About Those Pesky Geneologies

By Stephen Lord (*)
Ellensburg, Washington

INTRO:

A.  Their prevalence--everybody has encountered "so-and-so" (whose name is unpronounceable) "begot so-and-so" (whose name can't be pronounced either).   These name lists are infamous.

B.  There are several genealogical tables, some shorter, some longer, in the Bible:   Gn 4-5; 10; 11:10ff; 25:12-19; 36; 46; Ex 6; Nu 1; Nu 26; Ruth 4:18-22; 1Chr 1-9; 23-26; Mt 1; Lk 3.

1.  You can even find them in uninspired Jewish books: 2 Esdras 1:1-3; Tobit 1:1; Judith 8:1; 1 Macc 2:1.

C.  They're not very good devotional reading; in fact, most people consider reading them to be a major chore.

1.  Genealogies can even be a source of strife among Christians {1Tm 1:3-4; Ti 3:9}.

D.  Yet they're part of the inspired record, so what are we to do with them?   What purpose or function do they serve?

I.  ON RECORD KEEPING:

A.  Before we answer the above questions, perhaps we should explore the diligence of the Jews in keeping family records.

B.  The 1st century Jewish historian Josephus wrote, "Thus have I set down the genealogy of my family as I have found it described in the public records..." ["Life", 1].

1.  He also made reference to their record keeping, "ancient tables", both in Jerusalem and among the Jews of the diaspora, and that they had an unbroken record of who was/is high priest going back 2000 years.  ["Against Apion", I.7]

2.  Christian historian Eusebius also makes reference to the genealogical archives of the Hebrews, though he comments that Herod the Great destroyed many of them to cover up his non-Jewish ancestry [Ecclesiastical History, I.7].

C.  There are several Bible passages that refer to these archives: {1Chr 4:33; 9:1; 26:31; Neh 7:61-64; 12:22-23}

1.  Both Matthew and Luke probably used these records to construct their genealogies of Christ.  They may have been part of the research Luke said he did {Lk 1:3}.

2.  We can confidently assert that Luke also used Old Testament genealogical tables from the Septuagint (Greek version) for he left a telling clue.

a.  In Luke 3:35-36 he inserts "Cainan" between Arphaxad and Shelah.   The Hebrew text of the OT makes no mention of a Cainan here, but the Greek text of Gn 10:24 does.

D.  Several times in Israel's history there were periods of enrollment to reconstruct, correct, or update the records:  {Nu 1; 1Chr 5:17; Neh 7:5}.

E.  And apparently prophets helped preserve them {2Chr 12:15}.

II.  STRUCTURE:

A.  Another area we must study carefully before exploring the use and meaning of genealogies is their structure.

B.  First, the term "father of" or "begot" as found in genealogies can also mean "ancestor."  Thus there is not always a strict line of father to son, but rather "ancestral continuity."

1.  For example, Mt 1:8 says Joram/Jehoram "begot" Uzziah/Azariah.   Yet we know from 1Chr 3:11-12; 2Chr
21-27; 2Ki 11-15 that Joram was actually Uzziah's great great grandfather.  Matthew skipped Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah.

C.  By the same token, the expression "son of" can also mean "descendant" again implying ancestral continuity rather than a strict father/son relationship.

1.  An example of this can be seen in Mt 1:1, "Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham."  There are many generations separating Christ from both David and Abraham, neither were his immediate father.  Rather, he was their descendant.

D.  It was not uncommon to abridge or abbreviate a genealogy as above. Ezra did the same with his own {Ezra 7:1-5 w/ 1Chr 6:3-15 (7-10)}.

1.  Sometimes all the generations between a descendant and a prominent ancestor would be eliminated {1Chr 26:24; Ex 2:22}.

E.  Finally, extenuating circumstances could affect where in the genealogical tables a person might appear {1Chr 5:1}.

III.  USES:

A.  The Scriptures reveal that genealogies served several uses.

B.  Enrollment for military duty {Nu 1:20ff; 13:1-16; 1Chr 7:40}.

C.  Enrollment for religious duty {Nu 3:14-39; 1Chr 9:22; 23-26}.

D.  Enrollment for benefits {2Chr 31:16-20}

E.  To establish inheritance {Nu 27:1-4; 34:16-29; 36:1-9}.

F.  Another way they have been used by many Bible interpreters is to establish a Biblical chronology of events.  Should they be used this way and how reliable are they for that purpose?

1.  Certain genealogical tables do lend themselves to establishing a fairly strict chronology {e.g. Gn 5; 11:10-32}.  This is because they supply a length of years to each individual.

2.  The remainder of the tables do not supply years; therefore, they can only provide a very rough, tenuous chronology, especially when the practice of abridgement is considered.  (That does not mean we can squeeze millions of years out of them).

3.  The practice of the majority of Biblical writers was not to use genealogies to establish strict chronology so much as continuity, Genesis 5 and 11 excepted.

IV.  OTHER USES:

A.  There were other important reasons for maintaining genealogies.

B.  Keep track of and maintain the purity of the priesthood.

1.  Only descendants of Aaron could serve as priests {Ex 28:1; 29:9; 40:13-15; cf. Hb 7:13-14}.

2.  The death penalty was imposed on any not of Aaron's seed who sought to exercise the priesthood {Nu 3:10; 16:39-40}.

3.  So strict attention was given to descent {Ezra 2:59-62}.

4.  See also Josephus, "Against Apion", I.7.

C.  Keep track of the Messianic line from Judah through David: {Gn 49:10; 1Chr 5:2; 2Sa 7:12-17; Jer 23:5-6; Mic 5:2; Jn 7:42}.

V.  INCIDENTALS:

A.  One of the things concerning these genealogies that I draw comfort from is that everyone has a part in the unfolding plan of God.  It may be big and prominent like being an Abraham or David, or it may be small and obscure like being an Eliezer or Heli.   Either way, God is using you in His service {cf. 1Cor 12; 2Tm 2:20}.

B.  For purposes of inheriting salvation, God keeps His own "genealogical record":  {Ex 32:31-33; Ps 69:28; 87:5-6; Eze 13:9; Php 4:3; Rv 3:5; 20:15; 21:27}.

1.  What about you?  Are you enrolled in the Book of Life?

(*) Stephen Lord is minister of the Ellensburg Church of Christ in Ellensburg, Washington. Visit their website at: http://www.eburgcofc.org/

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