Matthew's Genealogy

[Devin]

Matthew\'s Genealogy

In studying the Gospels, I've come across a problem with Matthew's genealogy. Though I have read several different answers to the problem, I wanted to find out your opinions on it.

Matthew 1
17So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

However, when you count up each generation in each group (verses 2-16), the 3rd group only has 13 and all together there are only 41 generations (14*3=42).

My understanding is that Matthew never meant to actually have 42 generations. What he meant to convey is 3 different groups of 14 that have transitional generations (David and Jechoniah) in between. These transitions are based around key events/eras (Abraham to David's Kingdom, David's Kingdom to Captivity, Captivity to Christ).

This would make:
Abraham to David the first group (14).
David to Jechoniah the second (14).
And then Jechoniah to Christ the third (14).

But like I said, I have heard other explanations of this issue, even to the point where one of the Jechoniahs was actually meant to be someone else.

I'm not completely sure of my interpretation, so I've come to brighter minds for help.

 

[Puritan Sailor]

You have figured out the explanation that makes the most sense without compromising inerrancy That is how I understnad the geneaology. David and Jeconiah are transitionary figures, David because he ushered in the monarchy, and Jeconiah because he ushered in the exile. I think that is what Matthew was getting at, ultimately trying to say that not only is Jesus the messianic son of David, but He also ends the Exile with his coming. You can also see this by the fact that he begins with Abraham, showing Christ to be that promised Seed in whom all the nations would be blessed.

 

[biblelighthouse]

There is also another possibility: Perhaps the "14th person" in the 3rd section is the *church*.


"For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: . . . 'Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.' " (Hebrews 2:11-13, cf. Isaiah 8:18)


The members of the church are called the "children" of Christ. We are His descendants. Thus, perhaps *we* complete the 3rd section of Matthew's account of geneaology.




[Edited on 10-5-2005 by biblelighthouse]

 

[Devin]

That's one of the other interpretations I've read about. But it's hard for me to read that out of the text because it seems like his genealogy stops at Christ (from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.)

Also: Christ's children would also include those saved before His actual coming.

[Edited on 10-5-2005 by Devin]