Luke 3:35 - Printer Friendly

ESV: the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

NIV: the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

NASB: the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Heber, the son of Shelah,

CSB: son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Shelah,

NLT: Nahor was the son of Serug. Serug was the son of Reu. Reu was the son of Peleg. Peleg was the son of Eber. Eber was the son of Shelah.

KJV: Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,

NKJV: the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

Early in Luke's genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3:23), many of the men listed were historically unknown. At best, they shared names with more famous ancestors. A few exceptions, such as Zerubbabel (Luke 3:27), were interrupted as the lineage came to David (Luke 3:31–33). Most of the men listed from that point are well-documented in the Old Testament. After referring to Abraham (Luke 3:34), the list once again includes names of men about whom we know almost nothing.

Serug, Reu, Peleg, Eber, and Shelah are mentioned in the Bible only as part of early genealogies. Peleg's name is associated with the idea of division (Genesis 10:25), possibly a reference to the incident at the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9).

This continued list is Luke's way of emphasizing that Jesus' gospel is meant for all humanity, as Jesus is a true descendant of Adam, the father of all mankind.

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 4/29/2024 10:25:20 AM