New Testament Genealogies and the Families of Mary and Joseph

Abstract

This study explores the differences between the most recent parts of the genealogies of Jesus found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, differences that have puzzled scholars for over seventeen hundred years. These differences do not conform to the types of inconsistencies found in most traditional genealogies. They are more effectively explained as being the products of different genealogical sources. Looking at these recent lineage segments from a genealogical perspective reveals four independent sources: the list of names after Zerubbabel from Abiud to Matthan to Joseph in Matthew 1:13—16; the name of Joseph's grandfather in Matthew 1:15, 16; the name of Joseph's grandfather in Luke 3:23; and the long listing of names between Nathan and Zerubbabel and after Zerubbabel in Luke 3:24—31. These sources were incorrectly combined, with the name of Joseph's father Jacob placed with a list of Mary's ancestors (Matthew 1:13—15) and the name of Mary's father (Joseph son of Heli, probably Joseph ben Elim, a Sepphoris priest) placed with the oral list that includes her husband's ancestors (Luke 3:29—30). Much of the confusion in these most recent genealogical segments is the result of the fact that Mary's husband and her father were both named Joseph, which was the second most popular male Jewish name in Second Temple times. Naming patterns derived from studies of Second Temple names and use of ancient sources help to recreate the family of Joseph, Mary's husband.