They lie to themselves over and over and...................
The early JC'rs never expected the masses to read their
drivel so they never doublechecked any of the errors.
Ever since THE AGE OF REASON et al. they keep
up the steady drumbeat of doubletalk.
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Why are there different genealogies for Jesus in Matthew 1 and Luke 3?
Matthew 1:16 - Luke 3:23
Both Matthew 1 and Luke 3 contain genealogies of Jesus. But there
is one problem. They are different. Luke's Genealogy starts at Adam
and goes to David. Matthew's Genealogy starts at Abraham and goes to
David. When the genealogies arrive at David, they split with David's
sons: Nathan (Mary's side) and Solomon (Joseph's side).
There is no discrepancy because one genealogy is for Mary and the
other is for Joseph. It was customary to mention the genealogy through
the father even though it was clearly known that it was through Mary.
Some critics may not accept this explanation no matter what
reasoning is produced. Nevertheless, they should first realize that
the Bible should be interpreted in the context of its literary style,
culture, and history. Breaking up genealogies into male and female
representations was acceptable in the ancient Near East culture since
it was often impolite to speak of women without proper conditions being
met: male presence, etc. Therefore, one genealogy is of Mary and the
other of Joseph, even though both mention Joseph. In other words, the
Mary was counted "in" Joseph and under his headship. Second, do any
critics actually think that those who collected the books of the New
Testament, and who believed it was inerrant, were unaware of this
blatant differentiation in genealogies? Does anyone actually think
that the Christians were so dense that they were unaware of the
differences in the genealogy lists, closed their eyes and put the
gospels into the canon anyway hoping no one would notice? Not at all.
They knew the cultural context and had no problem with it knowing that
one was of Joseph and the other of Mary. Third, notice that Luke starts
with Mary and goes backwards to Adam. Matthew starts with Abraham and
goes forward to Joseph. The intents of the genealogies were obviously
different which is clearly seen in their styles. Luke was not written
to the Jews, Matthew was. Therefore, Matthew would carry the legal
line (from Abraham through David) and Luke the biological one (from
Adam through David). Also, notice that Luke's first three chapters
mention Mary eleven times; hence, the genealogy from her. Fourth,
notice Luke 3:23, "And when He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was
about thirty years of age, being supposedly the son of Joseph, the son
of Eli," This designation "supposedly" seems to signify the Marian
genealogy since it seems to indicate that Jesus is not the biological
son of Joseph.
Finally, in the Joseph genealogy is a man named Jeconiah. God
cursed Jeconiah (also called Coniah), stating that no descendant of his
would ever sit on the throne of David, "For no man of his descendants
will prosper sitting on the throne of David or ruling again in Judah,"
(Jer. 22:30). But Jesus, of course, will sit on the throne in the
heavenly kingdom. The point is that Jesus is not a biological
descendant of Jeconiah, but through the other lineage -- that of Mary.
Hence, the prophetic curse upon Jeconiah stands inviolate. But, the
legal adoption of Jesus by Joseph reckoned the legal rights of Joseph
to Jesus as a son, not the biological curse. This is why we need two
genealogies: one of Mary (the actually biological line according to
prophecy), and the legal line through Joseph.
Again, the early church knew this and had no problem with it. It
is only the critics of today who narrow their vision into a literalness
and require this to be a "contradiction" when in reality we have an
explanation that is more than sufficient.
LUKE - Adam, the father of Seth, the father of Enosh, the father of
Cainan, the father of Mahaleleel, the father of Jared, the father of
Enoch, the father of Methuselah, the father of Lamech, the father of
Noah, the father of Shem, the father of Arphaxad, the father of Cainan,
the father of Shelah, the father of Heber, the father of Peleg, the
father of Reu, the father of Serug, the father of Nahor, the father of
Terah, the father of
MATTHEW - Abraham, the father of Isaac, the father of Jacob, the father
of Judah, the father of Perez, the father of Hezron, the father of Ram,
the father of Admin, the father of Amminadab, the father of Nahshon,
the father of Salmon, the father of Boaz, the father of Obed, the
father of Jesse -- the father of
(Mary) LUKE David, father of
(Joseph) MATTHEW
Nathan Solomon
Mattatha Rehoboam
Menna Abijah
Melea Asa
Eliakim Jehoshaphat
Jonam Joram
Joseph Uzziah
Judah Jotham
Simeon Ahaz
Levi Hezekiah
Matthat Manasseh
Jorim Amon
Eliezer Josiah
Joshua Jeconiah
Er Shealtiel
Elmadam Zerubbabel
Cosam Abihud
Addi Eliakim
Melchi Azor
Neri Zadok
Shealtiel Achim
Zerubbabel Eliud
Rhesa Eleazar
Joanan Matthan
Joda Jacob
Josech Joseph
Semein Joseph Adopted Jesus
as his own son giving him
all legal rights involving heirship.
Mattathias
Maath
Naggai
Hesli
Nahum
Amos
Mattathias
Joseph
Jannai
Melchi
Levi
Matthat
Eli
supposedly of Joseph (Mary)
JESUS
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