“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 Josek, 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,[d] the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,[e] 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.” Luke 3.23-38
Here is the edited version with corrections for spelling, grammar, and clarity while preserving the original meaning and tone:
That is a lot of names! To the average Christian, they may not mean much. But to the lineage and family line of Jesus, they are everything. They establish Jesus as the rightful Messiah, descending through David, Abraham, and all the way to Adam. This lineage confirms that He is both fully human and fully divine. Since God declares His pleasure with His Son Jesus, this affirms that Jesus is both fully God and fully human.
Although many Jews believed, one might expect more would have done so after recognizing the lineage through which Jesus came. So many names we recognize, yet His genealogy is nothing short of amazing. Jesus is a Jew of the Jews—chosen by God, one with God since the beginning, the Word of God, His Son, sent into the world to save it from its sins.
I also come from some remarkable lines! I’m a fifth-generation Texan on my mother’s side and a seventh-generation minister on my father’s side. It’s not quite Jesus’ legacy, but it’s still a blessing to me. Knowing where I’ve come from helps me understand where I am going. Just as not all the people in Jesus’ lineage were perfect, the same is true for us. We are all sinners saved by grace, seeking to walk in obedience with the Father. Sometimes we excel, and other times we fail. Sometimes we win, and other times we lose. But in the end, we are children of God, chosen and loved so that we might be saved and live in a relationship with the Father.
Jesus’ lineage shows us that He is both human and divine, specially chosen by God to do a redeeming work. His line demonstrates that He was not an accident; His entry into the world was carefully planned and orchestrated from the beginning of time. God knew we would need a Savior. When the people rejected Him as king in 1 Samuel and later as Savior, God already had a plan for a descendant of David to take the throne one day and ultimately save us.
You and I both have a place in God’s kingdom. It’s a gift, though, and not one that will be forced upon us. What gift is received by force? God gently and purposefully offers salvation, hope, love, redemption, and meaning through His Son, Jesus. Our best response is to accept and trust Christ as our Savior, Lord, and King.
Have you accepted Christ to atone for your sins? Are you now part of the family line of Jesus?
“O Lord God, You are good; I am but a servant. I am but one person in time, over thousands of years, who has met and been changed by this Savior. If my life matters at all in this world, it matters to You. For I am being formed in Your image, transformed by Your grace. I am saved by Your promise and redeemed by Your blood. Come now, Holy Spirit, and make Your home in me. Help me to surrender so that I might be Your child and You my God. For You are good, and Your love endures forever.” Amen.