Luke 3:31the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
The setting
Luke carefully traces Jesus' lineage through David's son Nathan, not Solomon. This is documented genealogical research, likely in Bethlehem or Jerusalem, modern-day Israel...
The emotion here: methodical determination to establish legitimacy
The original word
huios (υἱός) — son, but also descendant; can span generations
Why it matters
Luke traces through Nathan while Matthew traces through Solomon, showing Jesus' legal and biological claims to David's throne
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 3:31
This genealogy goes BACKWARD from Jesus to Adam, while Matthew's goes forward from Abraham
Common misconceptionPeople think genealogies are boring filler, but Luke is making a legal case that Jesus has the right to be called 'Son of David' through both royal lines.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 3:31
Bible Genome reading
Luke 3:31 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 3:31 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Luke. The dominant emotion in this verse is joyful, with a comfort power of 65% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the genealogy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include genealogy, Davidic lineage. Notable phrases: son of David.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same joyful
“For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, …”
— Isaiah 9:6
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:22
“"Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?"”
— 1 Corinthians 15:55
“Rejoice always.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:16
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
Your reflection
What does Luke 3:31 mean to you, today?
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