Christ Came Through Solomon and Bathsheba. How did David's Son Nathan Come in to It? Reconcile the Genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3?
1) Direct answer
There is no contradiction. Matthew gives the royal, legal line to Joseph through David’s son Solomon. Luke gives the natural, blood line to Mary through David’s son Nathan. Joseph is named in Luke “as was supposed” because he was the husband, the legal head; but the descent there runs through Mary, whose father was Heli. So Jesus has the legal right to David’s throne through Joseph (Solomon’s line) and the blood of David through Mary (Nathan’s line), all without being Joseph’s physical son.
2) Scriptural explanation
- Matthew’s record: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1), traces from Abraham down to “Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus” (Matthew 1:16). Notice it never says Joseph begat Jesus. It’s the royal succession through Solomon (Matthew 1:6-7).
- Luke’s record: “Jesus… being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli” (Luke 3:23), then traces back through Nathan, not Solomon (Luke 3:31). “As was supposed” marks that men thought Joseph was the father, but he was not.
- The virgin birth: “A virgin shall conceive” (Isaiah 7:14). “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee… that holy thing… shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). So Jesus is not Joseph’s seed.
- Yet He must be David’s seed: “Made of the seed of David according to the flesh” (Romans 1:3). Mary is of David (Luke 1:27), and the Lord gives Him “the throne of His father David” (Luke 1:32).
- The Jeconiah barrier: God said of Coniah/Jeconiah, “no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David” (Jeremiah 22:30). Matthew’s legal line runs through Jeconiah (Matthew 1:11-12). If Jesus were Joseph’s physical son, He would be under that judgment. But He wasn’t Joseph’s seed; He was born of a virgin. Thus:
- Legal right comes by Joseph’s line through Solomon (Matthew).
- Blood descent comes by Mary’s line through Nathan (Luke), bypassing Jeconiah.
3) Simple clarifying logic
- Two sons of David cannot both be Joseph’s fathers. So one record is Joseph’s legal line (Matthew), and the other is Mary’s natural line (Luke), with Joseph named as “son” of Heli by marriage (a son-in-law). That fits the wording “as was supposed.”
- Matthew is about the throne—kingship—so it follows Solomon. Luke is about true humanity all the way to Adam, so it follows Mary’s bloodline through Nathan.
- God guarded the promise perfectly: Jesus is truly David’s Son by Mary, yet not under Jeconiah’s curse; and He holds the legal title through Joseph.
4) Reinforcing statement
You see, the Bible fits like a glove. The virgin birth, Davidic promises, and the two branches—Solomon and Nathan—come together in Christ without a single break in the Scripture.
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Questions and Answers, Part 3
64-0830M §85
You remember down in, I believe, down in ... where she come from, down in the land of Sheba where she came from, the people would come through, you know, and tell about great things that's going on, that they had a God up there that has anointed their king, and how the king was anointed of God. I don't believe she thought that Solomon's name---or God's name was Solomon, 'cause if she did, that would make her a pagan again. See? So, she could have did that. In her heart she could have thought that God was Solomon---...
The Queen of Sheba
60-0110 §74
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Why little Bethlehem?
63-1214 §42
But we find out that this spiritual Seed, which was promised by the natural seed as a lineage of people coming through Abraham, but the kingship come through the spiritual promise of David. And David was born in Bethlehem. And he was anointed in Bethlehem. And we find out then that when his real Royal Seed, heir to his throne was born, in this same city, little Bethlehem. "Thou art least amongst all the princes of Judah, but out of thee shall come a Governor that shall rule my people."
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
61-0118 §46
...hat that was the Messiah. Let's take a little drama for a moment. I can see Nathanael take out around---about a day's journey---around the mountains, over the cobblestones, and finally come to the house where Nathanael lived. He knocked at the door, and so, Mrs. Nathanael come to the door. She said, "Why, Philip. Well, I'm glad to see you." Said, "Where's Nathanael?" "Well, Philip, he's just took a walk out in his orchard out there. He's back there somewhere. You'll find him. He's looking over his olive grove back...
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
63-0627 §49
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