Jesus affirmed marriage and blessed children, but he conceived of the community of believers in familial terms transcending those of people’s natural relations. This is one of the most striking, distinctive, and central aspects of Jesus’s call to discipleship. He is not dismissing biological family, but making the clear theological point that in the Kingdom of Heaven, the most important family is the community of believers.
In his new family, things are turned upside down: the first are last, and the least are the greatest. People are more valued than possessions, and love for our biological kindred gives way to a new family. Family is at the center of God’s plan for the happiness and progress of His children. The Holy Bible teaches that God established families from the very beginning, and it shows us many examples of strong families.
Jesus’ command to “hate father and mother” requires us to prioritize our relationship with Jesus over our relationship with parents, siblings, and other family members. While it is right to love our family members, we want to. In this case, Jesus not only ignored his mother and brothers but also redefined the meaning of family; one’s family was now reconceived as “whoever does the will of God”.
The Scripture has many tragic stories about families, showing the devastating consequences of having a nuclear family. Jesus instituted the very first marriage and blessed it to Jesus, revealing the nature of his found family — God’s found family. He announced the true substance of his kinship ties. The family of Jesus is less concerned with flesh and blood, and is more concerned with alignment with the revealed will of God.
In Matthew 19:11-12, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who are my mother and who are my brothers?” They said, “My mother and my brothers are outside, seeking you”. Jesus answered them, “Who are my mother and who are my brothers?” This passage highlights the importance of family in Jesus’ teachings and the importance of a community of believers that transcends natural relationships.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Jesus’ Surprising Family Values by Charles Moore | Jesus himself founded no family – he took no wife, fathered no children, and even called some to be “eunuchs” (Matt. 19:11–12). Contrary to the tradition that … | plough.com |
| What Does the Bible Say About Families? | Here are fifteen standout biblical guidelines about families: 1. The initial reason for the family is to reproduce, populate the world, and rule over it. | childrensministrybasics.com |
| “Who Are My Mother and Brothers?”: Jesus and the … | Jesus announced the nature of his found family — God’s found family. He announced the true substance of his kinship ties. The messenger and … | rachelstarrthomson.com |
📹 The Two Very Different Stories of Jesus’ Birth
The story of Jesus’ birth is told millions of times during the Christmas season. Yet despite its popularity, many don’t realize that …
What Did Jesus Say About Being Loved?
In John 13:34-35, Jesus presents a profound command: to love one another as He has loved us, which reflects the essence of His teachings. This command signifies that true discipleship is marked by love among believers. Furthermore, Jesus elaborates on love's expansive nature; it extends beyond friends to encompass even enemies, urging us to pray for those who persecute us. This radical love mirrors God's unconditional, sacrificial, forgiving, and eternal love demonstrated through Christ's actions.
Marking a shift from older commandments, Jesus emphasizes that love must be active and transformative, illustrating its depth through His own sacrifice. His statement, "If you love me, keep my commands," links obedience to love, showing that genuine affection leads to action. Engaging in acts of compassion toward the marginalized—such as orphans, widows, and the oppressed—is a reflection of this love.
Jesus' call to love is not merely a suggestion; it is a hallmark of His disciples, revealing their faith to the world. Reiterating this in John 15:12, He commands, "Love each other as I have loved you." In this framework, love becomes the foundation for all relationships, fostering unity and understanding among believers, thereby showcasing the power of Christ's love in action.
How Does God Define Family?
The family is a foundational institution ordained by God, rooted in marriage and consisting of individuals connected by marriage, blood, or adoption. According to biblical teachings, the ideal family comprises a husband, a wife, and their children, which God created for a specific purpose. Scripture emphasizes the importance of the family, highlighting God's desire for husbands and wives to procreate, although recognizing that not all can have children.
Genesis illustrates that God created companionship, stating, "It is not good for man to be alone," leading to the establishment of the family unit through Adam and Eve, thus instituting the principle of a man and a woman uniting in matrimony.
The Bible also delves into what it means to be part of God's family, suggesting that through adoption, believers enter into a spiritual family with God as a Father and Jesus as a Brother. Family dynamics reflect our heavenly relationships within the Church, illustrating God's design for nurturing communities grounded in love and support. Notably, the structure of family emphasizes authority, with the husband following Christ, the wife honoring the husband, and children respecting their parents.
Overall, God’s plan for the family is pivotal to the development and nurturing of humanity, symbolizing His love and intentions for societal foundations. As the Bible reveals, family is not merely about biological connections but represents a deeper relationship reflective of God’s love, intentions, and the nurturing of spiritual and emotional bonds among its members.
Does Jesus Say Don'T Love Your Family?
Jesus does not advocate for hating one's family or being anti-family; rather, His teachings emphasize the need for supreme loyalty to Him above all else, including family relationships. In passages such as Luke 14:26, Jesus states that anyone who comes to Him must "hate" their family, a statement understood as hyperbole aimed at illustrating the intense commitment required for discipleship. This statement reiterates the idea that followers must prioritize their relationship with God over all attachments and relationships.
Jesus expressed deep compassion for people throughout His ministry, revealing His love for families and individuals alike. In fact, neglecting family responsibilities is considered contrary to faith, as emphasized in 1 Timothy 5:8, which highlights the importance of caring for one's relatives.
