~~~~The Messiah must be of lineage to David and heir to the throne?~~~?

Question

Joseph is linked to David through the tribe of Judah. This is the tribe the messiah was prophecied to descend from. Even the begining of Matthew explains how Jesus is of the tribe of Judah. However, because Jesus was "immaculately conceived", the burden rests on Mary. Mary of the tribe of Levi, however, has no relationship to David whatsoever. Thus Jesus cannot be the messiah.

For those of you who think Mary is somehow distantly related to David and rightful heir of the throne, please recall the following passages. "For thus says the Lord: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel" (Jer 33:17) Mary would have to be sitting on the throne for Jesus to be the Messiah. That doesn't happen in Jewish patriarchal society. And for those of you still not convinced... "Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh" (Romans 1:3). Mary doesn't have seed/sperm... I hope....?

So what heppened here?

Answer 1

Joseph was the legal father of Jesus.


Dr. Henry Morris explains it quite well.


Joseph was clearly the son of Jacob (Matthew 1:16, so this verse [Luke 3:23 - says 'son of Heli'] should be understood to mean 'son-in-law of Heli.' thus, the genealogy of Christ in Luke is actually the genealogy of Mary, while Matthew gives that of Joseph. Actually, the word 'son' is not in the original, so it would be legitimate to supply either 'son' or 'son-in-law' in this context. Since Matthew and Luke clearly record much common material, it is certain that neither one could unknowingly incorporate such a flagrant apparent mistake as the wrong genealogy in his record. As it is, however, the two genealogies show that both parents were descendants of David--Joseph through Solomon (Matthew 1:7-15), thus inheriting the legal right to the throne of David, and Mary through Nathan (Luke 3:23-31), her line thus carrying the seed of David, since Solomon's line had been refused the throne because of Jechoniah's sin


Summary of 1st Advent Prophecies in the Old Testament

The Messiah's Lineage

1. From the Shemite branch of humanity: Gen 9:26/Luke 3:36
2. Through Abraham: Gen 12:3, Gen 18:18 and Gen 22:18 / Mat 1:1, Luke 3:34, Acts 3:25 and Gal 3:16
3. Through Abraham's son Isaac: Gen 17:21 / Luke 3:34
4. Through Isaac's son Jacob: Gen 28:14 / Luke 3:34
5. Through the tribe of Judah: Gen 49:8 / Luke 3:33-34
6. Through the family of Jesse: Isa 11:1/Luke 3:32, Matt 1:6
7. Through the House of David: Jer 23:5 / Luke 3:31-31, Rom 1:3, John 7:42, Matt 1:6

Messiahs Birth and Childhood

8. Timing of the Birth: Gen 49:10 / Matt 2:1
9. Place of Birth Micah 5:2/Matt 2:1, Luke 2:1-7, John 7:42
10. Born in the Flesh: Isa 9:6/Luke 2:11
11. Born of a virgin: Isa 7:14 / Luke 1:34-35, Matt 1:18, Gal 4:4 and Rev 12:5
12. Divine Name: Isa 7:14 Matt 1:21
13. Presented with gifts at birth: Ps 72: 10-11/ Mat 2:1,11
14. Infants massacred: Jer 31:15/ Mat 2:16
15. Sojourn in Egypt: Hosea 11:1 / Matt 2:14-15
16. Reside in Nazareth: Isa 53:4 / Matt 2:23
17. Grow up in poverty: Isa 53:2 / Mark 6:3, Luke 9:58
18. Spirit filled and anointed from birth: Isa 11:1-2 / Luke 2:46-47

The Messiah's Life and Ministry

19. Preceded by a prophet who would prepare His way: Isa 40:3, Malachi 3:1 / Matt 3: 1-3
20. Receive a special anointing by the Spirit: Isa 42:1 / Luke 3:22
21. Do Battle with Satan: Gen 3:15 / Matt 4:1
22. Receive the ministry of Angels: Ps 91:1 / Matt 4:11
23. Ministry centered in Galilee: Isa 9:1 / Matt 4:13
24. Unpretentious ministry: Isa 42:2 / John 6:15
25. Power of ministry not based on personal appearance: Isa 53:2 / Matt 7:28-29
26. Preacher: Ps 40:9 / Matt 4:17
