<THREAD>
Matthew and Luke’s genealogies are often dismissed as irreconcilable.
Elsewhere, I’ve tried to show that they’re not.
Here, I’ll simply highlight some of their numerical and thematic harmonies,
which, I claim, have significant implications.
Matthew and Luke’s genealogies are often dismissed as irreconcilable.
Elsewhere, I’ve tried to show that they’re not.
Here, I’ll simply highlight some of their numerical and thematic harmonies,
which, I claim, have significant implications.
Matthew’s genealogy (1.1–17) exhibits at least a couple of non-trivial properties.
First, it’s patterned around the numbers 14 and 42.
And, second, it contains multiple allusions to the notion of a Jubilee.
First, it’s patterned around the numbers 14 and 42.
And, second, it contains multiple allusions to the notion of a Jubilee.
Consider, for a start, how Matthew’s genealogy is patterned around the number 14:
🔹 It traces the fulfilment of YHWH’s promise to Abraham (‘I will make of you a great nation…’: Gen. 12.2), which has a gematrial value of 1,400.
🔹 It traces the fulfilment of YHWH’s promise to Abraham (‘I will make of you a great nation…’: Gen. 12.2), which has a gematrial value of 1,400.
🔹 It unfolds in blocks of 14 generations.
🔹 And it comes to its (initial) climax with the rise of its 14th member (David), who introduces a line of 14 kings, and whose name: a] has a gematrial value of 14 (דוד), and b] occurs 14 times in the rest of Matthew’s Gospel.
🔹 And it comes to its (initial) climax with the rise of its 14th member (David), who introduces a line of 14 kings, and whose name: a] has a gematrial value of 14 (דוד), and b] occurs 14 times in the rest of Matthew’s Gospel.
A related number which is built into Matthew’s genealogy is the number 42 (3 x 14).
Matthew’s genealogy consists of 42 generations (3 x 14), which makes Jesus the 42nd descendant of Abraham.
And the most frequently-repeated word in Matthew’s genealogy is τον,
Matthew’s genealogy consists of 42 generations (3 x 14), which makes Jesus the 42nd descendant of Abraham.
And the most frequently-repeated word in Matthew’s genealogy is τον,
...which has a gematrial value of 420 and occurs a total of 42 times (a fact which is only true because of 1.3’s unexpected reference to Zerah: Ἰούδας δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Φαρὲς καὶ *τὸν* Ζαρὰ).
Matthew’s genealogy thus embodies a number of allusions to the Jubilee.
🔹 Insofar as Jesus ushers in Matthew’s 7th block of 7 generations, Jesus is the herald of a Jubilee.
🔹 The word ‘Jubilee’ (יובל) has a gematrial value of 42,
🔹 Insofar as Jesus ushers in Matthew’s 7th block of 7 generations, Jesus is the herald of a Jubilee.
🔹 The word ‘Jubilee’ (יובל) has a gematrial value of 42,
…which, as we’ve seen, is the number of Matthew’s generations.
🔹 David is connected to the Jubilee, since he’s the 7th son of a 7th generation (1 Chr. 2.10–15),
in which case Jesus, the 14th descendant of David’s 14th descendant, must a fortiori be connected to the Jubilee.
🔹 David is connected to the Jubilee, since he’s the 7th son of a 7th generation (1 Chr. 2.10–15),
in which case Jesus, the 14th descendant of David’s 14th descendant, must a fortiori be connected to the Jubilee.
🔹 And Matthew’s genealogy refers to a total of 48 different people/groups (it enumerates 40 father-son relationships, to which can be added Judah’s brothers, Zerah, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Uriah, Jechoniah’s brothers, and Mary),
which makes Jesus the genealogy’s 49th member.
which makes Jesus the genealogy’s 49th member.
That Matthew’s genealogy exhibits (some of) these patterns is well known.
What’s not so well known is that *Luke’s* genealogy does so as well.
Like Matthew’s, Luke’s genealogy is deliberately patterned around the numbers 7 and 42.
What’s not so well known is that *Luke’s* genealogy does so as well.
Like Matthew’s, Luke’s genealogy is deliberately patterned around the numbers 7 and 42.
🔹 It consists of 22 x 7 words (Ἰησοῦς…Ἰωσὴφ τοῦ Ἠλεὶ τοῦ Ματθὰτ τοῦ Λευεὶ…τοῦ Ἀδὰμ τοῦ θεοῦ).
🔹 It enumerates 77 generations.
🔹 Its 84th word is ‘David’ (84 = 42 x 2).
🔹 It enumerates 77 generations.
🔹 Its 84th word is ‘David’ (84 = 42 x 2).
🔹 And it frames David both as the 14th descendant of Abraham and the 42nd ancestor of Jesus.
The *context* of Luke’s genealogy contains further allusions to the number 42, as well as to the notion of a Jubilee.
Luke frames Jesus’ birth against the backdrop of an 84-year wait (42 x 2), namely the life of an 84-year-old prophetess named Anna.
Luke frames Jesus’ birth against the backdrop of an 84-year wait (42 x 2), namely the life of an 84-year-old prophetess named Anna.
Prior to Jesus’ birth, the Israelites are returned to their ancestral homes in Jubilee-esque fashion (courtesy of Quirinius’s census).
And, after Jesus’ baptism, Jesus announces a Jubilee in his hometown (Nazareth); that is to say, he announces ‘the year of the Lord’s favour’.
And, after Jesus’ baptism, Jesus announces a Jubilee in his hometown (Nazareth); that is to say, he announces ‘the year of the Lord’s favour’.
A REFLECTION
The numerical and thematic coherence of Matthew and Luke’s genealogies is significant.
The numerical and thematic coherence of Matthew and Luke’s genealogies is significant.
If Matthew and Luke weren’t aware of one another’s genealogies, then the fact they independently chose to pattern their genealogies on the numbers 7 and 42 (in completely different ways) is a remarkable coincidence.
And, if Matthew and Luke *were* aware of one another’s genealogies and yet weren’t troubled by their discrepancies, then we shouldn’t be either.
If Matthew and Luke didn’t know what a good 1st cent. Jewish genealogy looked like, then we certainly don’t.
</END>
@DrMichaelLBrown
If Matthew and Luke didn’t know what a good 1st cent. Jewish genealogy looked like, then we certainly don’t.
</END>
@DrMichaelLBrown
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