early-to-mid 1960s and ending birth years in the early 1980s.

Xennials are the micro-generation of people between Generation X and Millennials. They were born between the late 1970s and early 1980s and are described as having had an analog childhood and a digital adulthood.

Millennials, also known as Generation Y were typically born starting in the early 1980s through mid 1990s to early 2000s as ending birth years. In 2019, Millennials are expected to surpass the Baby Boomers in size in the U.S., with 72 million Boomers and 73 million Millennials according to Pew Research.

Generation Z people were born after the Millennials. Demographers and researchers typically use the mid-1990s to early-2000s as a starting birth years.

How Many Years is 3 Generations?

It depends. Generally, three or four generations span 100 years, but depending on a number of factors, that same amount of time could produce as little as two generations or as many as five generations.

The average span between one generation and the next is about 25 to 30 years, so a safe answer would be 75 to 90 years.

Keep in mind that this is only an average and when researching specific family history, additional documentation such as birth records, personal family history, public records and so forth should be accessed to give the most accurate personal indication of how long three generations would be in a particular family.

How Many Years is 10 Generations?

Again, it depends on what the accepted number of years that a generation is. The most commonly accepted value is four generations per century, meaning that tracing backward by 10 generations would find ancestors who lived about 250 years ago, in the middle of the 18th century.

However, as generations, lifespans and lifestyles continue to morph, the trend has been more toward an accepted three generations per century. This would mean that an ancestor could be traced as far back as the late 1600s.

Much of this is based on individual circumstances and to support and further pinpoint how long 10 generations is within a particular family, additional documentation and evidence to support ancestry should be used to get a more exact answer.

How Can DNA Tests Help Determine Generations?

Genealogical DNA testing is used to determine information about personal ancestry by comparing one person’s results with others from the same lineage or ethnic groups.

These types of tests are different from those used to determine if a person is a genetic carrier for specific types of diseases and conditions.

Studying the DNA collected from a simple cheek swab, researchers can look at a person’s Y-DNA, which is passed on to them from their father and analyze the sample for distinctive markers that are DNA code for specific characteristics. The DNA evidence provided by these markers allows a person to show the migration routes of paternal ancestors going back several generations.

The same type of testing can be done when analyzing mitochondrial DNA on a mother’s side.

You can find out which of over 200 populations you are genetically most similar to and what proportions of your ancestry come from the other continental level groups.

What are Male-Line Generations?

In genetic genealogy, male-line generations are known as patrilines to describe the line of descent through the all-male line. It is also sometimes referred to as the agnatic line.

In genetic terms, patrilines correspond to the transmission of the Y chromosome from one generation to the next. In genealogical terms, patrilines will correspond to the transmission of surnames from generation to generation.

However, there may be instances where a non-paternity event disruption has taken place and when this happens the genealogical patriline will not be the same as the genetic patriline.

What are Female-Line Generations?

In genetic genealogy, male-line generations are known as matrilines to describe the line of descent through the all-female line. This is also known as the agnatic, enatic, uterine or umbilical line.

Matrilines are passed from one generation to the next through the transmission of mitochondrial DNA. Males and females both can receive mtDNA from their mothers, but only women can pass it along from generation to generation. Men are not able to do so.

How are Generations Studied?

Generations are studied in a number of ways. From a macro point of view, cultural scientists study larger trends and patterns of groups of people born at approximately the same time.

On a personal level, there is a growing interest in learning about a person’s family history. This is done on both a genetic and on a genealogical basis, researching public records and personal family historical documents as well as documenting the biological component as well.

To get the most accurate and thorough analysis of a person’s genealogical DNA, there are three principle types of DNA tests that are available.

Autosomal DNA testing will provide a large number of DNA test results and matches indicating a significant number of people that a tested person may be related to. It is more useful in estimating ethnic mix and by itself is not an accurate indicator of a person’s personal genealogy.

Because the amount of DNA that is passed from generation to generation is random, accurate conclusions using only autosomal DNA can only go back just a few generations.

Y-chromosome testing and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing are much more reliable and can go back many more generations except that they will give considerably fewer DNA matches.