27. Teacher in parables: Ps 78:2, Isa 6:9 / Matt 13: 34-35
28. Prophet: Deut 18:15,18 / Matt 21:11
29. Judge: Is 33:22 / John 5:30, John 5:22 and John 8:16
30. Miracle Worker: Is 11:2 / John 3:2, John 2:11,23; John 11:47 and John 12:37
31. Man of Prayer: Ps 109:4 / Luke 18:1
32. A man whose reliance and trust is in God: Ps 22:9-10 / John 5:19
33. A man of obedience: Ps 40:8 / John 4:34
34. A man of wisdom, understanding and knowledge: Is 11:2 / Matt 13:54
35. A man of counsel: Is 11:2 / John 3: 1,4; John 4:11; Luke 12:13-21 and Luke 18:18-27
36. Humble in Spirit: Zech 9:9, Micah 5:2 / Phil 2:8; Matt 5:5; 11:29; 18:4 Mark 10:43-45
37. Patient: Ps 145:8 / 1 Tim 1:16; Matt 5:39-42; 2 Pet 3:9
38. Loving and Merciful: Ps 103:17 / John 15:13
39. Zeal for God's house in Jerusalem: Ps 69:9; Malachi 3:1-4/John 2:14-16;Mark 11:15-18
40. Proclaim a Jubilee: Is 61:1-2 / Luke 4:17,18,21
41. Preach the Gospel to the Poor: Is 61:1 / Matt 11:4-5; Matt 5, Matt 6 and Matt 7
42. Comfort the Broken Hearted: Is 61:1 / Matt 11:28; Matt 5:4, John 16:20
43. Proclaim the liberty to captives: Is 61:1 / Matt 8:16
44. Minister to broken lives: Is 42:3 / Luke 5: 30-31 Matt 9:10-13
45. Heal the Sick: IS 53:4-5 / Matt 8:16-17
46. Heal those with special afflictions: IS 35:5-6 / Matt 11:4-5
47. Hated without cause: Ps 69:4 / John 15:24-25
48. Despised and rejected by his own people: Ps 69:7-8, Ps 118:22, IS 49:7 and IS 53:3 / John 1:11, Matt 21:33-46, John 7:5,48
49. Rejected by the Jews because the would honor tradition more than God's Word: Is 29:13 / Mark 7:6,8
50. Praised by babes and infants: Ps 8:2 / Matt 21:15-16
51. Offered to the Gentiles: Is 49:6 / John 1:12, Acts 10 and Rom 1:16
52. Accepted by the Gentiles Hos 2:23 / Acts 28:28

The Messiah's Nature

53. Eternal Nature: Micah 5:2 / John 1:1,14; Col 1:17, Heb 1:2,8; Rev 22:13
54. Divine: Is 9:6, Is 7:14 / John 10:30
55. Human: Ps 8:5 / John 1:14
56. Son of God: Ps 2:7 / Matt 3:17
57. Son of Man: Dan 7:13 / Matt 8:20, Mark 2:10, Luke 12:10 John 6:27
58. Messiah , the Anointed One, the Christ: Ps 2:2 Ps 45:7 / Luke 2:10-11; Acts 2:36
59. Lord: Ps 110:1 / John 13:13
60. God Centered: Is 11:2-3 / John 17: 4,6
61. Holy: Is 5:16 / John 6:69
62. Righteous: Is 53:11, PS 45:7 / Acts 7:52
63. Faithful and True Witness: Ps 89:1-2 / Rev 3:14
64. Servant of God: Is 42:1 / Phil 2:6-7
65. A loving Shepherd: Ps 23:1 / John 10:11
66. A sacrificial lamb: Is 53:7 / John 1:29
67. Sin Bearer: Is 53:4-6 / 1 Pet 2:24
68. A guilt offering: IS 53:10 / Heb 9:13-14
69. Embodiment of God's Redemptive Covenant: Is 42:6 / Luke 22:20

The Messiah's Death

70. Timing of Death: Dan 9:25-26 / Jesus died 483 years after the edict is issued to rebuild Jerusalem. The edict was issued in 445 BC by Artaxerxes. 483 years later, Jesus began his ministry leading to his being crucified (cut off)
71. Entry into Jerusalem on a Donkey: Zech 9:9 / John 12:12-15
72. Experience profound grief and agony: Is 53:3,11 , Ps 55:12-14 / Matt 26:37-38
73. Betrayal by a friend who would eat with Him: Ps 41:9 / Matt 26: 20-21
74. Betrayal for 30 pieces of silver: Zech 11:12 / Matt 26:14-15
75. Disposition of the Betrayal money: Zech 11:13 / Matt 27:3, 5-7
76. Forsaken by his disciples: Zech 13:7 / Matt 26:55-56
77. Accused by a false witness: Ps 35:11-12 / Matt 26:59-63, Mark 14:55-59
78. Silent before his accusers: Is 53:7 / Matt 27:14
79. Spat upon: Is 50:6 / Matt 26:67
80. Stricken: Is 50:6 / Matt 26:67
81. Scourged: Is 50:6 / Matt 27:26
82. Face beaten to a pulp: Is 52:14 / Matt 27:30
83. Beard Plucked: Is 50:6 / Mark 15:16-20 (there is no record of Jesus' beard being plucked, it is likely one of the tortures he endured at the hands of the soldiers.
