Expert: Messianic Rabbi Yochanan Levine - 11/24/2011

Question
peace of God!
I was examining Mathew 1 and Luke 3, both of which give an account of the genealogy of Jesus. But i find both  accounts differ at some point. Why is there a discrepancy  between these accounts?
Also, since it was prophecied that the messiah is of the seed David and Jesus is not begotten of Joseph( a descendant of David) how was the prophecy fulfilled in Jesus? Some claim that Jesus is of the seed of David through Mary(also David's descendant). As to my knowledge, Jewish culture and laws do not take into account one's lineage through mother, but only that of the father. So how can this claim be valid? Even if this was so, Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit alone, so Mary's genes are not involved..so David's seed in real sense do not apply here. Please give me an answer to this dilemma.

Answer
I thought this might be of interest to some of you.

May your Shabbat be filled with Peace, Light and Love


Question to me:

Questioner:      Jesson
Private:   No
Subject:   
Question:   peace of God!
I was examining Mathew 1 and Luke 3, both of which give an account of the genealogy of Jesus. But i find both  accounts differ at some point. Why is there a discrepancy  between these accounts?
Also, since it was prophecied that the messiah is of the seed David and Jesus is not begotten of Joseph( a descendant of David) how was the prophecy fulfilled in Jesus? Some claim that Jesus is of the seed of David through Mary(also David's descendant). As to my knowledge, Jewish culture and laws do not take into account one's lineage through mother, but only that of the father. So how can this claim be valid? Even if this was so, Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit alone, so Mary's genes are not involved..so David's seed in real sense do not apply here. Please give me an answer to this dilemma.

My reply:

Hi Jesson,

Many people have misunderstandings about what the Bible actually teaches in this area.

I have written a detailed study on this that you may find interesting. Its at http://www.jewtoo.org/jeremiah22.html

In brief, the prophecy (Isaiah 11:1-3) states that Moshiach (Messiah) would be born through the lineage of Jesse and his son David. The two accounts in Matthew and Luke share how this was fulfilled and more importantly, when one considers the curse of Koniyahu [KJV: Y'khanyahu] found at Jeremiah 22, we find that in all of history there is only one descendent of David whose ancestry meets these requirements.

Koniyahu, David's descendent through Solomon, was cursed and HaShem (God) stated that none of his blood descendents would ever sit on the throne of David. Joseph, according to the New Testament records, was a descendent of Koniyahu and hence ineligible to be king. Had Y'shua been the biological son of Joseph he too would have been ineligible to be king of Israel (as Moshiach must be).

However Mary also was a descendent of David according to the New Testament records, but through Nathan (Solomon's brother). This not only gave her son the Davidic credentials to be melech (king), it also placed her son in the priestly lineage through Nathan. Our Rebbe is accordingly both Cohen Gadol (High Priest) and the coming Melech who will rule the earth from Jerusalem.

Remember that Jewish marriages in the first century did not begin with the wedding but with the engagement. This is why the angel told Joseph to take his "wife" home even though they were not yet "married" (i.e. by consummation) according to the texts. Y'shua was therefore born in wedlock according to existing Jewish Law (i.e. he was not a "mezmer" as some maintain) and by standard Jewish law he inherited the kingly authority of his legal ancestor Solomon (from David from Jesse) without coming under the curse of Koniyahu (that curse specifically applies only to his biological descendents of which Y'shua was not.

According to the Hebrew prophets Messiah must come through David and Solomon without coming under the curse of Koniyahu and his offspring. Of all the Jews in history ONLY Y'shua's birth account makes this possible.

Rather than disproving the claims concerning Y'shua ben Miryam, this fact supports those claims, including his virgin birth.

As for virgin births, this notion is in complete concord with Jewish beliefs. The Talmud and other writings speak specifically of "ibbur neshamot" or souls that are sent into the wombs of mothers for specific purposes by the Will of HaShem. These souls (neshamot) do not necessarily do so without the male seed from an earthly father, however it does show the ancient Jewish and biblical teaching that HaShem at times intervenes and sends certain souls to the earth through women for specific reasons. Consider for instance how Mordecai says that Esther was born in order to accomplish her deeds (recorded in the Magilla of Esther) and Rebbe Y'shua tells us that a certain man was born blind 'not because of the sins of his parents, not due to his own sins, but in order that the disciples could behold the miracle of his healing). Such is the case with the birth of Y'shua. Is this too difficult for HaShem? Clearly not!

In order to meet the restrictive requirements that the Koniyahu curse made all but impossible, HaShem sent a very important ibbur neshamot (i.e. "the first created being" Col 1:12-15) in order to fulfill the prophecies and establish the coming Kingdom. This is completely in harmony with the Bible and in accord with the teachings of Judaism (i.e. the possibility of these events taking place).