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II. 2 -- Joseph, Son of Adam, Son of David
Though he does not center a good portion of his narrative on
Davidic descent as Matthew does, Luke does clearly present the
Son of God as the Davidic Messiah. Again it is through Joseph that
Jesus is linked to David. The Protoevangelium of James and
others since have attributed Davidic descent to Mary, but Luke
never does so, and the fact that she is kin to Elizabeth of the
daughters of Aaron (Lk 1:5,36) could be argued as placing
her also in Aaron's rather than in David's line. In Luke 1:27 the
phrase "of the house of David" which grammatically follows Joseph's
name refers to him alone, as is consistent with Luke 2:4 and 3:23.
Joseph is introduced as important for introducing Mary. Before
hearing the angel's words to her, the reader must know that she
is a virgin betrothed to a man of the house of David. Joseph's
role is what makes understandable the announcement that the Son
of God conceived in Mary will be given "the throne of his father
David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever" (Lk 1:32-33).
The birth narrative similarly stresses that Joseph went for the
census to Bethlehem, the city of David, "because he was of the
house and lineage of David" (Lk 2:4). From their home
in Nazareth, Mary journeys with him so that the child may be born
in the city of David. Luke emphasizes Bethlehem more than Matthew,
and the first announcement to the shepherds is that "in the city
of David" is born a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord (Lk 2:11).
Luke's genealogy follows the infancy narrative and Jesus' baptism
by John at the beginning of his ministry. John has told the people
that being a descendant of Abraham is not sufficient for salvation,
and that God's salvation is not limited by ancestry, for he can
raise up children of Abraham from stones (Lk 3:8). At
Jesus' baptism he is manifested as the beloved Son of heaven accompanied
by the Holy Spirit (Lk 3:21-22). The genealogy sums up
these two themes of human ancestry and divine Sonship by going
back beyond Abraham, all the way to Adam and ultimately to God
(Lk 3:38). Jesus initiates a course of history proceeding
not only from Israel, but from humanity and from God Himself. Salvation
is to be directed to all the children of Adam, equally created
by God. Jesus' genealogy is traced through Joseph.
Jesus was "the son (as was supposed) of Joseph" (Lk 3:23).
The "as was supposed" refers to the public being unaware of the
virginal conception (Lk 1:27,34-37) and their considering
Joseph to be the biological father, and to their not seeing beyond
the human father to the divine Father of whom Jesus is Son in a
more profound sense. Luke has portrayed Joseph as the transmitter
of Davidic descent to Jesus quite apart from biological parenthood.
Besides being the reputed father of Jesus, Joseph is the legal,
genealogical father through whom Jesus traces his lineage.
Though the genealogy contains no markers, comments, or subdivisions,
it has been shown to contain eleven groups of seven names, much
as Matthew's three groups of fourteen could be broken into six
groups of seven (the perfect number). Jesus has 77 ancestors listed,
the last of whom is God. The names falling in the positions which
are multiples of seven are significant, numbers 7 and 35 being
two other Josephs. This list culminates with God whose number 77
is doubly perfect. It includes Abraham and David, the names given
such importance by Matthew. It would seem that while using quite
distinct forms, Matthew and Luke both emphasize Abraham, David,
Joseph, and multiples of the number seven.
While agreeing on Davidic descent, Luke differs from Matthew
in showing this descent to occur through Nathan rather than Solomon.
What is certain is that it is through Joseph that Jesus is son
of David and son of Adam, the first human. The Son of God (Lk 1:35;
3:22,38) traces his human ancestry all the way back through creation
by means of Joseph.
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