The Jimmy Akin Podcast #071 Who Was Jesus’ Grandfather? - Jimmy Akin
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Feb 16, 2026 A deep dive into the apparent mismatch in Jesus’ family lines, comparing Matthew’s and Luke’s lists. The host walks through possibilities like dual names, skipped generations, legal adoption, heiress claims, and levirate marriage. Ancient genealogical practices and a family tradition reported by Africanus are examined as ways to reconcile the two pedigrees.
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Two Davidic Lines Explained
- Matthew traces Jesus to David through Solomon while Luke traces him through Nathan, showing two different Davidic lines.
- Jesus could legitimately descend from David in multiple ways due to intermarriage over centuries.
Use Available Records As An Explanation
- Consider authors used the genealogical records they had available when choosing different lines.
- Use that as a plausible reason why Matthew and Luke preserved different Davidic branches.
Genealogies Often Skip Generations
- Ancient Israelite genealogies often skip generations and use 'father' and 'son' broadly.
- Skipped generations can make two genealogies appear to conflict when they actually compress ancestry.
