The genealogy of Mary: Matthew vs Luke

The infographic in text form

Shared line: Abraham to David

Both gospels give essentially the same line here Matthew 1:2–6 · Luke 3:31–34:

Abraham → Isaac → Jacob → Judah → Perez → Hezron → Ram → Amminadab → Nahshon → Salmon → Boaz → Obed → Jesse → David

Matthew 1: through Solomon

The royal line of the kings of Judah, ending with Joseph, "the husband of Mary" Matthew 1:6–16:

David → Solomon → Rehoboam → Abijah → Asa → Jehoshaphat → Joram → Uzziah → Jotham → Ahaz → Hezekiah → Manasseh → Amon → Josiah → Jeconiah → Shealtiel → Zerubbabel → Abiud → Eliakim → Azor → Zadok → Achim → Eliud → Eleazar → Matthan → Jacob → Joseph → Jesus

Luke 3: through Nathan

Luke writes from Jesus back to Adam; shown here from David forward Luke 3:23–31:

David → Nathan → Mattatha → Menna → Melea → Eliakim → Jonam → Joseph → Judah → Simeon → Levi → Matthat → Jorim → Eliezer → Joshua → Er → Elmadam → Cosam → Addi → Melchi → Neri → Shealtiel → Zerubbabel → Rhesa → Joanan → Joda → Josech → Semein → Mattathias → Maath → Naggai → Esli → Nahum → Amos → Mattathias → Joseph → Jannai → Melchi → Levi → Matthat → Heli → Joseph → Jesus

Shealtiel and Zerubbabel are named in both lines.

Two main views

1. Luke gives Mary's line. Heli is Mary's father, and Joseph is called his "son" as son-in-law. Matthew gives Jesus' legal right to David's throne; Luke gives his physical descent from David through Mary.
2. Both lines are Joseph's. Matthew follows the royal succession and Luke the natural family line. An early explanation (Julius Africanus, early 200s) used levirate marriage to account for Joseph having two "fathers", Jacob and Heli.

Clues in the text

• Luke 3:23: Jesus was "(as was supposed) the son of Joseph"; the NIV says "so it was thought".
• Matthew 1:16: "Mary, of whom was born Jesus". In Greek "whom" is feminine, pointing to Mary alone.
• Romans 1:3: Jesus was "of the seed of David according to the flesh".