The following post was born out of a recent Facebook exchange I had surrounding the lineages given in Matthew 1 & Luke 3.
From what I understand the thought is that Joseph’s mother was originally married to Heli, who is mentioned in Luke 3:23, but Heli died before he was able to beget any children through her.
So, given the Levirate law outlined in Deuteronomy 25:5-6, Joseph’s mother married her husband’s brother, which would have been Jacob (mentioned in Matthew), and he begat a child, Joseph, for his brother’s name. Thus, making Joseph a son in law to Heli, the first husband of Joseph’s mother, while in fact being the biological son of Jacob, the second husband of Joseph’s mother.
The church historian Eusebius explains this in his “Ecclesiastical History”, Book 1: chapter 7, verse 9.
Thus we shall find the two, Jacob and Eli, although belonging to different families, yet brethren by the same mother. Of these the one, Jacob, when his brother Eli had died childless, took the latter’s wife and begot by her a son Joseph, his own son by nature and in accordance with reason. Wherefore also it is written: ‘Jacob begot Joseph.’ Matthew 1:6 But according to law he was the son of Eli, for Jacob, being the brother of the latter, raised up seed to him.
SOURCE: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250101.htm
From Deuteronomy 25:
5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.
6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.
The genealogy given in Matthew 1 clearly speaks of Jesus as being the physical son of Abraham through David, and of David through Joseph. That was the whole point of that genealogy — to lay the groundwork for the primary qualification of the Messiah/Christ: to be a physical descendant of David, a physical descendant of Abraham.
From Matthew 1:
1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
The list of names given in Luke 3, relates to how Jesus could be considered the son of God, given that the list is given on the heels of being called God’s son at Jesus’ baptism.
From Luke 3:
21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
Originally, Solomon was to be considered a figurative/spiritual “son” to God, but he strayed from the will of God and was eventually spiritually cutoff.
2 Samuel 7:
12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
Jesus is now being considered the figurative/spiritual “son” of God in fulfilment of the words spoken to David by the prophet in 2 Samuel 7.
The author of Luke is pointing out an interesting tidbit concerning Joseph, Jesus’ biological father, (who was clearly laid out as such in the beginning chapters of his book when revealing details before Jesus was conceived, at his birth and thereafter in early childhood.).
It is being revealed in Luke 3 that Joseph is a figurative/spiritual “son” of God “by Levirate law”, which was established by God’s saying and conveyed to the children of Israel through Moses in Deuteronomy 25. Therefore, qualifying Jesus as being called the figurative/spiritual “son” of God.
From Luke 3:
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, 24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, 25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, 26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda, 27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, 28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, 29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, 30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim, 31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David, 32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson, 33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, 34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, 35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, 36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, 37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, 38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
These two lineages demonstrate harmoniously how Jesus could be considered the Messiah, also known as the Son of God — through physical seed, which came through the line of Solomon and through the word/saying (figurative/spiritual seed) of God, which came through the line of Nathan.
Both lineages link Jesus to David, of Abraham, of God through Joseph, Jesus’ father.
For more on this subject, see: The Lineage of Luke 3:23-38 – Jesus, the Son of God
