FRIDAY, JANUARY 19
Luke 3:23-38
Philippians 2:5-8

“Who, being in the form of God
thought it not robbery to be equal with God.”

THE MATERNAL GENEALOGY

The genealogy of Jesus according to Luke is through Mary. Luke’s genealogy began with Heli, who was the father, not of Joseph, but of Mary and traced back to the first man, Adam. He showed that Christ was the promised seed of the woman. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Gen 3:15). Luke highlighted Jesus’ humanity in his gospel by often using the title “Son of Man” (twenty-six times). However, Jesus did not inherit the sinful nature of Adam because of His immaculate virgin conception. Also, our Lord is 100% God Himself. God can never sin for He is holy, He can never do what is against His own nature. Being the God-man He is able to stand on behalf of all men to receive the punishment we deserve; He is our perfect representative.

After David the lineage escaped God’s curse upon Jehoiakim through Nathan, a brother of Solomon, and son of David and Bathsheba. The prophecy of the Davidic line was fulfilled because Mary was from the lineage of David through Nathan. The genealogy according to John emphasizes that Jesus was not only human but also divine. He was with God and He is God. He was with the Father and eternally begotten without beginning, without end. Jesus is not a created being but is equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is the Word that became flesh. He is Immanuel, God with us. He is eternally the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil 2:5-8). May we truly understand who Jesus Christ is!

THOUGHT: Do I believe that Jesus is the perfect God-man?
PRAYER: Father, help me to appreciate how marvelous Jesus’ love is for me and for the world.