Reasons Why Christianity Claims Davidic Lineage Records Destruction Is Incorrect
Matthew 1:1 says “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham. But it isn’t. Not if Jesus is a “virgin birth.” It is instead (purportedly) the lineage of Joseph who was not Jesus’ father (biologically). So Matthew is listing Joseph’s lineage (supposedly). And supposedly Joseph did not father Jesus. If Joseph is not Jesus’ biological father this list is immaterial.
A tribal status (and thus the right to be a Davidic king) passes only if the mother is Jewish before she is pregnant, and if the biological father (meaning his sperm) impregnates her. It the “holy spirit” impregnated Mary then Jesus has no tribal status and is not eligible to be the messiah.
Let’s assume for the moment that this genealogy given by Matthew is that of Jesus. The claim that Jesus is eligible to be the messiah falls apart based on the lineage given by Matthew. Read Matthew 1:2 – 17. Pay special attention to verse 17!
Matthew complete re-works the genealogies of the T’nach (Jewish bible) and distorts them. From Abraham to David the lineages given by Matthew aligns with the lineages in the T’nach. From Solomon forward Matthew changes things. First Matthew 1:17 claims are the 14 generations from David’s son Solomon to the exile of Jeconiah.
Matthew 17 lists:
• Solomon
• Rehoboam
• Abijah (also called Abijam)
• Asa
• Jehoshaphat
• Jehoram
• Uzziah (also called Azariah)
• Jotham
• Ahaz (of Isaiah 7 fame)
• Hezekiah
• Manasseh
• Amon
• Josiah
• Jeconiah (also called Jehoiachin) and his exile
Compare Matthew with M’lachim I / 1 Kings 1 through M’lachim II / 2 Kings 24. Then peruse Divrei Hayamim I / 1 Chronicles 3:10-17, and Divrei Hayamim II / II Chronicles Chapters 1-36. The T’nach records all of the father/son generations from David’s son Solomon to Jeconiah and his exile.
The list does not match the one given by Matthew 1:17. Here is the list from the T’nach:
• Solomon
• Rehoboam
• Abijah (also called Abijam)
• Asa
• Jehoshaphat
• Jehoram
• Ahaziah son of Jehoram (omitted from Matthew)
• Jehoash son of Ahaziah (omitted from Matthew)
• Amaziah son of Jehoash (omitted from Matthew)
• Uzziah son of Amaziah (also called Azariah, omitted from Matthew)
• Jotham
• Ahaz (of Isaiah 7 fame)
• Hezekiah
• Manasseh
• Amon
• Josiah
• Jehoiakim son of Josiah (originally called Eliakim, omitted from Matthew)
• Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim (also called Jehoiachin)
Somehow Matthew skips five kings altogether:
• Ahaziah son of Jehoram (omitted from Matthew)
• Jehoash son of Ahaziah (omitted from Matthew)
• Amaziah son of Jehoash (omitted from Matthew)
• Uzziah son of Amaziah (also called Azariah, omitted from Matthew)
• Jehoiakim son of Josiah (originally called Eliakim, omitted from Matthew)
Jehoiakim son of Josiah between Josiah and Jeconiah. Jehoiakim is the son of Josiah and the father of Jeconiah. Yet Matthew’s genealogy skips from Josiah to his grandson Jeconiah.
All in all from Solomon to Jeconiah and his exile are 18 generations of fathers and sons who were King of Judah – not the 14 claimed by Matthew. This is nearly 100 years worth of kings!
So, Matthew’s list is wrong to begin with…
And it is supposedly for Joseph, who was supposedly NOT Jesus’ father (so why bother listing it at all — it is immaterial?)…
But there is an even bigger error in Matthew’s list.
Matthew includes Jeconiah. Matthew 1:11
“and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.”
The T’nach tells us that G-d removed Jeconiah and all of his heirs from the throne — thus though they are descended from David and Solomon none of the descendants could be a messiah (king).
“As I live, says the L-rd, though Coniah (Jeconiah) the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, be a signet on My right hand, from there I will remove you.” Y’rmiyahu / Jeremiah 22:24.
Oops. Now, Christianity will bring up the fact that the Talmud tells us that G-d forgave Jeconiah. True enough — but Christians dismiss the Talmud. How can they say it is (on the one hand) nothing to them and then point to it as proof of anything at all?
