Luke 3:31
Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,
Original Language Analysis
τοῦ
G3588
τοῦ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
1 of 10
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
τοῦ
G3588
τοῦ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
3 of 10
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
τοῦ
G3588
τοῦ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
5 of 10
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Ματταθὰ
which was the son of Mattatha
G3160
Ματταθὰ
which was the son of Mattatha
Strong's:
G3160
Word #:
6 of 10
mattatha (i.e., mattithjah), an israelite
τοῦ
G3588
τοῦ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
7 of 10
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Cross References
1 Chronicles 3:5And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel:2 Samuel 5:14And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,1 Chronicles 14:4Now these are the names of his children which he had in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon,Zechariah 12:12And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;
Historical Context
David reigned 1010-970 BC, establishing Jerusalem as capital and receiving God's covenant promise of eternal dynasty. His son Nathan is mentioned in Scripture primarily in genealogical records, contrasting with Solomon's prominence—yet God's redemptive plan worked through the obscure line, not just the famous one.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's use of Nathan's obscure line rather than Solomon's royal line demonstrate His values contrasting worldly success?
- What does the genealogical solution to Jeconiah's curse teach about God's ability to fulfill promises despite apparent impossibilities?
- How should Jesus's descent from David through the 'lesser' line inform your understanding of God's kingdom priorities?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David—Here the genealogy reaches David (Δαυίδ), the critical juncture for messianic claims. However, Luke traces through Nathan (Ναθάν), David's son by Bathsheba (2 Samuel 5:14; 1 Chronicles 3:5), not through Solomon who received the throne.
This genealogical choice is theologically profound: Solomon's line received the promise of eternal dynasty (2 Samuel 7:12-16) but fell under God's judgment through Jeconiah (Jeremiah 22:30—"no man of his offspring shall succeed in sitting on the throne of David"). By tracing through Nathan (Mary's lineage) while maintaining legal connection to Solomon's line through Joseph's adoption, Jesus fulfills Davidic prophecy without inheriting the curse. The Greek huios (son) could mean biological son, legal heir, or descendant—allowing both genealogies to be true simultaneously.