Question of the Week: What are the purpose of the genealogies in Jewish culture?
Verses: Matthew 1:1-17, Genesis 5:1-32
Genealogies, or records of family history, were recorded and regarded very highly in Israel from the time of Moses all the way to the Destruction of Herod’s temple in 70AD. The purpose they served was two-fold. Their immediate purpose was a resume. In order to qualify for certain jobs like the priesthood, you would be required to prove your relation to the tribe of Levi. The long-term purpose would prove who Israel’s Messiah would be. Jesus’ claim to be Messiah needed to be backed by a proven relation to the following people. He would need to be a descendant of Abraham to fulfill the promise made to his bloodline by God. He would need to be a descendant of Jacob in order to be Jewish. And most importantly, He would need to be a descendant of David in order to inherit the throne of Israel. This is the reason why Jesus’ genealogies were recorded in the gospels.
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