The genealogy of Jesus: was He the son of David?

In my debate with Rabbi Singer, he brought up the topic of the genealogy of Jesus during our cross-examination. I made a few comments about it, but wasn’t able to provide what I thought was a satisfactory answer in the moment. This can be a big topic to cover when you’re on the clock! So I wanted to take some time here to examine the objection properly. Do the genealogies of Jesus in Matthew and Luke show that Yeshua could not have been descended from King David and the tribe of Judah?

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00:00 Open
00:23 Introduction
01:02 The problem of the genealogy of Jesus
03:44 Tribal affiliation in the Bible
04:32 Levirate Marriage
05:39 Adoption (Caleb)
06:48 Matrilineal descent through maternal lines (Zelophehad)
07:45 Sheshan (1 Chronicles 2)
08:55 Jewishness through the mother
09:24 The curse of Jehoiachim (Jechoniah)
12:06 The destruction of the genealogical scrolls in 70 CE
13:18 Cherry picking verses

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En mi debate con el rabino Singer, mencionó el tema de la genealogía de Jesús durante nuestro contrainterrogatorio. Hice algunos comentarios al respecto, pero no pude proporcionar lo que pensé que era una respuesta satisfactoria en ese momento. ¡Este puede ser un gran tema para cubrir cuando estás en el reloj! Así que quería tomarme un tiempo aquí para examinar la objeción correctamente. ¿Muestran las genealogías de Jesús en Mateo y Lucas que Yeshua no pudo haber sido descendiente del rey David y la tribu de Judá?

[humanheart]

....it's kinda wild that they acknowledge Yeshua not having an earthly father and not have their mind blown but, instead, they use that fact as a reason He is not the Messiah. Like they are thinking "....God may have miraculously created you as the Messiah but WE over-rule that cuz they paternity hasn't come in yet."
🙃

[Bereanstudent]

Very good work, I was hoping you would respond. I learned this some 30 years ago. I'm an adopted follower of the Jewish Messiah. Keep up the good work.
🖖✝️🔥

[waynehobbs]

Well explained. My brain had gone down the Mary line from David in the absence of a father (virgin birth) but my knowledge is small but growing through the Holy Spirit directing me to learn from you and other Bible Christians.

[cloudsoftorah]

What does come from your body mean?

2 Samuel 7:12
12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

Why are you trying to go around a clear verse and ignore what God told David?

It does not say adoption, does it?

Psalm 132:11
The Lord has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it: “I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body.

Fruit of your body!!

That is biological, that not an adoption process.

[brianpope]

Does Rabbi Singer ever speak on the shroud of Turin? I haven't seen it.

[leericmarvin]

The curse on Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim is metaphorically per his children, as the genealogy actually lists children for him. But his lineage is no longer to be Kings. When Jeremiah transferred the signet ring to Zerubbabel son of Sheathiel son of Jeconiah/Johanan son of Josiah, the royal line is re-established to Josiah's firstborn son. Why Johanan's three brothers and nephew ended up being King and not he is of interest to me. Any ideas?

[jnastally]

Isn't this argument solved in Hebrew Matthew? Our modern Bibles say that there's 14 intervals between the generations to Jesus. Count them there's only 13 in the last one. While looking at Hebrew Matthew, there is 14 and the line says that Mary's father was Joseph (#14) and that she married a man named Joseph, thus 14 generations, tribal affiliation and kingship affiliation.

[Richard-fxie]

The logic of the maternal lines does not make sense.
He said inheritance not continue on the lineage. His inheritance and property among fathers relatives does not equal pass on lineage and family name.
Maybe someone can clarify my confusion here. Thanks

[tactup]

General comment here: In all fairness, Rabbi Singer is playing in a Christian sandbox and doing his best to play by Christian rules. He has his personal biases like all of us do. He has done an incredible job trying to search the Christian scriptures. Not many Christians would read and study the Talmud with the same vigor.

