Luke 3:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

NIV: the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

NASB: the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

CSB: son of Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David,

NLT: Eliakim was the son of Melea. Melea was the son of Menna. Menna was the son of Mattatha. Mattatha was the son of Nathan. Nathan was the son of David.

KJV: Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,

NKJV: the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

Other than Zerubbabel (Luke 3:27), the recognizable names in Luke's genealogy are mostly repetitions of earlier, more famous figures. The men called Levi, Joseph, Judah, and so forth are named after those celebrated persons. The other names are almost totally obscure, with no information at all given other than their inclusion in this genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3:23).

Here, Luke's record of Jesus' earthly lineage reaches a critical point. The line of fathers and sons reaches back to Nathan, a son of David (2 Samuel 5:14). This establishes that Jesus is part of the line of David, from which Messiah was promised to come (2 Samuel 7:12–16).

This also marks a change in the visibility of the people mentioned for the rest of the genealogy. While the men mentioned thus far are mostly unknown, many of the names seen in the rest of the list (Luke 3:32–38) are well-established in Old Testament stories.

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 5/3/2024 11:38:28 PM