Following Jesus may sometimes require leaving family behind, yet it doesn't necessarily mean abandoning familial bonds. The call to "hate" in this context underscores the necessity of radical commitment to God, reflecting the first commandment to have no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3). Thus, Jesus' command functions to encourage total dedication to Him, urging believers to live lives marked by unwavering truth and love, transcending mere attachments or desires.
What Is Unique About Jesus' New Family?
In Jesus’ new family, traditional values are inverted: the last become first, and the least are prioritized. This radical shift prioritizes people over possessions, calling for love and service to all, including those who differ from us. Jesus’ biological family includes his mother Mary, his father Joseph, and brothers James, Jude, and Simon; however, He stands apart as He alone accepted worship as equal to God the Father. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus redefines family to emphasize spiritual kinship over biological ties, highlighting inclusivity and commitment.
His new family is identified as the new Israel, comprising a community of disciples. Jesus’ transformative life in Nazareth and His Jewish upbringing, as recorded in Luke, heavily influenced this new family dynamic. Although followers retain their biological family ties, the bonds formed through faith in Christ often surpass blood relationships. Through His sacrifice, Jesus established a new covenant, building a lasting family for those who align with Him.
The Gospels also recount that Jesus' brothers were initially skeptical of His messianic role. Ultimately, Jesus reorients the concept of family to center on those who fulfill God’s will, creating a welcoming and open community united by shared faith and divine adoption as God's children.
What Is Jesus' Understanding About Family?
Jesus challenges traditional notions of family, emphasizing that true relatives are those who do the will of God rather than simply share biological ties (Mark 3:31–35). While Mary, Joseph, and Jesus’ siblings, such as James and Jude, were important to Him, Jesus redefined familial relationships to transcend blood relations. He envisioned a community of believers as a spiritual family, where the least among them could be the greatest and the first would be last.
Jesus’ emphasis is not a dismissal of biological family but rather a theological assertion that spiritual kinship in the Kingdom of Heaven holds utmost significance. His teachings, as seen in Matthew 12:46-50, invite believers to reassess family concepts, focusing on inclusivity and commitment within the family of God. Jesus lived celibately, embodying His belief that spiritual family is paramount to earthly ties. He invites everyone to join this family through faith and to pledge allegiance to Him (John 1:12-13).
In this new family, all believers are considered equal, united as siblings under Christ's authority. Jesus’ earthly family often struggled to comprehend His divine mission, showing the tension between traditional familial roles and His spiritual calling. Despite affirming the value of marriage and children, Jesus emphasizes that His community should prioritize God's will. Thus, Jesus establishes a new family of disciples committed to following Him, suggesting that genuine acceptance into this family comes through dedication to God's work. The teachings of Jesus advocate for a redemptive approach to family, encouraging believers to foster strong relationships rooted in the love and spirit of Christ, creating an everlasting family bound by faith.
What Does Jesus Say About Preserving A Family?
In Matthew 15:19, Jesus emphasizes that "out of the heart come evil thoughts," highlighting the significance of the heart's intent behind actions. Although God values biological families, He places greater importance on spiritual kinship within the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus clarifies this when He says, "Who is My mother and My brothers?" and gestures toward His disciples, indicating that true familial ties are defined by doing God's will. The Bible outlines the responsibilities Christians have toward their families, underscoring that neglecting one's family is a denial of faith (1 Timothy 5:8).
Family is positioned as central to God’s plan, where love, respect, and care nurture a strong foundation: "Behold, I have given you authority to…" (Luke 10:19). Despite the challenges of faith potentially causing divisions within families (Matthew 10:34-36), believers are called to love and support their family members, both spiritually and physically. God promises protection and guidance, as noted in Psalm 121:7-8.
Additionally, the encouragement to guide children in faith is reinforced when Jesus invites little children, stating that "the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14). Therefore, Christians are reminded to uphold family values while fulfilling their spiritual obligations.
How Does Jesus Redefine Family?
In the Gospels, particularly in Mark and Luke, Jesus redefines the concept of family, emphasizing spiritual kinship over biological connections. He asserts that true family comprises those who hear and obey God's word (Mark 3:31-35). Jesus teaches that a relationship with God takes precedence, stating that those who do the will of His Father are His true brothers and sisters. This notion is radical, especially in a cultural context where family ties were paramount.
Jesus' declaration includes a call for loyalty to Him over biological relationships, as illustrated in Luke 14:26, where He suggests one must prioritize their commitment to Him above familial ties. His interactions with His natural family, who often fail to understand Him (Mark 3:20-21), further highlight this shift. The church, led by Jesus, becomes a new family that transcends traditional bloodlines, creating a welcoming community of believers united in faith.
This redefinition of family serves as good news, particularly for those lacking familial support. Jesus’ message reflects a shift toward inclusivity and spiritual belonging, inviting all who seek to follow God's will into a new, committed family of believers. This transformation emphasizes that every believer is recognized as a cherished member of God’s family.
What Does Jesus Say About Family?
Jesus transforms the understanding of intimate relationships by emphasizing spiritual kinship over biological ties, redefining family according to loyalty to God and His kingdom. While he affirms marriage and the honor of parents, he instructs his followers to prioritize their commitment to him and the gospel over natural family connections. Jesus articulates that true family consists of those who fulfill God's Will together, calling his disciples to love one another as siblings in faith.
