Why are there two genealogies?

Jim Wilson • April 21, 2023

Agnostics and atheists often point to the differences in the genealogies of Matthew and Luke as a reason not to trust scripture. However, it actually points to the superior wisdom of God. Both are correct because they trace the ancestors of Christ through his respective earthly parents. God had a purpose for it that is really ingenious.


First, it is important to note that in Matthew 1:12 it refers to Jeconiah, who is sometimes referred to as Coniah or Jehoiachin in the Old Testament. Jeremiah 22:28-30 reveals a curse that God placed on Jeconiah, which resulted in him and his descendants being excluded from the throne forevermore.


Second, notice that this genealogy leads to Joseph – who is called the “husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ” in Matthew 1:16. The words show that Mary is the mother, but Joseph is not the biological father. This biological path stops at Joseph.


Third, this is important because Joseph is in the lineage of Jeconiah and therefore subject to the curse. If Joseph were the biological father of Jesus, then Jesus would have no right to the throne. However, as the adopted son, Jesus would have avoided the impact of the curse and have the royal right to the throne.


Fourth, Luke’s genealogy of Mary actually places Jesus as a descendant of Nathan who was Solomon’s older brother. If there were some reason that Solomon’s line could not continue, Nathan would be able to claim legal right to the throne as the elder brother.


In other words, the two genealogies are brought together in Christ, who is the only one capable of claiming the throne and thus the ability to be the Messiah.


Note the words of Donald Grey Barnhouse:
“But when God the Holy Spirit begat the Lord Jesus in the womb of the virgin without any use of a human father, the child that was born was the seed of David according to the flesh. And when Joseph married Mary and took the unborn child under his protective care, giving him the title that had come down to him through his ancestor Solomon, the Lord Jesus became the legal Messiah, the royal Messiah, the uncursed Messiah, the true Messiah, the only possible Messiah. The lines are exhausted. Any man that ever comes into this world professing to fulfill the conditions will be a liar and the child of the devil.”1


There are other theories, but this one best fits the scriptures.


1 Donald Grey Barnhouse – Romans Vol. 1 – “Man’s Ruin” p47. Also quoted in James Montgomery Boice – The Gospel of Matthew Vol. 1 – p18. 

Ever Wonder

Why are there so many Bible translations?

By Jim Wilson • April 12, 2023
Ever wondered why there are so many translations? Or asked, how do I know which one I should use? Augustine, a theological scholar of the Church who wrote in the late 300’s AD, noted the use of many translations can help the reader to produce a better rendering of the original text. There are two basic considerations: the goal of the translation and the source used for translation. First, we must consider the goal of each translation. Some seek to be word for word, or ‘essentially literal.’ Wayne Grudem defines it as something that “translates the meaning of every word in the original language, understood correctly in its context, into its nearest English equivalent.” (Which Bible p43) Some Bibles that fall into that category are the KJV, NKJV, NASB, and ESV. Other translations seek ‘dynamic equivalence’. Grudem says, “A dynamic-equivalence translation translates the thoughts or ideas of the original text into similar thoughts or ideas in English.” (Which Bible p45) Bible versions following this method include the NLB, CEV, and NCV. These tend to be periphrastic. The NIV is basically dynamic-equivalent, but also includes some ‘essentially literal’ portions, which places it between the two categories. Another type of translation is paraphrase. In these the author simply puts the words into the cultural vernacular, without any significant regard for the literal words. Many scholars do not count these as translations-but they still may be helpful. (The Message and Living Bible) So, the difference is whether the translators are seeking to find exact words, or what they believe to be equivalent thoughts in modern English, or just putting it into their own words. You can see how it might be helpful to read all types when studying the Bible. Secondly, we should consider the sources used for the translation. There are three basic families to consider for the New Testament. The NIV, NASB, and ESV are among those that come from the Alexandrian family, known as the oldest manuscripts (also known as ‘Critical Text’). The KJV and NKJV are among those that come from the Byzantine family of manuscripts, which are not as old but are in much greater abundance (also known as ‘Textus Receptus’). The New American Bible, Jerusalem Bible, and Rhemes New Testament are among the Western family (Latin text – mostly Catholic). The differences in these families can seem significant in some cases, but theologically they do not create any differences in doctrine. There are cautions though. Alexandrian manuscripts often omit verses that are found in the other sources. Again, these do not account for any differences in theology or doctrine, as sound development of doctrine is not based on single verses of scripture. I like to use the NKJV because it falls into both categories that I prefer – literal and Byzantine. Many in our congregation use the ESV, which is essentially literal and Alexandrian. Some use NASB which is literal and Alexandrian. Others in our congregation prefer the ease of reading that the NIV offers from dynamic translation.  Sources for further study : “A Visual History of the English Bible” by Donald L. Brake. “Which Bible Translation Should I Use?” Edited by Andreas J. Kostenberger and David Croteau. “The Bible in Translation” by Bruce M. Metzger. .

Why so many names for God in the Bible?

By Jim Wilson • April 12, 2023
Why so many names for God in the Bible? Because God and his glory are too magnificent for us to grasp in one word. The Lord reveals various aspects of his glory through his many names. The Old Testament was mainly written in Hebrew and the New Testament was written in Greek. Most English bibles follow a format that changes the spelling for each Hebrew name used for God. Here are some examples. When you see “God”, it is the Hebrew word “Elohim”. It is the name used in Genesis for, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” It depicts the great power of God, who can by his words bring the universe into existence. LORD in all caps is YHWH (with vowels it is Yahweh). This name is considered the proper name of God and is translated as the ‘existing one’. The first occurrence is in Genesis 2:4, “ . . . in the day that the LORD God made the heaven and the earth.” The combination shows ‘the existing one brought this world into existence by his great power’. This name is used throughout Genesis 2 and 3. It switches to just LORD in chapter 4. It is the name Moses was told to use when he addressed Pharaoh to release the Israelites. Exodus 3:14 defines it best – “I AM has sent me to you.” It reveals to us that he does and always has existed. Lord without all caps is Adonai. This is the name the Jewish people would use to replace YHWH to avoid pronouncing the glorious name of God as a matter of reverence. There are many combinations of these names with other variables to reveal the attributes of God. It is important to realize that since God himself inspired the Bible, each name we are given is crucial to his revelation of himself. We cannot decide to delete one or focus only on one name. For example, if one were to omit Elohim (God) as a name for him, then we would lose the name for ‘God’ in the creation story. In fact, Elohim is used in the Bible as a name for God over two thousand times.  Use a Bible Dictionary, Strong’s Concordance, or bible software to explore the many names of God. Have fun digging out the treasure of his names.

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