Jesus' Genealogy | The Wolfe Notes

These notes follow our 7-step rhythm for Bible study. Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotes are from the Expanded Bible translation.


Jesus' Genealogy
A sun sets over the ocean with silhouetted trees on the left. Text overlay quotes Luke 3:38.
Image from Pixabay

1. Summary

Joseph's genealogy is traced all the way back to God. Joseph was of the tribe of Judah, from David's line through Nathan. 

2. N/W/L Statements

  1. I NOTICED that:
    1.  Luke traces Jesus' lineage through Joseph, His adopted father, all the way back to God. (*This shows us that earthly lineage doesn't matter. Divine lineage does, and we're all from the same tree.) 
    2. Jesus' genealogy follows His baptism in the book of Luke. (*Perhaps also to prioritize His descendancy from God, or divinity, versus Joseph, or humanity.)
    3. Mattathias, or a variation thereof, was a popular name in his lineage. 
    4. Unlike Matthew, Luke sticks to the men.
    5. I WONDER who some of the people mentioned were. Do I recognize them from other parts of the Bible? Were Amos and Nahum the prophets? Why does Zerubbabel sound familiar?
  2. I think God wants us to LEARN that there is only one lineage that truly matters.

3. Key Verse

Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God. Luke 3:38 KJV

We are each the son (or daughter) of God. 

4. God's Character

  1. God is the Father of us all.
    1. Then the LORD God took dust from the ground and formed a man from it [there is wordplay between "ground" (adama) and "man" (adam)]. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nose, and the man became a living person. Genesis 2:7
    2. We all have the same [Do we not have one...?] father; the same [one] God created us. So why do people break their promises to [betray] each other and show no respect for [profane; defile] the agreement [covenant; treaty] our ancestors [fathers] made with God [Exodus 19-24]? Malachi 2:10
    3. There is one God and Father of everything. He rules everything and is everywhere and is in everything [...who is over all and through all and in all]. Ephesians 4:6
  2.  God wants us to accept Him as our Father.
    1. So the son left and went to his father. "While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry [compassion] for his son. So the father ran to him [an undignified act for a family patriarch; evidence of his unrestrained love] and hugged and kissed him. Luke 15:20
    2. But to all who did accept [receive] him and believe in him [in his name; the name indicating the character of the person] he gave the right [power; authority] to become children of God. John 1:12
    3. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves again to fear [or You did not receive the spirit of slavery, leading to fear]; instead, you received the Spirit who adopts you as God's children [of adoption]. With [Through] that Spirit we cry out, "Abba [Aramaic for "Father"; Mark 14:36], Father." Romans 8:15

5. Pray

Father God, thank You for adopting me, raising me, correcting me, providing for me, protecting me, and knowing me. In this time, when I struggle with the fear of losing my earthly fathers, remind me I'll never lose You. Remind me they are in your hands too.

6. Act

  • Arise and know who you are: the child of the living God. He is with you.
  • Reign in God's glory with grace and truth.

7. Annotation Notes

? Denotes a question, * a personal thought, x a cross reference, ! a connection, and italics a referenced source.
  1. *Mattathias, or a variation thereof, is a very popular name in Jesus' genealogy. I count 6.
  2. ? Were Amos and Nahum mentioned here the prophets? (Luke 3:25) No. (Bible Hub)
  3. ? The name Zerubbabel sounds familiar, where do I know him from? (Luke 3:27) 
    1. Helped rebuild the temple after Babylonian exile. 
    2. Recorded in Haggai and Ezra.
    3. Seen as a type of Christ.
  4. ? What about Eliakim. Is he the one from Isaiah 37:2? (Luke 3:30) 
  5. ? Which son of David was mentioned in Matthew's genealogy? Wasn't it Solomon and not Nathan? (Luke 3:31) Yes, see Matthew 1:6.
  6. ! Boaz's wife was Ruth. See Ruth 4:13-15. (Luke 3:32)
  7. ! Salmon was one of the spies for Joshua. His wife was Rahab. (Luke 3:32)
  8. ! Judah's wife was Tamar. See I Chronicles 2:4. (Luke 3:33)
  9. ! Shem was the son who was blessed by Noah. See Genesis 9:26-27. (Luke 3:33)
  10. ! Seth was the son of Adam and Eve after Cain and Abel. Now, Jesus would not be a descendant of Cain. (Luke 3:38)
  11. If both this and Matthew's genealogy are for Joseph, how come different people are mentioned?
    1. Luke possibly recorded Mary's lineage, which is Joseph's though marriage. (Got Questions)

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