The two genealogies of Jesus

On p 46-7 and 97-99 of EBE Dennis McKinsey waxes eloquently on the errors in the two genealogies of Jesus in Mat 1 and Luke 3.

The two genealogies are given below together with a table to compare them. Matthew, only goes as far back as Abraham and his emphasis is on the kingly descent of Jesus for he lists many of the Hebrew kings, especially David. Matthew has 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the exile and 14 from the exile to the Christ. Matthews genealogy clearly has some omissions for it is shorter than Luke (who has 14 more people than Matthew between David and Jesus), although for Abraham to David Matthew is the same as Luke. Matthew's goes forward from Abraham, while Luke goes back from Christ to Adam. Luke's genealogy goes all the way back to Adam as the son of God. Both list the genealogy between Abraham and David and the lists are identical, but after David they diverge. Matthew lists the line from Solomon and Luke the line from Nathan another son of David who did not inherit the throne.

(John 7:42 NIV) Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?"

King David was from Bethlehem. His ancestors came from there, Naomi was from Bethlehem (Ruth 1:2) and it was Boaz from Bethlehem who married Ruth. Her son was Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David (Ruth 4:17). The Jews were expecting the Messiah to be a descendent of David and to come from Bethlehem. Jesus was frequently called the son of David.

(Rom 1:1-3 NIV) Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God-- {2} the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures {3} regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David,

In his human nature, that is, through Mary he was a descendent of David, and this is what Luke's list gives with its emphasis on the humanity of Jesus. Son of Adam. Matthew traces his ancestry through his legal father Joseph and Luke his ancestry through his actual mother.

What about Jehoiachin?

He did evil in the eyes of the LORD (2 Chr 36:9) and the Lord said he is a man who will not prosper in his lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah (Jer 22:28-30). Note, the phrase (Jer 22:24 NIV) "As surely as I live," declares the LORD, "even if you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off. This is in sharp contrast to the phrase and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you given to his grandson Zerubbabel in Hag 2:23, when he was governor in Judah. Clearly his anger against Jehoiachin only lasted for one generation.

(Jer 22:24 NIV) "As surely as I live," declares the LORD, "even if you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off.

(Jer 22:28-30 NIV) Is this man Jehoiachin a despised, broken pot, an object no one wants? Why will he and his children be hurled out, cast into a land they do not know? {29} O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD! {30} This is what the LORD says: "Record this man as if childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah."

And yet his son Shealtiel and grandson Zerubbabel appear in the genealogy of Jesus both Mat and Luke?

(1 Chr 3:17-19 NIV) The descendants of Jehoiachin the captive: Shealtiel his son, {18} Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah. {19} The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah. Shelomith was their sister.

(Mat 1:12-13 NIV) After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, {13} Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor,

(Luke 3:27 NIV) the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

Zerubbabel became govenor of Judah, Hag 2:21, he helped to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (Hag 1:14). Here he is told by God that God would make him like my signet ring (that denotes royal power).

(Hag 2:23 NIV) "'On that day,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,' declares the LORD, 'and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,' declares the LORD Almighty."

Thus through Zerubbabel the messianic line is reestablished. Although he was only governor of Judah at a time in the future the Messiah would come from his descendents.

Messiah descended from Solomon not Nathan.

According to 1 Chron 22:9-10 the Messiah had to be a descendent of the throne of Solomon. But Luke's genealogy is traced through Nathan another son of David.

(1 Chr 22:10 NIV) He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'

There is no problem here because Joseph was descended from Solomon according to Matthew. Jesus legally is descended from Solomon.

see Glenn Miller's answer here, see CARM's answer here

When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties by Norman L. Geisler, Thomas Howe p 385

Here is Matthew's genealogy:

(Mat 1:1-17 NIV) A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: {2} Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, {3} Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, {4} Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, {5} Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, {6} and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife, {7} Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, {8} Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, {9} Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, {10} Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, {11} and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. {12} After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, {13} Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, {14} Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, {15} Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, {16} and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. {17} Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

(Luke 3:23-38 NIV) Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, {24} the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, {25} the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, {26} the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, {27} the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, {28} the son of Melki, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, {29} the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, {30} the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, {31} the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, {32} the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, {33} the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, {34} the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, {35} the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, {36} the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, {37} the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, {38} the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.