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TRADITION VS SCHOLARSHIP

Matthew and Luke both trace Jesus' genealogy through Joseph. Do they name the same father for Joseph?

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The answer

Matthew 1:16 names Joseph's father as Jacob; Luke 3:23 names him Heli. The two family trees also run through different sons of David — Solomon in Matthew, Nathan in Luke.

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Why it’s interesting

Interpreters have proposed explanations for centuries — that Luke traces Mary's line, or that a levirate marriage is involved — and scholars still debate which, if any, resolves it. The two lists themselves are plainly different.

Genuinely debated
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