The Son of Adam - The Son of God
Read Luke 3:23-38
When we read the Gospel of Luke, we are struck by its personal tone, its focus on the humanity and compassion of Jesus, and it’s historical precision. Luke says Behold the Man. That emphasis comes through clearly Luke’s genealogy - the list of names in our text today. At first glance it might seem dry, but upon closer inspection, it reveals the heart of the gospel.
Unlike Matthew, who opens his Gospel with a genealogy that traces Jesus’ legal line through Joseph, establishing His royal right to the throne of David and His connection to Abraham - the father of the Jews - Luke places his genealogy after Jesus’ baptism (Luke 3:21-22). That’s significant. As Jesus is declared the beloved Son by the Father, Luke traces His human lineage all the way back to Adam, calling Adam “the son of God.”
Why?
Luke is writing primarily to a Gentile audience, and he wants to emphasize that Jesus didn’t just come for the Jews. Jesus is the Savior of all humanity - Jews and Gentiles alike. While Matthew anchors Jesus in Jewish history and covenant, Luke places Him in the broader context of human history. Jesus isn’t just the Messiah of Israel; He is the second Adam, the new representative of a fallen race.
But there’s more:
Luke’s genealogy differs from Matthew’s because it follows a different line - Mary’s line, not Joseph’s. Though both genealogies trace back to David, they do so through different sons:
Matthew goes through Solomon (David’s royal son).
Luke goes Nathan (another son of David).
This supports what Scripture affirms: that Jesus was born of a virgin - He was not Joseph’s biological son. Luke makes that clear: “Jesus… being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph” (Luke 3:23). Luke’s genealogy emphasizes the bloodline through Mary, showing Jesus’ actual human descent from David, Abraham, and ultimately Adam. He is truly one of us
And yet, Luke ends the list not with Adam - he ends with God. Why? Because Jesus is more than just man. While He shares our humanity, He is also the Son of God - uniquely divine, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Luke shows us the beauty of the Incarnation: God became flesh. Jesus is fully man, able to sympathize with our weaknesses; and fully God, able to save to the uttermost.
Think about this:
Jesus’ genealogy through Mary reminds us that God’s promises are fulfilled literally and perfectly. The Messiah had to be the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15), and He was.
Jesus going back to Adam reminds us that the gospel is not just for the religious or the moral - it’s for everyone.
Through Jesus, the curse of Adam is reversed. In Adam, all died. In Christ, all are made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22)
Heavenly Father, Thank You for stepping into humanity - not just to identify with us, but to redeem us. Thank You that You are not only the Son of David and the Son of Mary, but the Son of God. Help us walk today in the hope that You are the Savior of all, and that in You we are made new. In Jesus name - Amen.
