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Why do the Gospels begin with long lists of names—and why do Matthew and Luke tell the story so differently?

In this episode, we slow down and take the genealogies seriously, not as biblical filler, but as theological proof. What modern readers tend to skip, the ancient world treated as decisive evidence. If Jesus’ lineage fails, His messianic claim collapses. If it holds, everything else follows.

We explore why Matthew opens his Gospel with a royal genealogy rooted in Abraham and David, establishing Jesus’ legal right to Israel’s throne—and why Luke traces a very different line, moving backward through history all the way to Adam, grounding Jesus in real humanity and shared flesh.

Along the way, we address:

• Why Matthew traces the royal line through Solomon while Luke follows Nathan
• How adoption and legal fatherhood function in Jewish law
• Why the genealogies are not contradictory, but complementary
• The problem of Jeconiah’s curse—and why the virgin birth isn’t a complication, but the solution
• How Jesus can inherit the throne without inheriting the curse

Together, Matthew and Luke answer two essential questions:
Does Jesus have the right to rule?
And does He truly belong to us?

The result is a portrait of a Messiah who is both rightful King and true Brother—legally qualified to reign and biologically qualified to redeem.

We close by reflecting on what these messy family trees mean for us: how God works through broken lines, redeems flawed histories, and weaves grace through generations of failure and faith alike.

Two genealogies.
Two witnesses.
One Messiah.

Because in Scripture, names matter—and so does your story.

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