But the fact remains — even IF Joseph were Jesus’ biological father (no virgin birth) and even if Joseph’s line per Matthew (totally different from Luke’s line) includes Jeconiah — being a Davidic heir does not make anyone the messiah. To be the messiah you must also fulfill the actual messianic prophecies includeing returning all Jews to Israel (the Romans exiled the Jews shortly after Jesus’ death), world peace (see any?), global knowledge of the one true G-d, and rebuilding the Temple… Jesus did not one of them.
Is it impossible to find a Davidic heir alive today who could be the messiah?
If Jesus wasn’t the messiah Jews have no way of identifying a future messiah because all the lineage records of the Jews were stored in the Temple and were lost when the Temple was destroyed.”
Were all the records lost when the Temple was destroyed in 68 CE?
No.
No, not “all” the lineage records were kept in the Temple 2000 years ago — and the lineages of Davidic heirs (and the priestly line) were not lost. Some were, no doubt — but a huge number remain known to this very day. Two famous heirs include רבי שלמה יצחקי Solomon Yitzchaki, 22 February 1040 – 13 July 1105 (aka “Rashi”) my 32nd great grandfather and שלמה לוריא Solomon Luria, 1510 – November 7, 1573 my 30th great grandfather.
Some of the family trees (researched by Chaim Freedman) include:
1) Ancestry of King David
2) David Monarchy
3) Principal lines descended from King David
4) Exilarchs, Gaonim and Rabbis – descendants of Zerubavel
Descendants of Zerubavel
Rashei Galut (Exilarchs), Gaonim and Rabbis.
Descendants of Zerubavel, great-grandson of the last king of the Davidic Monarchy
There are many versions of these lines of descent. The principal ones are shown here:
1)Ibn Yachya (Don Yechia), Charlap – “The Book of Destiny – Toledot Charlap” – 1996 Arthur F. Menton.
Drawn from fifteen family trees researched by the author.
2) Ibn Yachya (Don Yechia), Charlap – “Sefer Kidushei” Avraham Moshe Hamburger.
3) “Makor Niftakh LeBeit David” – 1969, Moshe Yair Weinstok.
4) Dayan – “Yashir Moshe”, 1864, Moshe Dayan.
5) Abarbanel – undated handwritten manuscript from the collection of the late Rabbi Shmuel Gorr, held by Chaim Freedman.
Reference was made to “Elef Margaliot” 1993, Meir Wunder.
Several websites have differing versions, such as
http://www.loebtree.com/early.html
*According to one tradition Hillel was a brother of Khizkiyahu, but this is mathematically unlikely. Another tradition ascribes Hillel’s descent from Shefatya, son of King David, through many unknown generations. The Loeb site ascribes names to these generations. http://www.loebtree.com/rashi.html
** Traditional descent of the Maharal of Prague from Yehudah Liwai Hazaken is challenged by several researchers and requires further study.
(Englard – “Tzfunot” 12, quoted by Rosenstein, “Avotaynu Volume XII, Number 1, Spring 1996, reprinted in Englard’s “ Letoldot Kheker Hayukhsin Beyisrael” 2004). )
*** Assumed father of Yeshaya Shapira (Menton).
**** David – identity according to Shealtiel family research.
5) Descent of Rashi from Hillel and King David
6) Rashi’s Family Circle
7) Rashi Key Chart
8 ) Treves, Shapira, Luria links
9) Treves Family
10) Luria Family
11) Katzenellenbogen Family
12) Ancestry of the Vilna Gaon
13) Shapira
14) Everels Altshuler
15) Shrentzels
16) Isserles
17) Meizels
18) Lipshitz
19)My Family Tree From Ancestry
The point being that “son of David” does not = messiah. There have been, and still are, many sons of David alive in this world, but to date none of met the messianic prophecies. No one ever seems to think to ask the Jews! Maybe they don’t want to know the answer?
The key take away is to consider that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines — there were many children and even though some were killed there are many Davidic heirs alive even today. . . there is a long list of criteria by which we will know the messiah, and his lineage is only the first on the list which includes world peace, global knowledge of G-d, return of all Jewish exiles to Israel and so on. . . Jesus accomplished none of the messianic prophecies — including being a “son” of David.
The rabbi mentioned that a majority of Jews 2000 years ago lived outside of Judah, and there were more Jews in Babylon (as they had never left there after the exile). It is a Christian myth that all lineage records were kept in the Temple.
True enough — and I’ve posted images of some “family trees” going back to King David of Jews alive today in the past.