He acknowledges the significance of biological families but asserts that the Kingdom of Heaven prioritizes spiritual relationships, where one’s identity as God’s adopted child through Jesus takes precedence. Jesus' teachings suggest that a strong commitment to Christ enhances our roles as family members. He states that to be part of his family, individuals must do the Will of God, indicating that spiritual ties can supersede familial obligations.
This perspective does not diminish the value of family but places it within a broader theological context. Jesus’ use of hyperbole—claiming the necessity of hating one’s family—illustrates the high cost of discipleship. Ultimately, God’s design for family extends beyond the traditional structure, offering a nuanced view of kinship that elevates spiritual bonds and emphasizes moral and ethical conduct rooted in love and devotion to God's purpose.
What Does The Bible Teach Us About Family?
The Bible emphasizes the importance of family as a core aspect of God's design for human happiness and progress. From the creation of Adam and Eve, the first family, God instituted the family structure, instructing them to "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28). Families are seen as gifts from God, deserving of love, respect, and care among members. The Holy Scriptures contain numerous examples of strong family units, illustrating the value of unconditional love and compassion, as emphasized in 1 Peter 4:8.
Families serve as the building blocks of society, with biblical injunctions, such as honoring parents (Exodus 20:12), guiding interpersonal relationships. Jesus’ teachings introduce a challenging dynamic, emphasizing that discipleship may require prioritizing faith above familial ties (Luke 14:26). Nevertheless, the Bible consistently advocates for familial unity, with God placing the lonely in families (Psalm 68:6).
Moreover, passages like Deuteronomy 11:19 and Proverbs 22:6 highlight the responsibility of teaching children in the way of holiness. Forgiveness is also a critical theme within families, as expressed in Colossians 3:13, encouraging members to bear with each other. Ultimately, the Bible describes the family as the glue that holds society together, with roles defined for husbands and wives, symbolizing a "one-flesh" union that nurtures individual and collective growth within a loving structure.
What Did Jesus Really Think Of Family Values?
Jesus acknowledges the worth of the family as a divine creation but emphasizes that its significance is not absolute; it is not the main avenue through which God's grace operates in the world. He calls his disciples to prioritize their allegiance to him over familial ties. In Jesus' view, those who collaborate to fulfill God’s Will form the true family, regardless of blood relations. He redefines familial bonds based on choices rather than mere lineage, with values inverted where the least are the greatest and possessions are less important than people.
While affirming marriage and the blessing of children, Jesus' concept of family challenges traditional Mediterranean values and redirects focus to a broader, spiritual family grounded in shared commitment to God's vision rather than genetic connections. Jesus' teachings reflect "kingdom values" that prioritize community and justice over conventional family structures. He highlights the enduring bonds formed through faith, asserting that the gospel ties surpass familial connections.
Although he preached fidelity and compassion, Jesus did not endorse a specific lifestyle surrounding familial relationships, leaving behind conventional family values. This radical reimagining calls believers to uphold these new principles, even at the risk of familial conflict, reflecting the strength of spiritual over biological bonds.
📹 What if My Family Doesn’t Believe in Jesus? // Time of Grace // Mike Novotny
What should I do if my family doesn’t believe in Jesus? I know I should pray, but is there anything else I should do? This week …
Each of the four Gospels presents Jesus Christ from a different point of emphasis. Matthew, being a Levite, emphasizes Jesus as the Messiah, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Each of the subtleties of his design supports this primary theme. His genealogy begins with the “first Jew,” Abraham, and continues through David and the royal line to the legal father of Jesus, Joseph. As a customs official, Matthew was skilled in shorthand, and focuses on what Jesus said, and includes the extensive discourses, which he probably was able to take down verbatim. Matthew’s first miracle is the cleansing of a leper, a Jewish metaphor for sin itself. Matthew concludes with the resurrection, also a distinctive Jewish preoccupation. Luke was a Gentile and a doctor, and his Gospel reflects a very distinctive point of view, emphasizing Jesus as the Son of Man. His genealogy begins with Adam, the first man. From Abraham to David, his list is identical to that of Matthew. However, when he gets to David, he doesn’t track through Solomon (the first surviving son of Bathsheba) but through a different son, Nathan (the second surviving son of Bathsheba). He continues through to Heli, the father of Mary. (Joseph is the son-in-law of Heli). As a Gentile, Luke’s emphasis is different. His emphasis is Christ’s humanity; he focuses on what Jesus felt. His first miracle is the expulsion of a demon, a very human concern. Luke concludes with the promise of the giving of the Holy Spirit, which is a natural bridge to his subsequent volume, The Book of Acts .
Great article! I think the only think it’s missing is the idea that Matthew wrote Jesus’s genealogy through Joseph, while Luke wrote the genealogy through Mary. From what I have studied, in Hebrew culture they memorize names of their father and their fathers that come before. I love the fact that was added about the 141414. I didn’t know that! However, I believe Luke went against the cultural approach and followed Mary’s genealogy since she is the only parent to actually share blood ties with Jesus. When looking at the genealogy from both books they are the same (outside of where they start) until they reach Dawit. After Dawit Matthew says Solomon, while in Luke it says Nathan. I don’t think it was a mistake, I believe it was done on purpose to prove Jesus was the promised one from both Mary and Joseph. Satisfying the cultural traditions and their true blood ties with Mary and God seen in Luke!
