Understanding the Ancient Near East

Jason asked:

I have a question that I have been meaning to ask you. In Church, our Pastor has mentioned that Christ fulfilled the prophecies of the coming Messiah by being in the blood line of David. However, Joseph was the blood line of David, not Mary. So I guess I do not understand how that is being explained.

Ahh, astute technical observations, my favorite. I'll try my best to explain my understanding of this as best I can, but where I muddy the waters or cause confusion, more dialogue can be had in the comments section.

If one looks at the genealogy of Jesus recorded in Matthew 1, they will clearly fine Jesus line extended back to David through Joseph, as Jason has stated. Numerous prophecies were made about the messiah coming from David, most poignantly in 2 Samuel 7.

So, what of the fact that Jesus is not biologically or scientifically Joseph's son, but only the son of Mary? At this point, it is important to dig into a little bit of the Ancient Near East (ANE). In the ANE, family relationships were more important than is often represented in our culture. Survival often depended on family, houses depended on family, people did not move out and away when they turned 18, but remained close throughout life. As a brother would die, one's "nieces" and "nephews" would become equal descendant of their "uncle" (now father).

There wasn't such a thing as a legal adoption in the ANE as we have it today. No formal process. Instead, one was to be considered "adopted" if they were taught the family trade by the father. Jesus, was thus considered in his culture to be Joseph's son because Joseph had taught him the trade of carpentry.

"Adoption" in that culture provided a child with all legal rights. They were now heirs in every sense a biological child would be. Thus, Jesus can be traced through his legal, royal line as an heir to the throne of David.

More interestingly (in my nerdy opinion) is how this relationship (legal yet not biological) also plays out when looking at other OT texts. Because Jesus was only a legal and royal heir to the line of Joseph, he avoided any biological cursings put on that line, as curses only extended to direct, biological kin.

As the kings of Israel grow exceedingly wicked, God curses them, and their biological line. In Jeremiah 22, God declares that "this man" (Jehoachin) to be "recorded as if childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah."

As clearly stated in that text, the line of David has been cursed. None in his line will rule as king. Jesus, then fulfills the promise that the messiah will come from the line of David as promised in 2 Samuel, while not having to remove the curse which was put on David's biological line.

He is the rightful, royal heir to the throne, a throne that looked far different than Israel was expecting and a throne that he sits on to this day.

That should have muddied things up enough.