Luke 3:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

NIV: the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

NASB: the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

CSB: son of Joanan, son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Neri,

NLT: Joda was the son of Joanan. Joanan was the son of Rhesa. Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the son of Neri.

KJV: Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,

NKJV: the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

Jesus is a descendant of David (2 Samuel 7:12–16). Matthew (Matthew 1:1) and Luke (Luke 3:23) both establish this, apparently using different lines. Most of the names in Luke's genealogy are obscure, unless the men are namesakes of more famous people like Levi, Joseph, and Amos. At this point, Luke's list touches on a name well-known from the Old Testament: Zerubbabel.

Zerubbabel was born in Babylon during Israel's exile (2 Kings 25:2–12). He returned as a governor during the rebuilding period and was a key figure in repairing the destroyed temple (Ezra 3:8–10). Though not thought of often in modern Christian teaching, Zerubbabel was one of Israel's heroic figures in the period between the exile and the appearance of Jesus.

Luke 3:23–38 traces the earthly ancestry of Jesus, apparently focusing on direct family lines. That is, Luke might be following literal birth, rather than by legal means such as adoption. Scholars differ on the precise meaning of these lines, but a common interpretation is that Luke is establishing Mary's ancestry. This establishes Jesus' physical relationship to His ancestor David (2 Samuel 7:12–16). Matthew's genealogy shows Joseph's descent from David, making his adoptive son, Jesus, a legal member of that line.

The early part of Luke's gospel shifts back and forth between the histories of Jesus and John the Baptist. Chapter 3 starts with historical and prophetic context about John. It then depicts some of John's interactions with local religious leaders. Luke gives only a brief description of Jesus' baptism. He also touches on John's criticism of Herod the Tetrarch, which would eventually result in John's execution (Matthew 14:10–12). The chapter ends with a genealogy of Christ.

Chapters 1 and 2 provided early history for both John the Baptist and Jesus. Chapter 3 establishes John's preaching ministry and its connection to Jesus Christ. The chapter ends with a genealogy which some believe runs through Mary's side of the family. Chapter 4 transitions from Jesus' baptism into His public ministry, by describing His fasting in the wilderness and temptation by Satan.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.

Accessed 5/4/2024 10:23:50 PM