Luke 3:31 Meaning Explained

Luke 3:31

the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

English Standard Version (ESV)

While Matthew's genealogy emphasizes Jesus' royal lineage through Solomon, Luke's path from Nathan highlights a different, yet crucial, royal line. This shift reveals that Jesus' messianic claim wasn't solely tied to the throne through the most famous king, but also through another, perhaps less obvious, son of David.

What Luke 3:31 means

This passage is part of Luke's extended genealogy of Jesus, tracing his lineage back to Adam. It follows John the Baptist's ministry and Jesus' baptism, setting the stage to establish Jesus' royal and human credentials as the promised Messiah. The preceding verses describe Jesus' baptism and temptation, highlighting his divine authority and purity before he begins his public ministry.

Luke's Different Royal Path

Matthew and Luke give us genealogies of Jesus, but they don't perfectly match. How can this be?

While Matthew's genealogy traces Jesus' legal lineage through Solomon, Luke's path takes a different route through David's son Nathan. This isn't a contradiction, but rather a fuller picture.

Matthew's Focus: Matthew highlights Jesus' royal claim through the line of kings that stemmed from Solomon. This emphasized Jesus as the rightful heir to the throne of Israel.
Luke's Broader Scope: Luke, writing for a Gentile audience, traces Jesus' lineage back further, ultimately to Adam. His inclusion of Nathan, another son of David, shows that Jesus' royal heritage wasn't solely tied to the royal dynasty through Solomon, but also through another significant son of David. This broadens the understanding of Jesus' Messianic connection, connecting him to the entire human family and affirming his role as the promised Seed of the woman.

The 'Supposed' Son: Joseph's Role

The verse says Jesus was 'supposed' to be the son of Joseph. What does this 'supposed' tell us about Jesus' birth?

The phrase 'as was supposed' or 'as was thought' is crucial for understanding Joseph's place in Jesus' genealogy. It points directly to the miraculous nature of Jesus' conception.

Legal vs. Biological Father: Joseph was Jesus' legal father, but not his biological father. This distinction is vital because of the virgin birth.
Fulfilling Prophecy: By being legally descended from David through Joseph, Jesus could still fulfill the Old Testament prophecies that the Messiah would be a descendant of David. Luke's genealogy, while tracing through Nathan, still connects back to David, and ultimately to Joseph as the legal father.
Bridging Worlds: Jesus' unique birth—conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, yet legally a son of David through Joseph—positions him perfectly as the mediator between God and humanity, bridging the divine and human realms.

Understand the original words

Original language

Davidדָּוִד

David · Hebrew Proper Noun

The Hebrew term for 'beloved' or 'friend', referring to the second king of Israel. He is the central figure in the Davidic Covenant, through whose lineage the Messiah was promised to come.

Historical context

Written: Likely in the early 60s AD.
Author: Luke, traditionally known as the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.
Location: Written likely from Rome, or possibly Achaia, during Paul's imprisonment.
Genre: Gospel; this passage is part of a genealogy, which uses a linear, backward-tracing narrative structure.

Historical background

Luke's genealogy, tracing Jesus's lineage through Nathan, David's son, highlights the Davidic royal line. This emphasizes Jesus as the promised Messiah, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies about a king from David's house, even as the earthly kingdom had long since faded.

c. 1015 BC
David Reigns as King
David establishes Jerusalem as the capital of a united Israel and Judah, solidifying the Davidic dynasty as the royal line.
c. 970 BC
Solomon Reigns
Solomon, David's son, succeeds him. The royal line continues through him, marking a period of significant building and prosperity.
c. 931 BC
Kingdom Divides
After Solomon's death, the united kingdom splits into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah. The Davidic line continues in Judah.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonian Empire conquers Jerusalem, destroys the Temple, and deports many Judeans, ending the Davidic monarchy for a time. The royal line's future is uncertain.

Key themes

01Tracing royal lineage
02Generational faithfulness
03Messianic ancestry confirmed

Cross-references

Matthew 1:6

This passage lists Nathan as David's son, presenting a direct parallel to Luke's genealogy and highlighting the lineage through which Jesus would descend.

2 Samuel 7:12-13

This prophetic promise to David about an eternal heir establishes the significance of his lineage, which Luke's genealogy meticulously traces.

Luke 1:32-33

This prophecy about Jesus' future kingship and his eternal kingdom directly links back to the Davidic line, underscoring why tracing Jesus' ancestry to David was so crucial.

1 Chronicles 3:17

This passage provides another Old Testament perspective on David's descendants, showing the continuation of his royal line through figures like Zerubbabel, who also appears in Luke's genealogy.

Scholarly commentary

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,"

See Poole on "Luke 3:24"
poole

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,"

Luke 3:31 . Τοῦ Ναθὰν , Nathan ) [Luke substitutes him for Solomon, who is put down by Matthew here in this series, because that Mary drew her descent from Nathan, or else because Joseph derived his genealogy alike from Solomon and from Nathan; for it was a common practice of the Jews to adopt some one of their nearest relatives in the plac…
bengel

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What Luke 3:31 means

Historical context

Written: Likely in the early 60s AD.
Author: Luke, traditionally known as the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.
Location: Written likely from Rome, or possibly Achaia, during Paul's imprisonment.
Genre: Gospel; this passage is part of a genealogy, which uses a linear, backward-tracing narrative structure.

Historical background

c. 1015 BC

David Reigns as King

David establishes Jerusalem as the capital of a united Israel and Judah, solidifying the Davidic dynasty as the royal line.

c. 970 BC

Solomon Reigns

Solomon, David's son, succeeds him. The royal line continues through him, marking a period of significant building and prosperity.

c. 931 BC

Kingdom Divides

After Solomon's death, the united kingdom splits into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah. The Davidic line continues in Judah.

c. 586 BC

Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile

The Babylonian Empire conquers Jerusalem, destroys the Temple, and deports many Judeans, ending the Davidic monarchy for a time. The royal line's future is uncertain.