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Apostolic Writings Discussions

Luke 3:23-38 — genealogies of Yeshua

The importance of linking the last Adam to the “first Adam” is emphasized through the two genealogies of Yeshua (Luke 3:23–38). Some skeptics try to use the “telescoping” nature of Matthew’s genealogy for Yeshua, which skips generations to emphasize three groups of 14 generations, as the basis for saying that the genealogies of the first people in Genesis 5 and 11 also are telescoped, thus allowing for many, many more generations and vast amounts of time in history. However, unlike the genealogies in Genesis, these do not have specific ages when one generation “begat,” or “fathered,” the next, with Luke linking each name with just the Greek equivalent for “of.” And the three groups of generations in Matthew seem to represent four periods in God’s working in history to correct the sin of the first Adam with the obedience, sacrifice and deliverance of the last Adam.

In Luke 3:1–20, Luke provided many historical events to place these happenings in time, reinforcing that this is real history. The forerunner of Messiah Yeshua, Yokhanan the Immerser (John), begins his mission by “preaching a baptism for repentance for the forgiveness of sins,” based on the prophecy from Isaiah 40.

Yokhanan’s officiating at the mikvah, or washing, of Yeshua (Luke 3:21-22) was connected to God being well-pleased with the Son of God, the “last Adam.” This connection is related to Yeshua’s statement that He needed baptism “to fulfill all righteousness.”

The importance of linking the last Adam to the “first Adam” is emphasized through the two genealogies of Yeshua (Luke 3:23–38). Some skeptics try to use the “telescoping” nature of Matthew’s genealogy for Yeshua, which skips generations to emphasize three groups of 14 generations, as the basis for saying that the genealogies of the first people in Genesis 5 and 11 also are telescoped, thus allowing for many, many more generations and vast amounts of time in history. However, unlike the genealogies in Genesis, these do not have specific ages when one generation “begat,” or “fathered,” the next, with Luke linking each name with just the Greek equivalent for “of.” And the three groups of generations in Matthew seem to represent four periods in God’s working in history to correct the sin of the first Adam with the obedience, sacrifice and deliverance of the last Adam.

Thought Questions

PDF Luke 3 notes

Passages: Luke 3:23-38; Matthew 1:1-17

Are both of these genealogies based on Mary’s wife Joseph’s family line?
What is the significance of Yeshua’s being baptized at age 30?
What is the “trilemma” of the Messiah?
What is the difference between the “suffering servant” and the “triumphant king”?
Where do all the messianic prophesies “come together”?
What is the true revolution?
How does repentance go hand in hand with revolution?
Why are there two different genealogies listed in the first place?
Why does Matthew mention women in his version of the genealogy but Luke does not?

Speaker: Jeff. Reader: Peter Wallace.

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