The genealogies don't match. That might be the point.

About this episode

The episode discusses the differing genealogies in Matthew and Luke and questions the trustworthiness of the birth narratives.

Matthew and Luke don't give us the same family tree, and the census in Luke has been called a historical invention. So why would anyone still trust the birth narratives?

People in this episode

Hosts: Nate Hanson, Shelby Hanson

Topics covered

• genealogy
• birth narratives
• historical context
• trust in scripture
• family tree

Keywords

• genealogies
• Matthew
• Luke
• birth narratives
• census
• historical invention
• trust

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Matthew, Luke

More episodes of Faith Lab

• Why the gospels hold up as history (Craig Keener) · May 13, 2026 · 1h 20m
• Is the gospel just a ticket to heaven? (Dr. Nijay Gupta) · April 29, 2026 · 1h 4m
• What the first Christians believed about Easter · April 1, 2026 · 18 min
• What if the Gospels are more reliable than you were told? · March 25, 2026 · 20 min
• After the apostles died, did the faith survive? · March 18, 2026 · 13 min
• N.T. Wright: Christians don't go to heaven? (Part 2) · March 11, 2026 · 21 min