Mary and Joseph were quite poor. We know this because they brought two turtle doves instead of a lamb to his presentation in the temple (what you called the purification, in this article). I doubt they owned a camel. I’ve always thought they made the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem with Joseph walking and Mary riding a donkey. Also, I’ve heard that Mary likely walked to visit Elizabeth who was pregnant with John the Baptist. It’s about 85 miles and probably took her over a week each way. Mama Mary definitely was one tough lady!
Story one: Tyler went to Burger King to buy his sister a whopper because she was bothering him about it. He then stopped by Walmart to buy himself a book. When he returned, his sister was angry because the food was cold so he fled from her room. Story two: Tyler left one day from his house and stopped at Burger King, Walmart, and Starbucks. When he returned, he showed his sister all the things he purchased but swiftly left the room, leaving with nothing but the scratches his sister gifted him back. Note: All of these things happened, they are both accurate accounts. They do not contradict, one simply leaves out information and one adds information. Moral of the story: Don’t keep your sister waiting when she’s hungry.
At the beginning of his gospel, Luke made it clear that he’s not an eye witness and that his work was a result of “careful investigation”. Sometimes the truth depends on the source of information one happens to land on. But the important thing in my opinion, is whether Jesus is the Messiah and his birth was indeed in fulfillment of the scripture.
From my understanding the book of Matthew was the only gospel that was written in Hebrew, compared to the language the other gospels were written in Greek. If this is possibly true, then wouldn’t the interpretation between the two languages read differently anyway? I’m just curious, your intake in this article was quite interesting. The book of Matthew is one of my favorite books of the gospels to read, the other is John. Blessings to you!!!
Take the time to actually count the names listed in the third group of 14 in Mathew. If the Joseph listed there is Jesus’ father as stated in this article, then there are only 13 generations from David to Jesus. The word translated “husband” can also be translated “father”. As Mary is Jesus’ human parent, it is through her that the throne of David must come, and not her husband. Luke, however, shows the genealogy of Joseph, Mary’s husband which is important not for Jesus’s immediate claim to the throne of David, but for the legal requirement for him to be established as being from the House of David also. The Book of Numbers (Ch 27) lays out the way a woman may inherit, and for Mary to retain the claim of a direct descendant of David, she would have to marry someone who was also of the House of David, hence the establishing that Joseph her husband was also of the House of David. Most of the events recorded in Luke occur shortly after His birth, and the events recorded in Mathew (the arrival of the Magi, for example) occur when Jesus is about a year and a half old. The two gospels are not of the same identical events: Mathew shows Him as a King with a legal claim to His ancestors’ throne, and Luke shows Him as a Man among men. In reading the Bible, and the Gospels in particular, do not confuse identical events with similar ones. Too often the casual reader wants to make them the same, but this will give rise to supposed errors and conflicts when there are none.
There are things that we as westerners dont fully understand looking at things at face value but look into “levirate marriage.” If a man died without having any sons, it was tradition for the man’s brother to marry the widow and have a son who would carry on the deceased man’s name. This way Jesus can be both from the line of Mary and the line of Joseph and fulfill prophecy. A lot of this stuff has already been thought over for centuries, even just a few google searches shows that many things in this article are just misinterpretations or not fully understanding bronze age ancient Israelite genealogy customs, which i dont blame you for not knowing it
Is the biggest contradiction between these two not just the simple difference in time? (Matthew) – If they ALL went back to Israel after King Herod died (4BC), (Luke) – how could Mary be pregnant and going to Bethlehem due to the census of Quirinius (6AD)? I’m open to hearing any explanations and potentially changing my mind so please feel free to comment haha
That’s ok Mathew and Luke’s. “Eyewitness” accounts of the Ressurection differ as well. Mathew has a closed tomb, earthquake, an Angel and an empty tomb, while Luke has an open tomb,no earthquake,no Angel, and 2 men with shiney clothes inside. And Mark and John’s are diferent as well. So much for credibility.
Matthew’s lineage goes from Abiud–Mary’s line. Luke’s goes from Rhesa–Joesph’s line. Matthew–27 generations of 40 years…from Solomon. Patriarchal–father’s line. Luke–40 generations of 25 years…from Nathan. Matriarchal—mother’s line. Both werw sons of Zerubbabel. Mary & Joseph also were related. Joseph was Mary’s great-aunt Gadat’s son. The birth story in Matthew is Jesus’ actual birth into the world. Luke’s story takes place 12 years later, in 6 AD. Luke is not making one of his alleged errors. It is about Jesus’ 2d birth into the community. When the David was crowned, he was ‘born’ as the adopted ‘Son of God’, according to the words of the liturgy of coronation found in the 2d Psalm. When Mary ‘brought him forth’ she was following the symbolism in which the boy was separated from his mother. When he was ‘wrapped in cloths,’ he was being clothed in the ceremonial veatment. This is the year when the census was taken. Quirinius ordered the census, & he was never governor of Syria when Herod was alive. The census was a time when people had to register their property, & they weren’t required to travel all over the country to do it. Jesus was born on Sunday March 1, 7BC in Bethlehem of Judea, a residential complex a kilometer south of Qumran. It was originally a palace for Hasmonean royalty, it was called the Queen’s house. Also, because animals were stabled there, it was called the ‘Manger’. When Joeph was told to ‘flee into Egypt’, it was not the literal Egypt. When the Egyptian Therapeuts were in Qumran, it was called ‘Egypt’, & Joseph with them was called ‘Joseph in Egypt’.
