Genealogies of Jesus

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we approach the celebration of the birth of Jesus, I thought you might find it interesting to look again at the two different genealogies of Jesus as recorded in the Bible. Genealogies fulfilled several purposes in the ancient world. Rulers used such lists to justify their power and authority. They were also used when planning marriages to determine the compatibility of the intended couple. A family tree established the social pedigree of the family.

Two of the Gospel writers, Matthew and Luke, give genealogical lists for Jesus. When Matthew’s and Luke’s lists are compared we see several differences. Matthew’s genealogical list for Jesus is an ascending list that goes from Abraham to Jesus. Luke has a descending list that goes from Jesus back to Adam. The lists are almost identical from Abraham to David, yet they greatly diverge from David to Jesus. Luke’s list is complete in that it is from Jesus to Adam. In comparison, Matthew’s list is incomplete. Why is this?

Those who would like to discredit the Bible are quick to see this as further evidence that it is unreliable and filled with mythology. But this is a rush to judgment – false judgment in my opinion. There are other answers that are more accurate, although they too have an element of speculation about them.

For example, Martin Luther explained Matthew’s list to be giving us Joseph’s line, while Luke’s list is giving us Mary’s line. Many years before, Tertullian offered a similar explanation, only he reversed it as Matthew giving us Mary’s line and Luke giving us Joseph’s line. I find a serious problem with these two explanations. Matthew 1:16 tells us that he is giving us Joseph’s line and Luke 3:23 also says he is giving us Joseph’s line.

Another explanation was offered by Julius Africanus. He suggested that Matthew is giving us Jesus’ natural descent while Luke is giving us his legal descent. Even though neither of the Gospels makes this assertion, it is a possibility.

Grant Osborne, a New Testament professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, gives what I believe is a better and fuller explanation. He agrees with the ancients that a careful examination of the two genealogical lists reveals the authors’ differing purposes.

The list given by Matthew is presented in a style rulers used to justify their status and authority. The genealogy is arranged in three groups, with 14 names in each group. There is a Hebrew linguistic device known as gematria. Each letter of the Hebrew alphabet was assigned a numerical value: aleph was 1, beth was 2, gimel was 3, daleth was 4, he was 5, vav was 6, and so forth. The three consonants for David (daleth – vav – daleth) add up to 14. Matthew is highlighting the kingly ancestry of Jesus by working in groups of 14. Matthew omits a few names in order to achieve this structure.

The major difference between the two lists is the names between David and Jesus. Matthew traces the line through Solomon; Luke through his brother Nathan. Matthew may be giving the “official” line of royal inheritance (which could include adoptions); whereas Luke may be presenting a biological line. We do not have enough information to be sure.

Luke does not work with groupings and numbers like Matthew. Luke has a different purpose. In his Gospel, Luke places his genealogy between Jesus’ baptism and the temptation of the devil. At his baptism God declares Jesus is his Son. Then Luke goes on and gives us a simple list of the succession of his human ancestors, using their common names. It begins by indicating that Jesus is “the son of Joseph” and concludes by tracing his ancestry all the way back to Adam, who is finally “of God.” This Jesus, who is the Son of God, is also joined to the very root of all humanity. After linking Jesus to Adam, Luke then proceeds to the story of Jesus triumphing over Satan’s temptation. Jesus rises above temptation where Adam failed. The message is clear that all humanity, from its very root, finds its sins and the power of evil overcome in Jesus.

While there may remain questions about why certain names are in the lists or whether names of uncles and brothers are used instead of literal fathers, the message of the two genealogies is similar. Jesus is both son of man and Son of God. As son of man, of Adam and Joseph, he represented all humanity. As God’s Messiah in the line of kings and as Son of God (which was also used as a royal title) Jesus is uniquely from God and set over all humanity as its divine ruler and deliverer. Matthew and Luke together proclaim that on the basis of the human and divine ancestry of Jesus, we are saved from sin and its power in, by and through him.

Your brother in Christ’s service,

Joseph Tkach

P.S. For a special Christmas season treat, go to http://www.gci.org/_lib/snowglobe/snowglobe.html. There you can look up any address (including your own!) to see the location displayed in a snow globe.

Gordon Green

Gordon Green, GCI regional pastor and pastoral developer in South Africa, played lead guitar in a rock band in the 1960s. However, music wasn’t the only interest in his early years. “When I was young (much younger!) I played a lot of sport – especially rugby. Today I enjoy following rugby and cricket. ”

Gordon grew up in Durban, South Africa and his wife Marilys grew up in Mauritius. They recently celebrated 36 years of marriage. Their son Nick and his wife Louise, who live in Durban, have two children, Jessica (4) and Zachariah (4 months). Their daughter Carrie-Anne and her husband Clay, who live in Healdsburg, California, have two sons, Brady (5) and Davis (3), with a girl on the way! Clay is a wine maker—they have a winery in Sonoma Valley (Mauritson Wines). Gordon and Marilys’ youngest son Warren, who is single, is a graphic designer in Durban.

