the bible goes to lengths to prove Jesus of Nazareth as the true messiah by tracing his geneology back from King David all the way up to Joseph.
But surely Jesus is supposed to be the son of God and was born of immaculate conception and not of Joseph?
Am I alone in spotting this as yet another glaring error in the suposedly flawless word of God?
2007-12-13 22:45:33 · 23 answers · asked by Glenn F 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Since you seem to be somewhat familiar with the accounts, perhaps you realize that the genealogical accounts in Matthew and Luke differ totally.
The reason is simple. The one in Matthew is Josephs account and the one in Luke's is Mary's.
As you may know, the women in Israel of the past were never accorded this privilege. The line was always counted through the males. This is why Luke's account is worded the way it is.
In Jesus' case, the Bible therefore provides both his stepfather's line and his mothers line which by the will of God both descended from David so as to have full claim on the throne of David as prophesied.
2007-12-14 00:17:38 · answer #1 · answered by Fuzzy 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If we are the sons and daughters of God the Father then it really does not matter that both Mary and Joseph are descendants of King David. What does matter about the line of King David is the throne that Jesus will come back to in His second coming as King and Lord. Remember God the Father promised King David his throne will last forever and that the sun and stars will pass away before this promise is broken. Soon all this will be apparent and the people who do not believe will be silenced, but remember everyone has free will and if you want to believe the bible is false that should be alright with everyone.
2007-12-14 07:07:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
True.
The REAL messiah would be a descendant of King David through King Solomon on his FATHER'S SIDE.
He would also fulfill the following biblical prophecies:
* The Sanhedrin will be re-established (Isaiah 1:26)
* Once he is King, leaders of other nations will look to him for guidance. (Isaiah 2:4)
* The whole world will worship the One God of Israel (Isaiah 2:17)
* He will be descended from King David (Isaiah 11:1) via Solomon (1 Chron. 22:8-10)
* The Moshiach will be a man of this world, an observant Jew with "fear of God" (Isaiah 11:2)
* Evil and tyranny will not be able to stand before his leadership (Isaiah 11:4)
* Knowledge of God will fill the world (Isaiah 11:9)
* He will include and attract people from all cultures and nations (Isaiah 11:10)
* All Israelites will be returned to their homeland (Isaiah 11:12)
* Death will be swallowed up forever (Isaiah 25:8)
* There will be no more hunger or illness, and death will cease (Isaiah 25:8)
* All of the dead will rise again (Isaiah 26:19)
* The Jewish people will experience eternal joy and gladness (Isaiah 51:11)
* He will be a messenger of peace (Isaiah 52:7)
* Nations will end up recognizing the wrongs they did to Israel (Isaiah 52:13-53:5)
* The peoples of the world will turn to the Jews for spiritual guidance (Zechariah 8:23)
* The ruined cities of Israel will be restored (Ezekiel 16:55)
* Weapons of war will be destroyed (Ezekiel 39:9)
* The Temple will be rebuilt (Ezekiel 40) resuming many of the suspended mitzvot
* He will then perfect the entire world to serve God together (Zephaniah 3:9)
* Jews will know the Torah without study (Jeremiah 31:33)[original research?]
* He will give you all the worthy desires of your heart (Psalms 37:4)
* He will take the barren land and make it abundant and fruitful (Isaiah 51:3, Amos 9:13-15, Ezekiel 36:29-30, Isaiah 11:6-9)
2007-12-14 13:09:16 · answer #3 · answered by kismet 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You are spot on.
Christianity wants it both ways: Jesus is son of G-d and yet also, when it suits them, son of Joseph. He is the result of a virgin birth - yet sometimes, the result of a normal, natural union between man and woman.
This is just one of many, many reasons why Jews know that Jesus was not the messiah. The Torah details how to recognise the real messiah; there are numerous specific conditions he/she must achieve - and they must do it in one lifetime. No second chances, no second comings!
Have a star for a fab question :)
2007-12-14 14:54:04 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Master J: If Joseph and Mary were legally married, she could not possibly have been a virgin because marriage was not "legal" until consummated!
Tribal linage is through the father, not the mother. Joseph supposedly had nothing to do with the birth, so Jesus was NOT from the line of David.