Luke says that everyone had to go to their hometown (or “their own city” depending on the translation) for the registration (or “census” or “taxation” or “enrolment” depending on the translation) and then stops to explain why Bethlehem is Joseph’s hometown. In other words, Luke uses time and papyrus space to explain that Mary is from Nazareth in Galilee while Joseph is from Bethlehem in Judea. Because of this, some Scholars also consider that the “inn” translation is a mistake and it actually means an “upper room” in the home of Joseph’s relatives or parents. And if someone wonders why Joseph and Mary were getting married if they were once from different cities and different regions, then in ancient times it was no more strange than if today you marry someone who lives in a different city and region (however, the difference is of course that today marriages are arranged less frequently). And if anyone is wondering what Joseph was doing in Nazareth, the local wedding custom of that time was that the groom arrived at the bride’s home to pick up the bride for the wedding.
It’s weird to me that Christians never want to consider that authors could be mistaken. We are all taught that the idea that there’s divine something something that means what they wrote was true. But we know that when God speaks to us it isn’t like an intercom system. Also, some things in the Bible that aren’t directly from God or Jesus, could be the result of the Apostles’ own ideas and not God. An example of that might be Ephesians where Paul says women should submit to their husbands. Is that too much thinking? Or does it seem like a lack of faith? Call me crazy, but the only things I find definite are God and Jesus. And even then we should always consider translation and author errors.
I think that you missed something very important about the two genealogy in both books. In Luke account you have all men, but in Matthew you have Rahab and Ruth in it. This maybe the way Matthew is saying this is Mary genealogy and not Joseph. And the way Luke end his genealogy is say that Joseph was not the physical father of Jesus.
maybe just maybe they are all different narrations of the same whole story. all i see here are two narrations that probably compliment each other if we really dig deep… a lot of the time you did mention that one book didnt mention certain things but at the same time did not contradict. therefore all i see here is the same story but of different scenes
Thanks for the article. Your claims that the two accounts are very different are somewhat true; however, the differences don’t pose contradictions. When the two accounts are placed together, they complement each other. When one mentions a fact that the other does not mention, we see complementation, not contradiction. The only part that appears to be contradictory is the genealogy; however, it was not uncommon for Jewish writers to substitute grandfathers for fathers in the records. Also, it is possible that Luke was tracing the genealogy through Mary, who was related to Joseph and shared many of the same relatives as her husband.
No, Luke did not use Matthew as a source. Matthew and Luke both used Mark and Q (lost to us). They each had their own unique sources: called by scholars M for Matthew and L for Luke. Unlikely that they were aware of each other’s accounts. Btw, we don’t actually know who the authors were nor where they were located. They both were Greek speakers, rather than Aramaic, the language of Jesus. They definitely are contradictory. Read them side by side. Also, it is unlikely Jesus went anywhere near Bethlehem.
DON’T BE SO SILLY! If you have an x-ray, say of you knee they will take two views – AP and lateral – very different pictures, but of the same knee, just from different angles – that’s all. And that’s how it is with Matthew and Luke – THEY JUST TELL DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SAME STORY – no one with any intelligence thinks anything different!
If 2 men see a car crash, and one mentions birds flying by before the crash and the other mentions hearing a man yell before the crash, are they contradicting each other? No, see you said joseph being the son of david. Every jew considers therefore fathers still to be there father no matter the time gap. So technically king david is everyone’s father under him and on description is more accurate than the other, but neither contradict each other the information is being filled in. Because the car crash remained consistent and the details mentioned paint a clearer picture from eye witnesses. The gospel is the same, all speak on jesus on what he did and from those accounts we can tell what was most consistent which were miracles, his death and resurrection his message and his purpose for being there with some adding details the others miss or simply explaining as is from their perspective, the revelation of christ is sifting through all their findings to get the bigger picture of who he was.
There are no contradictions if Mary and Joseph were patrilineal first cousins in an arranged marriage, as was an overwhelmingly common practice among the Judeans, especially for keeping inheritances in the patrilineal line. So yes, they both could have been from the line of David and have overlaps in genealogy until you get to the last few generations, and levrite marriages may have been a factor in shaping the genealogy of Jesus. Matrilineal first cousins were considered unmarriable and may have been regarded as siblings, btw.
But there are contradictions, many actually.This is a great article and topic. The majority of Christians know the story of Jesus as an amalgamation of the gospels. Each author tells a widely varying tale and the variations are often in very important aspects of the gospel. One would imagine the inerrant word of an omniscient god would tell a decisive narrative that leaves no room for variation or interpretation for that matter. When speaking on the historicity of the Jesus story these facts can’t be overlooked and distorted by apologists.
