re: Jesus Genealogy - Part 1

Since God's decree at Jeremiah 22:30 prevented a descendant of Jehoiachin (Jeconiah) from ever being on the throne of David, would not this annul any right of Joseph to confer upon Jesus the legal right to the kingdom?

God's decree regarding Jehoichin reads : "Write down this man as childless, as an able-bodied man who will not have any success in his days; for from his offspring not a single one will have any success, sitting upon the throne of David and ruling anymore in Judah." This decree barred any descendant of Jehoiachin from ever ruling upon David's throne in Judah. But it did not prevent the royal line and inheritable privleges from passing through Jehoiachin and his descendants to Joseph and then to Jesus. It would not prevent Jesus from fulfilling another decree of God regarding the crown of David: "It will certainly become no one's until he comes who has the legal right, and I must give it to him. (Ezekiel 21:27) Why? Because Jesus, who was given "the legal right", would not rule from a throne in Judah, but from the heavens!

While in Babylonian captivity, Jehoiachin fathered seven sons, including Shealtiel and Pedaiah. But since no descendant of Jehoiachin ever sat on David's throne to rule in Judah, it was as though he was written off as "childless". Yet, Matthew includes Jehoiachin, Shealtiel and Zerubbabel, among others in listing Jesus' geneology. It did not matter that they personally were barred from ruling on any earthly throne. Moreover, it posed no problem to Luke and other Jews in the first century that Mary's geneology also could be traced back to Jehoiachin through Shealtiel. Matthew 1:11,12; Luke 3:27.

In establishing the credentials of one claiming to be the Messiah, or Jehovah's anointed One, it would be very important for the Jews to be able to trace his geneology back through the royal line of kings of David's house. (Compare John 7:40-42: Acts 2:30) The legal line through Joseph (compiled by Matthew) and the natural line (compiled by Luke), each taking a different route back to David, both serve to corroborate that Jesus clearly has the geneaological credentials for being the Messiah, the One who would inherit David's throne.

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Luke saw it important to record the fact that Mary was "promised in marriage to a man named Joseph of David's house" and that he was "a member of the house and family of David." (Luke 1:27; 2:4) It is with significance, therefore that Jehovah's angel, in giving directions to Joseph, addressed him with the words: "Joseph, son of David." He was told regarding the son who would be born to Mary: "You must call his name Jesus", indicating that Joseph was expected to adopt the boy and circumcise him as his own adopted son. (Matthew 1:20,21) And to Mary, Gabriel stated regarding Jesus :"Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule as king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of his kingdom." (Luke 1:32,33)

Jesus was hailed as the "Son of David" when on earth, but he did not attempt to begin his rule while on earth. (Matthew 9:27; 21:9,15) He inherited all that David's earthly kingship ever embraced as to royal privileges, subjects,and territory, but he inherited much more from his heavenly Father. David's earthly kingdom was only a small model of what Jesus' heavenly kingdom would be in ruling the whole earth. (Daniel 2:44; 7:13,14)

After his death and resurrection, Jesus was exalted to Jehovah's throne in the heavens. And while his earthly genealogy, through both Joseph and Mary, can be traced back to Jehoiachin, Jesus' ruling from a heavenly throne causes no violation of Jehovah's decree. Peter confirmed this by referring to what David wrote under inspiration: "Because he (David) was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that he would seat one from the fruitage of his loins upon his throne, he saw beforehand and spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ...He was exalted to the right hand of God" where, in due time, he would begin ruling in the midst of his enemies. (Acts 2:30-36; Psalms 110:1,2)

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Brien

Jesus' Opponents Could Not Challenge Public Records

As to Matthew's and Luke's listing of Jesus' genealogy, they doubtless got their list from the public register in the town of Bethlehem of Judah, where Jesus was born. (Luke 2:1-5; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1-6) There is a remarkable fact that should end any doubt about Jesus' being both the natual heir of David, and the one having the legal right to David's throne, since he was the firstborn son (actually foster -son) of a man descended from King Solomon. It is this: None of Jesus' enemies among the Jews ever challenged his descent from David, either on the side of his mother or of his foster-father. Now we know that the Pharisees and Sadducees were as eager as a pack of wolves, seeking any possible way to discredit Jesus. But they could not deny the official birth registers, well known to the people and available for anyone to check. Neither did the pagan enemies attack Jesus' genealogy until after the Jewish records were destroyed when the Romans invaded and destroyed Jerusalem. Then, of course , no one could check their lying claims with the public records.

Only the Bible record of this lineage remains. There are absolutely no other records of David's descendants extant, because these were destroyed when the Roman army desolated Jerusalem and burned its temple in 70 C.E. All public records, all archives, were wiped out. No one since then can possibly trace his own ancestry back to David. Since God's purpose cannot fail, this means that Jesus Christ is undeniably the Messiah, the King chosen by God.

Brien