How Does That Work?

The genealogy of Christ has always left me with questions. How does it work that Jesus became "the son of David, the son of Abraham" when Joseph was not his biological father? How was it possible for Jesus to inherit the throne of David if he wasn't biologically eligible by being a son of Joseph?

"The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac ... and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations." (Matthew 1:1-17 ESV)

Matthew mentions the Davidic connection with Jesus more than any of the other three gospels, showing the heart of what the Hebrew Bible is about and what Israel’s story is all about ... what Jesus is all about. Connecting Jesus to David is connecting him to the historic kingship, the only lasting monarchy Israel ever had — it lasted a little over 400 years before it was taken out by Babylon.

It turns out that Jesus is the son of David through adoption — not born into the house of David. To Matthew, it’s important to show us that Jesus wasn’t born into the house of David but that through Joseph taking Jesus as his own son.  He’s not the son of Joseph because the story is really clear that he’s the son of God. It’s a story about the Son of God being adopted into the house of David to become the son of David. This is very interesting!!

So, once the Son of God becomes adopted as the Son of David (a lot like Moses was adopted into the House of Pharaoh) this becomes the way that Jesus’ mission becomes laser-focused on Israel. Remember, it wasn't until later that Jesus sent out his disciples to go into "all nations". His mission to redeem Israel was complete and then the redemption of all nations became the focus (and still is) of evangelism.

•   Matthew structures Jesus’ teaching to reflect Moses, showing how Jesus came to fill full the Torah.

•   Matthew presents Jesus as the Son of David, emphasizing how Jesus is the fulfillment of the historical messianic hopes of the people of Israel.

•   Matthew presents Jesus as the Son of Abraham, emphasizing how Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise of blessing to all nations through Abraham and his descendants.

•   Matthew presents Jesus as the Son of God and Son of Humanity, focusing on the claim of Jesus’ divine and human identity.

Reading just the first verses in Matthew answers so many questions and opens the door to deeper understanding of Jesus' Messianic mission to Israel and then, through the disciples, to the nations.

What struck me so deeply was the fact that Jesus was adopted as Joseph's son. Joseph's lineage became Jesus' traceable lineage linking him directly to Moses, Abraham, David, and others who played significant roles in Israel's history.

It also helps us to really comprehend what it means when we consider ourselves children of Yahweh by adoption ... full rights and privileges, full inheritance, and generational identity with Israel. All God promised to Israel is ours by adoption – we are joint heirs with Christ!

As an adoptee, I now have a broader understanding of matters of inheritance and generational identity. Amazing what a few verses many folks overlook can reveal if we do a little digging!