How could anyone possibly trace the line of David from Solomon who had 600 wives and concubines?
.
2007-12-14 09:33:45 · answer #5 · answered by Hatikvah 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
this is one of the problems with the christian stuff, yes.
the JEWISH Messiah, must be a direct descendant of david and solomon, with a "pedigree" such that he could take the throne.
the ROYAL line, passes through the FATHER. the tribal heritage passes through the mother. for a person to even take the first step to qualifying as the messiah, their ancestory must be correct, and this ABSOLUTELY requires two biological parents. (we don't have to be able to verify this geneology, but it has to be correct)
some christians argue that Joseph could have "adopted" Jesus as his son, ... but adoption can't give that bloodline.
whats *truly* ironic about it, is that at least according to some accounts, Joseph DID qualify as being able to genetically be the father of the messiah. so Jesus as the jewish messiah, would be MORE credible if Joseph was recognized as the biological father!
also, the Messiah of Judaism IS just a man, born of two parents, in the usual manner, not immaculate born, not divine.(no more than we all are, more specifically)
it really is funny when affirmative beliefs of christians about Jesus, are some of the ones that most-strongly disqualify Jesus as being a potential Messiah.
>>"This was so that prophesy could be fulfilled."<<
actually this prevents him from qualifying to fulfill that prophecy...
>>"Of course, incest was perfectly okay back then (creeeeepy)."<<
you do realize that even modern times, second or third cousins can marry, and mary and joseph were I think like 5 or 6 generations removed. (as in, their common ancestor was like their great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents, or something)
even by modern standards their relation would be legal. but thats not even the point!
2007-12-14 06:59:07 · answer #6 · answered by RW 6 · 4⤊ 2⤋
A) This was waaaay before Gregor Mendel. Those folks didn't know diddly 'bout genetics.
B) Since the Jews of Jesus' time were descended from a small percentage of the early Hebrews of David's time, it's genetically a lead-pipe cinch that if any of David's kids had kids (like Solomon and all HIS ladies), the Jews of Jesus' time were descended from David on BOTH sides.
C) Which means that genetically Jesus' mother, Mary, IS a descendant of David and so is her Son. And it is from her that His humanity is wholly drawn.
D) Give it up people. They were as nitpicky as you are. That's why they tried so hard and were so persnickety about details. Didn't matter then. Doesn't matter now.
E) He's either 1} a liar, a con man who perpetrated the biggest hoax the earth has ever known; or 2} a nutball with the worst case of megalomania in the history of mankind; or 3} He is who He said He is. Period! Which you choose is up to you. It's ALL, at this distance in time, a matter of faith. You either got it or you don't. If you don't, then shaddup and go live your life elsewhere. If you do, then shaddup and let the unbelievers do their own schtick. Trust God to handle them. You should be here ONLY if a] you want to learn about faith or b] you want, like me, to teach about it.
2007-12-14 06:58:05 · answer #7 · answered by Granny Annie 6 · 5⤊ 2⤋
I think both Mary and Joseph were descendants of David. At any rate, I think the idea of the virgin birth was not likely what the Bible meant . . . I think the word translated as "virgin" just meant "young girl."
2007-12-14 06:59:50 · answer #8 · answered by Runa 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
God All-knowing, All-wise is the Perfect.
Obviously, any man made concept needs rethinking, redoing, and always has a room for improvement!
There are a few more, hereunder ironies that exists in Christianity:
- god (God forbid) begot a baby-god
- Church has authority to change God's Commandments
- Plenty of Bible (New Testament) versions
- Sects having differences in core beliefs
- God died & got alive
- One person or a baby-god cleansing his believers of their sins even before their births
So on and so forth.
2007-12-14 13:01:53 · answer #9 · answered by Habib 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
No , it is not a contradiction.
The birth line as recorded in the Bible is correct and unbroken.
In the case of Jesus human parent , Mary , she too was in the right bloodline., and from a legal standpoint Josephs line is there as his adoptive father.
For more Bible based info please feel to email me.
2007-12-14 07:05:07 · answer #10 · answered by I♥U 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