Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Festival of the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ

Posted on January 6, 2018 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: St. Luke 3:23-38 (NKJV)

3:23 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph,

the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat,

the son of Levi, the son of Melchi,

the son of Janna, the son of Joseph,

25 the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos,

the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,

the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath,

the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei,

the son of Joseph, the son of Judah,

27 the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa,

the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,

the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi,

the son of Addi, the son of Cosam,

the son of Elmodam, the son of Er,

29 the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer,

the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat,

the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon,

the son of Judah, the son of Joseph,

the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim,

31 the son of Melea, the son of Menan,

the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan,

the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse,

the son of Obed, the son of Boaz,

the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,

the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,

the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob,

the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham,

the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu,

the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,

the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan,

the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem,

the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch,

the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel,

the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos,

the son of Seth, the son of Adam,

the son of God.

Devotion

Mythology often fleshes out the whole famous lineage of heroes and gods. In the genealogies of the Lord Jesus, though, we encounter many names that are unfamiliar. These genealogies simply recount historical evidence that Jesus is the Son of David. Since this is reality no fabulous tales of every ancestor are needed. Both through His flesh (His genealogy through Mary) and legally (through Joseph), Jesus is the Son of David promised in God’s Word. Thus the Holy Family and the Magi all end up in the city of David, Bethlehem.

Adam is listed as having had no human father. God brought Adam into being, not simply as living flesh, but as a living soul, into whom He Himself had breathed. Adam was given God’s own attribute of righteousness, the highest gift in creation: he was made in the image of God. An animal seeing Adam was to view him like God in the flesh; Adam would rule over creation with God’s own authority, God’s own wisdom, and God’s own concern. Unfortunately, not long after his creation, Adam threw all of these aside and created the ever-deepening chaos in the world that we see today.

Jesus, Luke writes, was thought of as the son of Joseph—and, indeed, Jesus fulfilled His role of perfect Son to Joseph as well as to His Father in Heaven, even though Joseph didn’t always understand what that perfect fulfillment meant. In terms of being begotten, though, Jesus also had no human Father. He is the “Second Adam” who came to undo what the first Adam caused, to pay for sin that we may be free of it.

Lord Jesus, thank You for fulfilling the Law for us so that we are being recreated in God’s image through faith in You! Amen.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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