84. Humiliated: Is 50:6, PS 69:19 and PS 22:6-18 / Mark 15:17-19
85. Physical Exhaustion: Ps 22:15, Ps 109:22-25 / Luke 23:26
86. Crucified: Ps 22:16 (Zech 13:6) / Luke 23:33 Note: This prophecy was written by David 1,000 years before Jesus was born and 700 years before the Romans refined crucifixion as a method of execution
87. Identified with sinners: Is 53:12 / Mark 15:27
88. Object of scorn and ridicule: Ps 22:6-8 / Luke 23:35-36,39
89. Experience thirst: Ps 22:15 (ps 69:3,21) / John 19:28
90. Given vinegar to drink: Ps 69:21 / Matt 27:48
91. Friends stand far away: Ps 38:11 / Luke 23:49
92. Stared at: Ps 22:17 / Luke 23:35
93. Clothing divided among persecutors: Ps 22:18 / John 19:23
94. Lots cast for robe: Ps 22:18 / John 19:23-24
95. Darkness at noon: Amos 8:9 / Matt 27:45
96. A cry of disorientation due to separation from God: Ps 22:1 / Matt 27:46
97. Pray for persecutors: Ps 109:4 / Luke 23:34
98. A cry of victory: Ps 22:31 / John 19:30
99. Voluntary release of spirit: Ps 31:5 / Luke 23:46
100. No Bones Broken: Ps 34:20 / John 19:32-33
101. Pierced in the side: Zach 12:10 / John 19:34
102. Death by a broken heart: Ps 22:14 / John 19:34 Note: the separation of the blood and water is a sign of a ruptured heart.
103. Buried in a rich man's grave: Is 53:9 / Matt 27:57-60

The Messiah's Resurrection and ascension

104. Resurrection: Ps 16:10, Ps 22:19-24, IS 53:10-11 / Mark 16:6, Acts 2:31-32
105. Ascension: Ps 8:18 / Act 1:9
106. Exaltation at the right hand of God: Ps 110:1 / Mark 16:19
107. Serve as High Priest: Ps 110:4 / Heb 6:20
108. Continue to be despised by the Nations: Ps 2:1-2 / 1 John 5:19

Answer 2

If you compare the two lineages given for Jesus in the Gospels, you'll notice that they are far from identicle. In fact, the one in Matthew is Joseph's, whereas the one in Luke is Mary's. Jewish tradition held that it was not 'proper' for female relatives to be mentioned in geneologies, only recording the male members of the family. So, Mary's name was skipped.

Luke traced Jesus' lineage through Nathan, instead of Solomon (David’s sons) as Matthew did. (Lu 3:31; Mt 1:6, 7) He evidently follows Mary's ancestry, showing Jesus’ natural descent from David. Matthew instead shows Jesus’ legal right to the throne of David. He lists his descent from Solomon through Joseph, who was legally Jesus’ father. Both Matthew & Luke make it clear that Joseph wasn't Jesus’ biological, but rather his adoptive father, giving him Legal Right. Matthew uses a different writing style when --in the lineage-- he comes to Jesus, at Matthew 1:16. He doesn't say ‘Joseph became father to Jesus’ but that he was “the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born.” Luke is more pointed than that when he says: “Jesus . . . being the son, as the opinion was, of Joseph, son of Heli.” -- Luke 3:23.

Since Jesus was the Son of God, (not the natural son of Joseph), Luke’s genealogy of Jesus proves that he was a son of David through his natural mother Mary, by human birth. Regarding the genealogies of Jesus given by Matthew
& Luke, Frederic Louis Godet wrote:

“This study of the text in detail leads us ... to admit
#1. That the genealogical register of Luke is that of Heli, the grandfather of Jesus;
#2. That, this affiliation of Jesus by Heli being expressly opposed to His affiliation by Joseph, the document which he has preserved for us can be nothing else in his view than the genealogy of Jesus through Mary. But why does not Luke name Mary, and why pass immediately from Jesus to His grandfather? Ancient sentiment did not comport with the mention of the mother as the genealogical link. Among the Greeks a man was the son of his father, not of his mother; and among the Jews the adage was: ‘Genus matris non vocatur genus [“The descendant of the mother is not called (her) descendant”]’ (‘Baba bathra,’ 110, a).”
-- Commentary on Luke, 1981, p. 129.