JESUS, THE SON OF DAVID

By Dr. M. R. Dowler

Genealogy is the tracing of family generational roots; a hobby enjoyed by millions worldwide. Experts in the field testify that genealogy got a big boost in popularity as the result of Alex Haley’s classic story of his family. Haley’s 1976 bestselling book, Roots: The Story of an American Family was made into a popular television miniseries of the same name a year later. The series was remade in 2016 to present the patriarch of Haley’s family as a Muslim. The television ratings of the remake’s first episode pale in comparison with the original---28.8 million views (1977); 5.3 million (2016).

There are twenty-four genealogies listed in the Bible. Family bloodlines were (and continue to be) very important to the Jewish people. Ancient Jewish non-biblical writings typically began with a family tree. Historically, the NT Sanhedrin was tasked with keeping Jewish family records. Tragically, all those ancient records were lost when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Jesus’ family tree is recorded twice in the scriptures (Matthew 1 and Luke 3). Luke presents Jesus as the Son of Man; the genealogy lists seventy-four members tracing Jesus all the way back to the first man. Matthew, the Jewish tax collector presents Jesus as the King of the Jews. Matthew omits names from Christ’s forty-two name genealogy so as to arrange them in a fourteen name per three-stanza chronology (Matthew 1:1-17). Interestingly, the beginning of that genealogy lists Jesus as the son of Abraham and David. Joseph and Mary were both relatives of King David.

Jesus is called the “Son of David” sixteen times; and other than the Lord Himself, David is the most important man in the Bible, mentioned more than any other person---1,118 times. Consider the connection between Jesus, David and the number fourteen. The numerical value of the three Hebrew letters that make up David’s name, Dalet=4, Vav=6, Dalet=4, equals fourteen. Theologically, Jesus will one day sit on the King David’s regal throne (2 Samuel 7:24-25). Simply stated, the Baby born in a lowly stable will one day return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16). Think about it. Merry Christmas.