Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST

Matthew and Luke provide detailed genealogies of Jesus, which, though differing in some details, are substantially the same. Matthew's starts with Abraham and divides the list into three sets of fourteen generations each (Matthew 1:1-17). Luke's moves in reverse order from Jesus all the way back to Adam (Luke 3:23-38). between Abraham and Adam, Luke's listing agrees in great part with the genealogies in Genesis and the First Chronicles (Genesis 4, 5, 10, 11; I Chronicles 1-9). Some variations may be explained by the fact that occasionally in the Old Testament family lines were based on adoptive relationships or legal heirships. It is interesting to note how both Matthew and Luke made it clear that Joseph was not the father of Jesus (Matthew 1:16; Luke 3:23).