Grotius, however, availing himself of the tra dition that Heli and Jacob were both sons of the same mother, but of different fathers (Matthan and Melchi), supposes that Luke traces the nat ural pedigree of Christ, and Matthew the kgal. This he argues on two grounds. First, that Sala thiel could not have been the natural son of Jechonias, who was childlcss—according to the declaration of God by Jeremiah (xxii:30—and was. therefore, as Luke states, the son, properly so called, of Neri, of Nathan's line ; and, secondly, that the Levirate law imposed no necessity on Jacob to marry Heli's widow they being only uterine brothers. But both.the reasons assigned by Grotius for differing from the solution of Africanus would seem to be founded on a petitio principii. It does not appear an ascertained fact that Salathiel was not the natural sonof Jechonias, nor yet that the law which obliged a man to marry the widow of his deceased brother might be de parted from when they were only maternal breth ren; for even in cases of distant relationship the law seemed obligatory, as we see in the case of Boaz marrying Ruth, the widow of his distant kinsman.
Dr. Barrett objects to the above theory as given by Africanus and altered by Grotius, on the ground principally. that it refers entirely to the descent of Joseph from David without attempting to prove that the son of Mary was the son of David. Dr. Barrett then states his own hypothe sis, viz., that Matthew relates the genealogy of Joseph, and Luke that of Mary. He supposes a sufficient reason, that after Matthew had given his genealogical table another should be added by St. Luke, fully to prove that Christ, according to the flesh, derived his descent from David, not only by his supposed father Joseph, but also by his real mother Mary.
(4) Reckoned Only by Males. In construct ing their genealogical tables, it is well known that the Jews reckoned wholly by males, rejecting, where the blood of the grandfather passed to the grandson through a daughter, the name of the daughter herself.and counting that daughter'shus band for the son of thematernal grandfather (Num. xxvi :33 ; xxvii :4-7). On this principle Joseph, begotten by Jacob, marries Mary, the daughter of Heli ; and in the genealogical register of his wife's family, is counted for Heli's son. Salathiel, begotten by Jeconiah, marries the daughter of Neri, and, in like manner, is accounted his son : in Zorobabel, the offspring of Salathiel and Neri's daughter, the lines of Solomon and Nathan co alesce; Joseph and Mary are of the same tribe and family; they are both descendants of David in the line of Solomon ; they have in them both the blood of Nathan, David's son. Joseph deduces his de scent from Abiud (Matt. i :13), Mary from Rhesa (Luke iii :27) sons of Zorobabel. The genealo gies of Matthew and Luke are parts of one perfect whole, and each of them is essential to the ex planation of the other. 13y Matthew's table we prove the descent of Mary, as well as Joseph, from Solomon : by Luke's we see the descent of Joseph, as well as Mary, from Nathan. (See CHRONOLOGY.) (5) Literature. Yardley, On Me Geneal.of Jesus Christ; Dr. Mill, Vindication of the Genoal. For the genealogy of the ancient Hebrews see Au berlen, Gottlich Offenbarung; ein Afiologetischer Versuch. (Trans. in thc Bibl. Sacra. 1865, pp. 395-405-) J. W. D.