Luke 3:32 - Printer Friendly

ESV: the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon,

NIV: the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

NASB: the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

CSB: son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Salmon, son of Nahshon,

NLT: David was the son of Jesse. Jesse was the son of Obed. Obed was the son of Boaz. Boaz was the son of Salmon. Salmon was the son of Nahshon.

KJV: Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,

NKJV: the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

When Luke listed Jesus' earthly genealogy (Luke 3:23), one purpose was to show that Jesus fulfilled prophecy as a descendant of David. That was accomplished in the prior verse (Luke 3:31). Luke continues to emphasize that Jesus is also a son of Adam—a human being—whose role as Messiah is available to all people and nations.

Names given up to now have mostly been obscure, at best being unknown men named for more famous Old Testament figures. After referencing David, many of the listed men are well-established in Scripture. This verse lists David's father, Jesse (1 Samuel 16:1), his grandfather Obed (Ruth 4:17), and his great-grandfather, Boaz (Ruth 4:13).

The book of Ruth (Ruth 4:18–22) includes the same genealogy as given in these two verses of Luke (Luke 3:33). Sala, in this case, is a slightly different rendering of the name Salmon.

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 12:22:52 AM