Luke 3:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

NIV: the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

NASB: the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

CSB: son of Simeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonam, son of Eliakim,

NLT: Levi was the son of Simeon. Simeon was the son of Judah. Judah was the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Jonam. Jonam was the son of Eliakim.

KJV: Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,

NKJV: the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim,

Luke presents a genealogy that connects Jesus to Adam, through the line of David (2 Samuel 7:12–16). Included in this list are many famous names. However, most on the list are not the people who made their name famous. Close ancestors of Jesus bore names of much earlier men, such as Joshua, Levi, and Joseph. The only person mentioned so far with any Old Testament presence is Zerubbabel (Luke 3:27; Ezra 3:8–10).

Here, the names Simeon, Judah, and Joseph also connect to major figures in the Old Testament, but the men mentioned here are not the same people. Eliakim, as well, is a name seen several times in Jewish Scripture, including a man who served under Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:18).

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 5/2/2024 4:05:51 AM