Luke 3:23-3823And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, 24Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, 25Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, 26Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda, 27Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, 28Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, 29Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, 30Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim, 31Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David, 32Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson, 33Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, 34Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, 35Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, 36Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, 37Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, 38Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God. (Luke 3:23‑38)
There is a list of names in this chapter which could have been traced when Luke wrote them and known to be correct. They are not all as plain to us now, yet show that Jesus was truly a man on earth, and the time He “was supposed” and called the son of Joseph. Joseph believed the angel, that the Babe to be born to Mary was the promised holy Child from God, and named Him Jesus, which means Saviour. Joseph cared for Jesus as a loved son, taking the hard journey to Egypt to save Him when a baby, and later, when a boy, made the trip back to Jerusalem to find Him (Matt. 1:25; 2:1425And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. (Matthew 1:25)
14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: (Matthew 2:14); Luke 2:4848And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. (Luke 2:48)).
It was from Joseph that Jesus had a legal right to the throne of the king of Israel, for Joseph was a descendant of David’s son Solomon, shown in the list of names given in Matthew 1.
This list of names by Luke is believed to be the genealogy of Mary, and Heli (vs. 23), the father of Mary; so as a man, Jesus was “of Heli,” who was traced back to another son of King David, Nathan. Then the names are given back to Abraham, the same as in the list of Joseph; but then traced to Adam, the first man.
Luke wrote just before this list, that God spoke from Heaven to Jesus: “Thou art My beloved Son,” then this list shows, as other scriptures, that the Son of God had become a man on earth. This is a mystery, and a great wonder we cannot understand, nor any writer explain, we can only reverence Him and believe God’s words.
“Christ Jesus, Who being in the form of God ... was made in the likeness of men, became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5-85Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5‑8). “When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman.. to redeem them.” Galatians 4:4,54But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:4‑5).
Jesus most often spoke of Himself as the Son of Man; you can find these words many times in His talks to the people. It is a much more lowly title than the Son of God, but it was as Son of Man that He could die to save His people.
Adam, the first man, lost his right to God’s blessings by sin, so did all others. But Jesus was holy and perfect in all His life on earth, and fulfilled God’s law and work; a son, is the heir, so, as the Son of Man, Jesus is heir of all blessings from God, which will some day be known to all.
ML 11/12/1944