For example, Christian’s and Jews use the same English words but imply different meanings. Christian terminology seems to carry exclusive definitions and this can lead to confusion.

As for us Jews here are a few:
-Messiah doesn’t mean one who dies for the worlds sins

-Salvation doesn’t mean go to heaven

-Prophet doesn’t mean future fortune teller

-Torah doesn’t mean any book written in the Bible

-Tanakh isn’t synonymous with divine words from God

-Heaven and Hell are not absolutes but possibilities

-Repentance doesn’t mean ask for forgiveness

-Eternity is an idea not an absolute

-inspired by god doesn’t mean written by god

-Laws have different levels than “moral and ethical “

-prayer doesn’t mean begging and pleading

-Pagan doesn’t mean evil

-Satan doesn’t mean opposing supernatural power

-Priest doesn’t mean every Levite ever born

-Angel doesn’t necessarily mean otherworldly creatures

-covenant means a free will agreement

-A sign of a covenant is not the covenant itself

-Sacrifice doesn’t = sin & sorrow

-joining a covenant with god is different than a covenant with nations, bloodlines, or individuals

-The list goes on 🙂

[rukidding-yc]

Think on this: by stating that Jesus had no earthly (biological) father, are they not, at least tacitly, stating that HE IS THE SON OF GOD! Never shall the throne of David end. To forever, I assume. How is that to happen without Jesus. QED.

[mf]

Thanks a lot for this beautiful presentation. Lord Jesus Christ bless you and your work. Be blessed in the Name of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit our Beautiful Triune God !!!

[leericmarvin]

Jeconiah is NOT same as Jehoiakim. Jeconiah is same as Johanan!

The Jeconiah of Matt 1:11 is son of Josiah. The Jeconiah of 1 Chron3:16 is SON of Jehoiakim, not same as himself. There are TWO Jeconiah's here.

1 Chron 3:15 gives four sons for Josiah. These 4 names are not their birth names, but names given later in life. Two of these sons have scriptural accounts where their names are changed. A third is associatively based on two identical accounts, which used different names. The fourth however has no Old Testament mention of his birth name. That is Johanan. We instead learn is birth name from Matt 1:11, where he is mentioned as Jeconiah son of Josiah.

Since Jesus is descendant of that Jeconiah (Johanan) who is son of Josiah and not of that who is son of Jehoiakim, the curse has no effect on his lineage.

There is also much confusion over the Salathiels and Zerubbabels names too. There are in fact three Salathiels and three Zerubbabels, which many people conflate these two names into the same persons respectively.

Per 1 Chron 3:17-19 The cursed Jeconiah has sons Salathiel and Pedaiah, which Pedaiah has son Zerubbabel. These are all cursed. This Zerubbabel has 8 children, which scholars consider a complete list. This list does not mention Abiud or Rhesa, who are sons of Zerubbabel of the Matt 1:12 and Luke 3:27 respectively. So, the Zerubbabel's of Matt 1 and Luke 3 are not same as that of 1 Chron 3.

In summary, Jesus royalty comes from David via Solomon, passes thru Josiah - Jeconiah - Salathiel - Zerubbabel (who are not cursed) on down to Mary's FATHER Joseph and finally to Jesus. Matt 1:1 states generations from Abraham/David to Jesus (not Mary's husband). The Joseph in Matthew 1:16 must be Mary's FATHER not husband. With this Joseph
added as a generation, it completes the 14 names Matthew states in Matt 1:17.

We get confirmation Joseph in 1:16 is Mary's FATHER from two ancient Hebrew manuscripts which state " Joseph FATHER of Mary". Also an Aramaic text reads "Kinsman", not husband.

In addition, early Church father Clement of Alexandria in his works Miscellanies Page 446-7 unwaveringly mentions Matt 1 as Mary's genealogy. Apparently his very early version of Matt 1:16 read "Joseph FATHER of Mary".

It seems very early, Matt 1:16 was corrupted into "husband" and out modern day Bible descend from that error.