Gordon has been a part of WCG/GCI for many years. “I first heard of WCG and the Plain Truth magazine in 1968 from a friend. He asked a WCG minister to visit him. He was invited to attend – I went along with him, even though I wasn’t officially invited – and got into a bit of trouble for that! I was specifically interested in prophecy at that time.”

In 1983 Gordon left South Africa to attend Ambassador College in Pasadena. “I was a married student with two small children.” After graduation in 1987, he worked as a ministerial trainee in Glendora, California under Dennis Wheatcroft. In 1988, he returned to South Africa and was ordained that year. Gordon has pastored GCI congregations in Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and Durban.

Gordon is now GCI’s pastoral developer in South Africa and also serves as a regional pastor. He is a also a certified Walk Thru the Bible instructor. When asked what he enjoys most about these roles, Gordon said, “Most of all, I enjoy teaching—specifically participating with God to enlighten the listener’s minds. I love helping people get excited about the love of God, watching them respond and growing in faith and bearing fruit in their lives.” Just last month, Gordon coordinated and taught South African Ministries Training Program classes to potential leaders and pastors. He and Marilys have also been heavily involved in SEP since 1992 and enjoy working with the youth.

When asked what he enjoys most about being part of GCI, Gordon said, “The amazing journey (into God’s heart) that God has taken us on and continues to take us on – enjoying it and encouraging others to enjoy and learn from it as well.” His journey has been full of opportunities. He has worked at SEP camps, taught around South Africa, Mauritius and Zimbabwe, served as a regional pastor, is the presenter on the GCI Face to Face radio program and one of the writers for the GCI South African magazine Face to Face. He also plays in his congregation’s praise band. Gordon feels blessed because these things express his passions for family, teaching, learning, reading and travelling.

His most memorable moment as a pastor was baptizing his son, Nick. Following that, Gordon’s ministerial highlights include attending the International Conferences in Palm Springs and Orlando.

Gordon has had an amazing journey with GCI—and is especially excited about the direction in which God is taking GCI in Trinitarian theology—“the past five years have been the most exciting, enlightening and fulfilling years of my life in the church.” When does he feel closest to God? “When I stop talking to God, get quiet and listen to him.”

Jamaica mission

Jamaican fund raiser — Fleming sisters with Pastor Steve Schantz at Jamaican mission fundraiser

Significant things often start with a conversation between friends. Such was the case when five young women – Jesanya Scale of Jamaica, Natalie and Tabitha Wendt of Tennessee, and Michelle and Annie Fleming of Orlando discussed their passion for mission while meeting last spring at the Generations Ministries Camps and Mission Events Leadership Summit held near Dallas, Texas.

The outgrowth of the conversation was a mission trip held last July to support the annual Vacation Bible School (VBS) held in Jamaica (for a previous GCI Weekly Update report on this trip, click here).

Because of the success of the Jamaican mission trip, the girls are now planning follow-up trips in 2013 and 2014. In addition to again supporting the Jamaican VBS, they will be conducting a one-day family enrichment seminar in 2013 and a one-day health clinic in 2014.

The girls, along with the Jamaicans, are grateful to GCI’s Orlando church, pastored by Steve Schantz, for their financial and prayer support of this mission work. Over the past year, the congregation has kept a J.A.M. (Jamaica Ambassadors Mission) jar on a table at services to collect donations. In preparing to help fund the 2013 trip, the congregation hosted a fund raising concert on December 2 (pictured below) where over $900 was raised.

Disaster Relief Fund

This update concerning the GCI Disaster Relief Fund is from GCI Treasurer, Mat Morgan.

From time to time we’re contacted about helping out members impacted by major disasters. If your congregation has a heart to help members in this way, probably the best way to do so is to send donations to the GCI Disaster Relief Fund. The Fund was established to help provide members in disaster areas with emergency needs such as food, water, medicine, clothing, temporary housing, home and/or church hall repairs, temporary local pastoral salary expenses and other emergency needs. Monies received into the Fund that are not immediately needed will remain in the Fund to be allocated in future disasters.

In previous years, money from this Fund has been used to help members recover from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, storms and flooding in Bangladesh, an earthquake and tsunami in the Solomon Islands, typhoons in the Philippines and an earthquake in Haiti.

On behalf of all those who have been helped by the Fund, I wish to express sincere appreciation to the congregations and individuals who have generously provided financial assistance.

If your congregation would like to donate to the Fund, your treasurer can set up a one-time or monthly donation through the GCI-Online system (http://online.gci.org) by logging in and clicking on Donate under the Manage tab.

If your congregation prefers to send a check, make it out to Grace Communion International, indicating on the memo line that the donation is for the GCI Disaster Relief Fund. The donation should be sent to:

GCI Disaster Relief Fund
Grace Communion International
P.O Box 5005
Glendora, California 91740

Thank you for your prayers and financial contributions to help members of the GCI family who are suffering.