The Y-chromosome is passed along only from a father to a son because women only have X chromosomes in their 23rd pair of chromosomes. This means a male-line ancestry can be traced using the Y-chormosome because it is transmitted from father to son nearly unchanged.

To trace the direct maternal line between two suspected relatives, mtDNA is studied. Mitochondrial DNA is transmitted from mother to child, so a direct maternal ancestor can be traced using mtDNA.

Mutations in mtDNA are rare, so a perfect match found to another person’s mtDNA indicates there may be a shared ancestor dating back as many as 50 previous generations.

It should be noted that as physical and biological sciences become more sophisticated as data becomes more readily available, that genealogical conclusions about relationships may also change as well. Better and more voluminous evidence means more accuracy can be achieved in the study of generations.

What is Epigenetics?

Epigenetics is the study of biological mechanisms that switch genes off and on. In simplified terms, this means that human cells contain DNA, which are the instructions required to direct a cell’s activities.

DNA is made up of four bases. They are adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine, commonly abbreviated as A, C, G, and T. There are about 3 billion bases, and in these bases are about 20,000 genes.

Genes are specific arrangements of bases that provide instructions on how to make proteins. These proteins are complex molecules that trigger various biological functions to carry out life instructions.

This is the central thesis of molecular biology and genetics.

Epigenetics affects how genes are read by cells and whether those cells should produce the proteins necessary for life instructions.

Epigenetics determines a cell’s specialization. In other words, it determines if a cell is going to be a skin cell, a hair cell, a liver cell, a bone cell, and so forth.

A fetus develops into a baby and is given individual traits through gene expression, which means a gene is active, or silencing, which means a gene is dormant.

Environmental stimuli can also cause genes to be turned off or turned on. This means what you eat, who you interact with, how you sleep and even how you age can cause chemical modifications that can turn genes off or on over time.

This also means that genes can be switched from a normal and healthy state to the opposite, and this is when diseases such as cancer or Parkinson’s or any number of other conditions can develop.

Epigenetics is what makes each person unique. Different combinations of the 20,000 genes in our body will cause our hair to be one color, influence the color of our skin and eyes, and even contribute to certain personality traits, among many others.

Epigenetics holds fascination among the scientific community because theoretically, if scientists can figure out which genes, or combinations of genes, to turn off and on, they may be able to find cures for many diseases such as cancer, obesity, heart disease and many other ailments.

How Can DNA Differ from Generation to Generation?

Environment and lifestyle choices can influence epigenetic changes from one generation to the next. Depending on choices and changes a person makes in their life, it is possible to change a person’s DNA in ways that may be reflected in their life and also in future generations to come.

Studies have shown that prenatal and early postnatal environmental factors influence the adult risk of developing various chronic diseases and behavioral disorders.

For example, research has shown that a mother’s exposure to pollution could impact her child’s susceptibility to asthma and the intake of vitamin D affects placenta functioning. Others studies have shown that a father’s diet could have an impact on an unborn child’s mental fitness and epigenetic marks as well.

Epigenetic marks are more stable during adulthood but can still be modified by lifestyle and environmental choices throughout a person’s life. Epigenetic changes can also be reversed.

There are a number of examples that show how different lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can alter DNA and play a role in determining health outcomes.

Pollution has become a significant focus in this research. Scientists have discovered that air pollution can alter DNA and increase a person’s risk for neurodegenerative disease.

Researchers have found that a ketogenic diet – consuming high amounts of fat, adequate protein, and low carbohydrates – increases an epigenetic agent naturally produced by the body.

As scientists unlock these answers, in the future an epigenetic diet may create an optimal food regimen that will impact a person’s epigenetic health.

Powered by Froala Editor

So you have finished reading the how many generations since the birth of christ topic article, if you find this article useful, please share it. Thank you very much. See more: how many years is 42 generations, how many generations since adam and eve, how many generations since 0 ad, how many generations between noah and abraham, how many years between jesus and now, how many years is 77 generations, how many generations from david to jesus, 42 generations in the bible

Leave a Comment