Why the Genealogies of Jesus are Important

Those of us who believe the Bible is the inspired (θεόπνευστος theopneustos) written Word of God know that everything is there for a reason (Isaiah 40:8, 2 Tim. 3:16, Matt. 24:35). We may hurry through the "begats", but those are important as well.

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Naturally, we do not understand every jot and tittle, and we may wonder why they exist. Some people are surprised to learn that there are two genealogies recorded for Jesus. In Jewish society, they established credibility. Joseph's lineage was recorded, the other is that of Mary. Consider: Jesus is God the Son, who humbled himself and took on the form of a man (Phil. 2:6-8, John 1:14). Our Creator did this out of love for us (Col. 1:15-17, John 1:1-4, John 3:16)!

Many prophecies in the Bible have been made, and particular emphasis has been given to those pertaining to the end times as well as the crucifixion and bodily resurrection of Jesus. The genealogies of Jesus trace his lineage back a little way, about 4,000 years. They also show fulfillment of prophecies.

In our modern culture—especially in America—many families have little sense of heritage. We may have some family traditions, but most Americans don’t even know the names of their great, great grandparents or care where they lived, what they did, etc. Modern genealogy is primarily reserved for hobbyists. In contrast, genealogies were a deeply integral part of Jewish society at the time of Jesus. Land was inherited based on family lines, and those who could not prove their ancestry in Israel were considered outsiders.

To read the rest of this short but interesting article, see "Genealogy of Jesus: Why Is It Important?"