In the New Testament, two genealogies are given for Jesus (cf. Matthew 1:1-16; Luke 3:23-38). The Matthew genealogy furnishes the reader with Jesus’ lineage through Joseph’s ancestors. Throughout this record, the phrase was the father of is the active form of the verb gennáō. The active voice of gennáō means to be the “male agent responsible for the conception of a child.” Therefore, Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, and so forth. However, in verse 16, gennáō is changed to the passive voice. The passive voice of gennáō translates as was born. The passive voice indicates that Joseph did not sire Jesus. As well, verse 16 states that Joseph was the husband of Mary by whom (ek hós) Jesus was born. The phrase by whom (ek hós) is a feminine pronoun. Thus, the pronoun points back to Mary, not Joseph. Joseph was the husband of Mary, but it was solely Mary who was involved in Jesus’ birth. While Joseph was not the progenitor of Jesus, Jesus was considered his legal heir. By attaching Joseph’s lineage to Jesus, indicates that Joseph had adopted Jesus as his legal heir. As the legal heir of Joseph, Jesus has the right to the Davidic throne.
The Luke genealogy provides Jesus’s lineage through Mary’s ancestors. While it is Jesus’ genealogy through Mary’s lineage, it is traced through the paternal side (Luke 3:23-38). Note verse thirty-two — “When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli.” Joseph was not the physical father of Jesus, but after almost thirty-years, Joseph was accepted as Jesus’ father. Also, note that Joseph is listed as the son of Eli. Matthew records Joseph’s father as Jacob. Again because Hebrew genealogies record the paternal line, even though Eli is Mary’s father, her husband Joseph is listed as the son of Eli. While the gospels of Matthew and Luke are independent accounts of Jesus’ birth, both confirm the fact that Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus and remained a virgin until after she birthed Jesus.
The Luke genealogy provides Jesus’s lineage through Mary’s ancestors. While it is Jesus’ genealogy through Mary’s lineage, it is traced through the paternal side (Luke 3:23-38). Note verse thirty-two — “When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli.” Joseph was not the physical father of Jesus, but after almost thirty-years, Joseph was accepted as Jesus’ father. Also, note that Joseph is listed as the son of Eli. Matthew records Joseph’s father as Jacob. Again because Hebrew genealogies record the paternal line, even though Eli is Mary’s father, her husband Joseph is listed as the son of Eli. While the gospels of Matthew and Luke are independent accounts of Jesus’ birth, both confirm the fact that Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus and remained a virgin until after she birthed Jesus.
- but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son… - Matthew 1:25
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