David was an adulterous man who murdered and slaughtered many men (1 Chronicles 22:8). He was also a poor father who didn’t manage his household well.

Abraham (who is mentioned to have great faith) lied about his wife becuase he was scared and lacked trust in God’s protection. He shamed his wife. He brought dishonor to God. Jacob’s sons (Judah and his brothers) were heads of the tribes of Israel and were sinful, weak, and unfaithful.

Tamar, the Canaanite daughter-in-law of Judah, lost here husband and brother-in-law to God’s wrath. She was a liar and tricked Judah into sexual relations. She was a prostitute. Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth were Gentiles (not God’s chosen people).

These were just a few of the names in the lists. We somtimes cringe at the grave sins they committed and forget that we are sinners just as much. Our sins may not be as morally tragic, but they are sin nevertheless. They are an offense to God. They are just as bad. We are no better than they that make up the lineage of Christ.

Still, they have a special grace being in the lineage of Christ. Independent of their choices and thoughts, God selected them as His heritage. His grace has been poured out throughout the Old Testament in each of their stories and it climatically pours once again in the birth of Jesus.

The list is more than a list of ancient names. It is a testimony to God’s grace and to the ministry of Jesus who “did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matt. 9:13). John MacArthur asks this question, “If He has called sinners by grace to be His forefathers, should we be surprised when He calls them by grace to be His descendants?” An excellent question.

So what is it that we can learn fromthis line of old names? God has come to graciously save sinners. His lineage attests to this. Glor to God.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Matthew 1:1-17

When compared with Luke’s record, There are some obstacles that can be noticed right off the bat. Matthew’s list accounts the lineage from Abraham to Jesus ascending. Luke’s lineage accounts from Adam to Jesus descending. So Luke involves more of the lineage than Matthew and provides that lineage in reverse order. So a simple flip-flop of Luke’s list will give us a way to compare the two lineages.

Once Luke’s is reversed, the two lineages are identical until you reach David. Matthew lists 28 names from David to Jesus. Luke lists 43 names. So in this portion of either lists we must seek to resolve yet another obstacle.

Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Luke 3:23-38

When compared with Matthew’s record, There are some obstacles that can be noticed right off the bat. Matthew’s list accounts the lineage from Abraham to Jesus ascending. Luke’s lineage accounts from Adam to Jesus descending. So Luke involves more of the lineage than Matthew and provides that lineage in reverse order. So a simple flip-flop of Luke’s list will give us a way to compare the two lineages.

Once Luke’s is reversed, the two lineages are identical until you reach David. Matthew lists 28 names from David to Jesus. Luke lists 43 names. So in this portion of either lists we must seek to resolve yet another obstacle.

For arguments on why Luke’s list differs from Matthew’s list see: Resolving Differneces in the Lineages, Part 1 and 2.