To understand the two different birth stories you need to go back to Genesis 15:5 When God makes a pact with Abraham And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” The OT was written in Hebrew — the world “number” has multiple meanings and in this case doesn’t mean count the stars. Number in Hebrew (separ) also means to tell, inform, story — So what God is really doing is telling Abraham look up at the stars and if you can read the stars you will see the story of your decedents. The Bible is FULL of references to the Zodiac and Astrology & this is why Matthew’s Jesus birth story mentions Abraham — look at Winter Solstice December 21 – Bright Star Sirus sits at it lowest point in the western sky — Followed by 3 Stars call “the 3 Kings” – the Star can not be see for 3 Days and on December 25 – Sirus moves North — this is what Matthew’s Gospel is referencing. Luke’s Gospel is what actually happened on earth.
Absolutely fantastic article! I love your neutrality, and how you present the knowledge. To my understanding, the wise men approached Jesus when he was a 2-year-old. If i remember correctly the Greek used is child, and not that of a newborn unlike Lukes which using Greek to describe newborn. Perhaps Mary and Joseph returned to Nazareth but faced slander from the locals and returned back to Bethlehem to get away from it. After the fleet to Egypt, and hearing that Herrods pass over slaughtering son took charge in Judah they returned to Nazareth as a last resort.
I never understood the significance of these geneologies. If the purpose is to verify Jesus’ Jewish heritage then it doesn’t matter about Joseph. It’s the mother’s background that is important. And even if they do a history of Mary’s heritage it still doesn’t matter in my mind. Mary was not Jesus’ biological mother. She was his surrogate mother.
It’s not that Mary was one tough lady. It’s that Mary was a believer, an obedient and devout follower and servant of The Most High. God The Trinity was with her because The Most High chose her and He made her part of His plan. The Most High does NOT fail. He strengthened her just as he strengthened Moses to free His people from Egypt and Joshua to lead His people to the promised land. All glory belongs to The Holy Trinity – The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.
Mark and Luke had no authority to write a gospels. They never met Jesus, talked to him or heard anything he ever said…. Mark and Luke’s gospels are 2nd, 3rd and 4th account information, in other words heresay. Pauls writing fit this too. He was hated by Simeon Peter, Brother James and the rest of the apostles.
If they were copied verbatim atheists would cry fowl and say “oh, they just copied each other!” But as true eyewitness testimonies that have also been shown in extrabiblical sources that Jesus did walk the earth, having differing details but all sharing the main thing about Jesus’ death and resurrection is as credible as it gets. I definitely recommend the website Cross Examined on this. God bless you!
Well, that 14 thing is 😎. So, 14 x 3, makes perfect sense to me. My mom studied her family ancestry atleast back to early pilgrims. Hard to remember all the ‘first borns’ except for most part of couple centuries they all had basically the same name. She managed back only 11 gens. 😅 For us that was a lot.
Matthew introduced Jesus as KING, thats why he started witha lineage. Mark presented Jesus as SERVANT, and do his gospel do not track Jesus’ lineage because that would be unnecessary for a servant. Luke presented Jesus as a “MAN” and traced him back to Adam. While John’s gospel presented Jesus as a GOD. That’s why in John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
The bible is a lot like Is the way they divulge information to an audience in a movie…… They don’t actually just come out and tell you details …. They show you through the actions of people…. Through the words….. And through different characters introducing ideas that’s how literature works….. The bible is literature….. Its poetry its history it’s so much more but it is literature at its core…. And God Disseminate’s information similarly in the Scripture….. Matthew didn’t tell us every single thing about that story…. Matthew told us what matthew told us about that story. Luke told us what luke told us about that story and some of those details were different….. That is how we’ve learned about the entire story…. Not every detail from one author but many different details from many different authors….. Through many people and through all of their vantage points. … Not one of these pieces of information actually disproves or contradicts any other piece of information…… The Details given were what these individual authors thought was important to Divulge. It’s a lot like me telling the story of what happened in an evening for instance….. Someone says how was the party you went to??…… And I start by saying oh it was a blast, There is music and food and lots of people…… Then I go on to Give more details about the same event with this one Interesting thing…. heres what happened when I first got there….. And I start telling a story of maybe.
I don’t understand what you’re doing here…… Because literally all you’ve done even in your closing comments is sew doubt into the gospel…… It would have been better for you. Had you shown all these differences which isn’t a problem because they do exist….. But had you shown these differences and then summed it up with saying that these were from the same story but different people’s vantage point…… Because that is how stories are disseminated in the movies in books…. It’s what makes it kind of more interesting to hear the story….. And in the Bible’s case, it wasn’t about it Being more interesting, it was just about what each author knew specifically and then wrote down….. But for you to sit here and to simply end it with ya…but all the differences……. You are sewing Doubt, You’re not focusing on the similarities that was a few seconds of your article, You are focusing on these differences and which gospel was it From???? How is that helping anyone in their walk? How is this edifying the church and Uplifting each other???? All you have managed to do is sew more doubt….. And sadly brother, That’s precisely what the serpent in the garden did….. He didn’t Even precisely lie…. It was a lie in the end but what he said to eve was….. Did god really say………..???? Do you see what’s happening here? You are doing the same thing as the serpent….. You are sewing doubt instead of Unity and understanding… . I watched The whole article hoping it was gonna get better and more uplifting.
matthew’s genealogy is defective. it only has 13 generations to jesus. that was until 2 hebrew manuscripts were found with “yosef avi miriam”, joseph the father of mary. matthean genealogy was the biological genealogy through mary. the grandfather of jesus on his mother’s side is named joseph son of jacob. matthew recorded the detail of joseph wanting to divorce mary because this rumor was spreading when he wrote his gospel after pentecost 33 ad. matthew was well versed to the local history of jerusalem and the reign of herod the great. the lucan genealogy is the genealogy of joseph the carpenter, joseph the son of heli. luke took most of his information from the narration from mary and the records present in jerusalem.
I believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus through the virgin Mary. But does that miracle mean: 1, God introduced His seed (?) into the ovum. 2. God created a fetus in Mary and added her DNA. 3. Or God seeded the ovum with David’s seed. If it is #3, then the adoptionist Christology (i.e. God adopted Jesus at his baptism (see 1 Chr 22:9-10) would make Jesus the Son of God (or Messiah). And with #3, Mary’s questionable genealogy is irrelevant. It’s not “lineage” per se that qualifies a contender to claim Messiahship, but Royal Lineage. In 2 Kings 11:1-3 the daughters of the King were not threatened by Athaliah because only males are Royal Seed (therefore Mary is excluded). Jesus’ father would have to be a direct descendant of David’s to be “Son of David”. Don’t get me wrong, I believe Jesus is the Messiah, but the NT genealogies are bogus in making that determination. I believe what Peter believed in Acts 2:30, that Jesus is the fruit of David’s loins (not from someone else – see Rom 1:3 “Jesus the Messiah our lord was conceived of the sperm of David”).
Way to Heaven All are sinners in this world All got hell And there is a way to escape from hell For example, a man committed a murder or stole something or did some sin then he got hell, and if he don’t want hell, there is a way, if he want to escape from hell he have to sacrifice animals to God, he have to do sin offerings For example, if a man killed then he got hell and if he sacrifices 5 bulls to God he don’t go to hell or for steeling have to sacrifice 1 bull to God to save himself from hell. I am not accurate about this sin offerings but if you want to know read Moses laws. LEVITICUS-4. So this is one way to enter heaven tho one is sinner. By doing sin offerings to God by sacrificing animals. But there is a problem in this way also because those who are doing animal sacrifice and sin offerings are not doing accurate animal sacrifices and going to hell. Now again all got hell God loves human so he gave another way for a sinner to escape from hell God sent Jesus Christ to die like a sacrifice animal. And Jesus Christ did, he sacrificed himself, with FREE WILL. For example if a mudder or a thief or a sinner want to escape from hell and want to get heaven then, he have to accept that Jesus Christ died for his sins. It’s just like he did correct sin offerings to God, now he can escape from hell and get Heaven 😇 Devil👿👹 take even good people to hell by deceiving them, Hell which is a worst dangerous ugly place. i. e why, God take even sinners to Heaven which is best safe beautiful place.
I had read somebody discount the whole thing by saying why would she travel so far while pregnant? so it didn’t happen. I thought what? how do you know? it may have been necessary for them to travel, or, like he says here, she was one tough lady. To just dismiss the entire thing just does not make sense. After reading and doing research when someone asks me why do you believe ? I simply say it makes more sense, than it does not make sense. There is more evidence of it all than there is any evidence against it. I really think that people who dismiss it as fictional just have not bothered to really look into it. I know people including my own father who just refuse to even look into it or explore it in any way whatsoever. No they just fall back into their comfortable non belief. They don’t want to challenge themselves, even if overall they are curious people or love history, anything that has to do with God they instinctively reject or just fall back on the whole “Who knows?” nothing is certain, all religions are the same, etc
wen two different person were to be given a subject to write/tell a story, both cant give the same details, each wud be different as its common sense😂 over all ultimate story Jesus Mary Joseph end up coming to same point, birth of Jesus the saviour, y mess up ppl posting this kind of articles, you cant stop wat God planned and going to finish bro😅 in vain you try, cant fight GOD and win over.
The fundamental requirements that qualifies the Mashiach (“the annotated”)? He has to be from the Davidic line through Solomon, observant male jew and have a Jewish mother. How is the tribal connection established in Judaism? Through the biological father. As a example in the Torah Numbers 1. Who is biological father of jesus? According to Mathew and.Luke the holy spirt. Therefore, he cannot be the Mashiach. G-d does not take the place of a human man. Nor does adoption, since the new husband is not the biological father of the child. The tribal connection remains with the biological father. Or the tribal connection does not get assigned to a child who was born had out of wedlock through the mother. Ok, lets say you can prove that this is not true. As an example, in misunderstanding Numbers 27. According to Jewish law if a women is either betrothal or married and has a child not fathered by the betrothed or husband that child is a mamzer (bastard). Was Mary betrothed? Your attemp to prove both or either so called scripture is proof you know nothing of the Talmud or the Tanakh. Messianic go to the Talmud or other Hebrew understanding like gematria when they have to explain contradictions in their Bible. Otherwise, they don’t want to know the Talmud even exist.