But I’m not sure I’ve ever discussed the Exilarch. The Resh Galuta / רֵישׁ גָּלוּתָא / Exilarch / “Head of the Exile” was a Davidic ruler in Babylon. There were three different dynasties — all descendants of Kings David and Solomon. The last recorded Exilarch, Shalom, (1365 – 1401 CE) was deposed by the Tartar King Tamberlane.
Even after he was deposed the Jews of the exile recognized his descendants as their Exilarch (king in exile) until the death of Pasha in the Baghdad ghetto in 1825.
It is estimated that they ruled until the 12th century of the common era.
Even when they stopped ruling (forced to stop) they still had descendants and their lineages have been maintained. For example:
The Musaphia Family, descended from the Exilarchs, of Moses Musaphia (above) has a page which currently takes the line through the 20th century. Link.
There is also The ibn Yahya (Yachya) Family which traces the descendants currently through the 16th century. Link.
Of course the Resh Galuta / Exilarch was only one man in one family descended from King David and King Solomon. Keep in mind that Solomon alone had 1000 wives and concubines! There are many, many more Davidic heirs who have the potential to be the messiah when the time comes. Keep in mind that having the right lineage is a requirement but it does not guarantee a specific man is actually the messiah. To be the messiah a man must have this lineage and he must fulfill all the the actual messianic prophecies. In his lifetime all the Jews must return to Israel. There must be world peace. The entire world will come to know the one true G-d and the final Temple will be built…
I came to the conclusion long ago that most Christians believe what they are told “at face value” and never bother to learn history to see if what they think is true is correct.
Exilarchs being a perfect example!
Many (again in my opinion) look upon the Hebrew Bible as if it was dropped from heaven by G-d Himself and contains a mythical people. Thus when you try to talk to them about Jewish laws, Jewish practices (including Temple practices) and even historical details (e.g. the exilarchs) they give you a blank stare. They argue against facts… It’s pretty amazing. These are sane, some very intelligent, people who in any other area of their lives would spend an effort on education.
The Jews in Babylon had a Jewish ruler who was a Davidic heir. Since they were in exile this person couldn’t be a king — so they were called the רֵישׁ גָּלוּתָא, Resh Galuta (head of the exile), or “Exilarch.”
There was an exilarch until as late as the 15th century CE when the last one was deposed. The last recorded Exilarch, Shalom, (1365 – 1401 CE) was deposed by the Tartar King Tamberlane.
In Israel there was a comparable role called the נָשִׂיא / Nasi / Prince. This office ended much more quickly than the Exilarch. Gamaliel VI was the last nasi. He died in 425 CE and Emperor Theodosius II wouldn’t allow a successor.
Davidic heirs keep their “family trees.” The late Rebbe, head of the Chabad, was a Davidic heir. There are a lot of them who are known. I’ve pasted some family trees on the forum in the past.
Talmud (Sanhedrin 38a) says the messiah won’t come until both offices are destroyed:
“Yehuda and Ḥizkiyya, sons of Rabbi Ḥiyya, were sitting at a meal before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and they were not saying anything. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to his servants: Add more wine for the young men, so that they will say something. Once they were inebriated, they loosened their tongues and said: The son of David, i.e., the Messiah, will not come until two fathers’ houses are destroyed from Israel, as those two families are preventing the redemption. And they are the head of the exile who is in Babylonia, i.e., the family of the Exilarch, and the Nasi who is in Eretz Yisrael, i.e., the family of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi (see 5a), as it is stated in reference to the Messiah: “And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel” (Y’shayahu / Isaiah 8:14).” Sanhedrin 38a.
This is what will happen to Israel and Jewish people:
Daniel 8:17 tells Us that the RAM and the GOAT fight at the time of the end. Daniel 7:11 tells us that the 4TH beast dies first. Daniel 7:12 tells us that the first 3 beasts will be alive for a season and a time LONGER than the 4TH beast.
For these scriptures to be fulfilled the 4 Beasts of Daniel 7 MUST be alive at the same time. The time of the end. Daniel 12:4 and 9. Daniel 8: 20 Is Media and Persia at the time of the end. Persia will unite with Iraq and then unite the middle east under Islam. Persia will go to HaShem YHVH LAND and put to the sword EVERY man, woman, child and baby Jew in Israel. No survivors. NONE.
10 Million Jews worldwide will die. This will cause the GOAT to come from the west. Daniel 8:5.The GOAT comes across the face of the whole earth. This scripture is literal. The GOAT is the united nations with America leading the WAY. Daniel 8: 8 tells us that America will win the war with Persia and then break into 4 nations.