[isaacreain]

What many fail to understand is we are created from God and through God and in HIS image as such, the root of Jacob/Israel is God himself. Now Jesus being God's son by birthright, HE is the perfect flawless son of David.

[josephdeisrael]

Minute 12:07 actually there are historical records of exilarchs, those descended from David, leading Jewish communities throughout history. These exilarchs have copies of their records brought from temple times. Even today, individuals within certain communities know they have Davidic lineage. And they do not intermarry. This is common knowledge among certain Jewish communities. And within Israel many of these Davidic descendants have held leadership positions. By what evidence can you defend your position?

[davbra]

Thank you so much for this video! I saw the debate with rabbi Singer. When he pointed out that specific objection, it caught my attention, and baffled me a bit quite honestly. The info you include here from the Tanakh is very helpful and makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the clarification!

[MariusVanWoerden]

Beautifull explenation, very helpfull. Jesus is Lord.

[Mik-ha-El]

Great presentation! You broke it down and dissected the real issues wonderfully!

[sidneysalcido]

Also one thing to add from your argument about Jehoachin at the 11:30 mark. In Luke, usually considered Mary's genealogy, her bloodline runs from David to his older son Nathan, not Solomon. Solomon was chosen by David to reign, but Nathan would have been considered the older son which would have made him the legal heir of the throne. So, Jesus actually has the right to the throne from the legal heir of Nathan, the older son of David, but also, from the adoption to Joseph's family, through Solomon as well, withouth inheriting the curse of Jehoachin if it still applied at the time of Joseph.

[llaka]

Idolatrous faiths confuse Gd with human beings: either that Gd becomes human, or that humans become Gd. In biblical history, one sees this confusion with Pharaoh, and with Haman, as well as with Antiochus, the Syrian King against whom the Maccabees rebelled. Contrary to pagan thought, throughout the Bible we are taught not to confuse Gd and Man. For example, in Hosea 11:9, Gd explicitly tells us, ‘…for I am Gd and not a man.’ All of the great Jewish figures of the Hebrew Bible — the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, Moses, King David and others — are shown as fully human, not divine.

Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, there is a sharp contrast made between Gd on one hand, and human beings on the other. First of all, there is always a reprimand against any human being who claims to be Gd, or Divine, as we read in Ezekiel 28:2:

Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Etrnl Gd; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am Gd, I sit in the seat of Gd, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not Gd, though thou set thine heart as the heart of Gd. [Ezekiel 28:2]

Then there is the verse from Hosea in which Gd specifically tells us that Gd is not a human being:

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am Gd and not a man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. [Hosea 11:9]

In Numbers 23:19, Gd specifically tells us that if Gd were a human being, then He would be a liar, as all human beings do lie on occasion. Furthermore, this verse tells us that if Gd were a human being, He would be in need of repentance because all human beings sin at some point in their lives. Finally, this verse also tells us that if Gd were a human being, then He would make promises, but not keep them:

Gd is not a man that he should lie; neither the Son of Man that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? [Numbers 23:19]

Gd is the same, Gd does not lie, and Gd is Gd and Human Beings are Human Beings, and Gd does not become a Human Being, and Human Beings do not become Gd.

Perhaps this idea of confusing Gd and man also explains Christian belief in the Virgin Birth — the joining of Gd and the human woman Mary, who supposedly became pregnant without the sex act in some mysterious way not related to reality as we know it. Numerous gods and heroes in the ancient world were the product of a human mother and a god for a father., Heracles’ mother was the human woman Alcmene and his father was Zeus. Dionysus’ human mother was Semele and his father was Zeus. Perseus’ human mother was Danae and his father was Zeus. As a matter of fact, Zeus made Danae pregnant without the sex act, and therefore her pregnancy was a form of immaculate conception, and her son’s birth was like a virgin birth, in that it was not the result of the sexual act.

This confusion, the mixing of man with gods, was common in the ancient pagan world.

[KylaGrace]

Thank you for being thorough. Really appreciate it!