Looks like Mathew wrote ist the Luke wtote Luke wrote what Mathew did not write, More over Luke says he studied all events from direct source and wrote so He might have consulted with Mary Jiseoh and otheres involved. Mathew also might have consuted Mary but wtote the things that he felt importent. And traveling Do not campare the ladies present time to ancient times. Even my great ma was much strogher and faster than me. Si that te ladies wirk akl day can travel and do all work when are pregnent even today some. Parts of world they work hard ubtil the day he delever and goes for work the next day
No, you are aware when many people see a accident. Police usually get differant opinions . However common Corp is they seen the same accident. I fully accept God’s truth. He inspired the men He’s chosen to write His truth. The main message is the same. God came to earth by a virgin birth. . Jesus came to start a relationship. So say we know same person at different times in his life. But his message is the same and I say thou but you reporting same message used you.sti is same person . He wrote what God wanted . Same message .
Very good, Mybe you could give some explanation on the situation in Gaza, as its witter in Zephaniah 2: v 4. Gaza will be forsaken. OR maybe you could give some explanation on the situation on GAZA as it witter in Zechariah 9: v5. Gaza also shall be very sorrowful. Don’t try and tell me the Holy bible is just a 🧚♂️ farriery Story.
If Luke’s census is the Census of Quirinius, Jesus was born when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Quirinius started ruling as governor in 4 CE, but king Herod died around 4 BCE. If according to Matthew Jesus was born under Herod, Jesus could not have been born under Quirinius. There is also absolutely zero evidence that Rome required people to travel to their place of birth. Censuses don’t work that way today and they didn’t work that way back then. The NT gospels and Acts are obvious literary works by very educated and fluent Greek authors. There is also creative license going on to embellish, revise, and rewrite Mark. And according to scholars Richard C Miller and Dennis R MacDonald, there are many mythical tropes from the Homeric Epics masterfully woven throughout the synoptic gospels.
Thank you for your comparison. There is actually one shocking explanation that comes from Rudolf Steiner (founder of Anthroposophy, who had clairvoyant abilities and investigated these events this way). What he found was that there were actually two different families, one that lived in Betlehem and one that lived in Nazareth. One Jesus got born before Herod’s death (and thus had to escape to Egypt), the other got born after (and thus didn’t need to). Steiner also explains how during the Jerusalem visit in the temple the two Jesuses (they were about 12 years old) became one. The “ego” of the Matthew’s Jesus moved into the body of the Luke’s Jesus, and Matthew’s Jesus’s body deprived of its ego died soon after. Then Joseph from the Matthew’s gospel died of old age and the Mary from Luke’s gospel died as well, and the remaining Joseph and Mary formed a new family. Steiner gives many more details about this, including the Matthew’s Jesus being reincarnation of Zoroaster (also known as Zarathustra) – the most spiritually advanced human ego of that time, and Luke’s Jesus being a 2nd Adam, not having developed his ego at all through previous incarnations. And when Jesus were 30 years old, during the baptism, the ego of Zarathustra left the body and was replaced by spirit of Christ, the Son of God, the Logos. That’s also why only then voice is heard from heavens “This is my beloved son…” and genealogy that goes all the way back to God is listed.
Brilliant article.The 2 books tell exactly the same story.Hear me out and then go and have a look for yourself, you’ll be amazed. The virgin,Jesus, shepherds, kings and all you talk about is on stelarium. The one book talk of some moving planets as kings while the other book talk about the same planents as shepherd’s. Do as God say in genesis and look at the stars its there for signs, dates and times…God bless brother. Nice observation.
The TRUTH !! The birth stories in MATTTHEW and LUKE were invented! WHY? Because MARK alluded to the truth ! MARK recounts that the people of Jesus’ home town referred to him as “the son of Mary” …… NOT, as “the son of Joseph” …………which would have been the usual. This shows that the perception among them was that Jesus’ birth was suspicious. . The tradition is the Mary was the daughter of a priest, which would make her a desirable match. Joseph, on the other hand was a much older widower man who was only a lowly worker. The tradition is that Joseph was of not much account. So why would a young maiden of high status become betrothed to a much less desirable match??? Because………..he was the best she could do with “a bun in the oven.” No young man of equal status to Mary was going to wed her. Joseph, on the other hand, was getting a new young wife of a status he usually had no chance of getting. A fine bargain for Joseph indeed ! For those who have lived in smaller towns, they know that people know much more about each other than in larger cities. The belief that Jesus’ was actually a bastard would have persevered and it would have been no surprise that the subject would have come up. And no surprise that Mary might have been questioned about it by Jesus’ disciples. Joseph wasn’t talking….he was long dead. So, did the virgin birth nonsense start with Mary?
The oldest new testament writings in chronological order are: 1/ the letters of Paul (a full generation after Jesus life). There’s no mention of a virgin birth. 2/ the book of Mark ( a full generation after Paul). There’s no mention of a virgin birth. It appears that neither Paul and Mark never knew about the virgin birth story. And rightfully so: it has not been invented yet. And when it was invented, the writers of Luke and Matthew didn’t sit down together to be sure that they were writing the same stories. They wrote them down independently based on stories they have heard. Those are obviously made up stories. Thanks for the article