Genealogy for Jesus?

[UnknownCloud]

I was asked a question about the 2 opposing paternal genealogies for Jesus - “…If his followers couldn’t even get that right, why should we take anything they say seriously?”

I’m not certain myself of the discrepancy and the reason for it. What do you think and/or have any of the doctors of the Church discussed this?

 

[beng]

For any basic question, go to newadvent.org. You’ll be overwhelmed.

 

[tobias]

Having two geneologies is not in itself an inconsistency. You might do well to consider who the author of each geneology was.

Matthew- this geneology is very ‘Jewish’ in nature, note how after the listing of the geneology Matthew goes on to point out that between Abraham to David was fourteen generations, then from David to the babylonian exile fourteen generations, and finally from the babylonian exile to the messiah fourteen generations. Matthew pointing to god’s ‘plan’ for salvation from promise to abraham to promise to David, to the promise to his people in exile to God’s fulfillment of these promises through Jesus Christ.

Luke- this geneology goes backward starting from Christ on down through His decendants until finally the first man Adam, and of course the conclusion that Adam was the son of God. As you may know Luke was a gentile, which his style of writing betrays. Thus the more rationalistic geneology which traces the line of Messiah back the the start of man. Luke would be more interested in being precise, as most physicians would, on the whole geneology. But Luke was making a point different from Matthews, Luke was pointing out that this son of man was the son of God.:ehh:

 

[Timidity]

Here’s the note from Douay Rheims:
… St. Joseph, who by nature was the son of Jacob, (St. Matt. 1. 16,) in the account of the law, was son of Heli. For Heli and Jacob were brothers, by the same mother; and Heli, who was the elder, dying without issue, Jacob, as the law directed, married his widow: in consequence of such marriage, his son Joseph was reputed in the law the son of Heli.