Luke 3:36 - Printer Friendly

ESV: the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

NIV: the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

NASB: the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

CSB: son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech,

NLT: Shelah was the son of Cainan. Cainan was the son of Arphaxad. Arphaxad was the son of Shem. Shem was the son of Noah. Noah was the son of Lamech.

KJV: Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,

NKJV: the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

As with most of the names given in the prior verse, men like Cainan and Arphaxad are mentioned in Scripture only as part of genealogies. We know almost nothing else about them. The same is true of the Lamech mentioned here; while he is the father of Noah, he is not the same person as the Lamech who came from the lineage of Cain (Genesis 4:18–24). Rather, he is the son of Methuselah (Luke 3:37; Genesis 5:25).

Shem, likewise, is known almost exclusively for his family members. The only times his actions are described are in relation to the flood (Genesis 7:13) and an ugly incident with his father, Noah (Genesis 9:20–23).

Noah, of course, is one of the most famous names in Scripture. This is the man chosen by God to build an ark, to retain the only people to survive God's wrathful annihilation of wicked mankind (Genesis 6:1–8).

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 5/5/2024 8:07:20 PM