Prologues and Genealogies

Lk 1:1-4; Mt 1:1-17; cp. Lk 3:23b-38; Jn 1:1-18

Luke’s Prologue

(Lk 1:1-4)

1:1Quite a number of people have undertaken to put together an account of what’s been fulfilled among us. 2Eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the message have handed down those events to us. 3It seemed fitting to me as well, to trace them from the start and write you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus. 4That way you can know for sure that your oral instruction was accurate.

The Genealogy of Jesus According to Matthew

(Mt 1:1-17; cp. Lk 3:23b-38)

1:1The genealogy of Jesus Messiah, son of David, son of Abraham:

2Abraham, father ofDavid was father ofShealtiel, father of
Isaac, father of7Solomon by his wife, whoZerubbabel, 13father of
Jacob, father ofhad been the wife of Uriah.Abiud, father of
Judah and his brothers;Solomon was father ofEliakim, father of
3Judah was father ofRehoboam, father ofAzer, 14father of
Peres and Zerah by Tamar;Abijah, father ofSadoc, father of
Peres was father ofAsa, 8father ofAchim, father of
Hezron, father ofJehoshaphat, father ofEliud, 15father of
Ram, 4father ofJoram, father ofEleazar, father of
Aminidab, father ofUzziah, 9father ofMattham, father of
Nahshon, father ofJotham, father ofJacob, 16father of
  Joseph,
Salmon, 5father ofAhaz, father ofhusband of Mary,
  who
Boaz by Rahab;Hezekiah, 10father ofgave birth to Jesus,
Boaz was father ofManasseh, father ofcalled Messiah.
Obed by Ruth;Amon, father of 
Obed was father ofJosiah, 11father of 
Jesse, 6father ofJechoniah and his brothers 
David the king.at the exile to Babylon. 
 12After the exile to 
 Babylon, Jechoniah 
 was father of 

17So there are fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile in Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to Messiah.

The Pre-Existence and Incarnation of the Messiah

(Jn 1:1-18)

1:1In the beginning the Word was there. The Word was with God, and the Word was deity. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3He made everything; nothing came into existence without him. 4He had life in himself, life that gave light to mankind. 5The light shined in the dark, but the darkness tended not to accept it.

6God sent a man named John 7to tell people about the light so everybody would believe through him. 8He wasn’t the light, but came to talk about 9the light, the true light that enlightens every person in the world. 10He was in the world and made the world, but it didn’t know him. 11He came into his own things, but his own people didn’t accept him. 12But, to as many as did accept him and trust him, he gave the right to become God’s children. 13They weren’t born from blood, physical desire, the will of a husband, but from God. 14The Word took on a physical nature and lived among us for a while. We saw his glory, glory like the only One the Father begot, full of grace and truth.

15John shouted, “This is the One I was talking about when I said, ‘There’s a man coming after me who has come to be before me, because he existed before me.’” 16From his full measure we’ve all received grace on top of grace. 17Moses gave law, but Jesus Messiah brought grace and truth. 18Nobody has ever seen God; the only begotten deity—the One dear to the Father—has shown what he’s like.

Gospel Harmony by Virgil Warren, PhD