In the Old Testament it says that the Messiah would would have a bloodline from David (Isaiah 11:1Jeremiah 23:5, Micah 5:2). Jesus' legal father, Joseph, came from the house of David.
But Jesus Himself did not inherit the bloodline of Joseph. It is a fundamental belief in Orthodox Theology that Jesus was conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary. Joseph was not directly involved in the conception of Jesus. So how was the prophecy of the Old Testament fulfilled?
Even though Joseph was not Jesus' biological father, he did play a vital role in Jesus' earthly life.
He provided care, protection, and legal fatherhood. In this sense, Jesus can be said to have a connection to the house of David through Joseph's legal lineage. How about the lineage of Mary?
It was Mary who gave Jesus flesh.
In New Testament Scripture we find two differing lineages. In the Gospel of Matthew, we find the genealogy of Jesus, tracing His lineage through Joseph's line all the way back to King David. However, the Gospel of Luke presents a different genealogy, tracing Jesus' lineage through Mary's line back to David. Luke refers to Joseph as the "son of Heli," which is a reference to Mary's father, thus establishing Jesus' descent from David through Mary. Since Jesus took His flesh from Mary, one can say He is a descendent of David.
The Orthodox Church teaches that Jesus IS the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies found in the Old Testament.
While the bloodline aspect is significant, we should note that Jesus' divinity is not dependent on His lineage but rather His nature as the Son of God. He was conceived through a mystical act through the Holy Spirit. However, His connection to the house of David through Mary's lineage, she gave Him flesh, fulfills the messianic prophecies in the Old Testament, affirming His role as the promised Messiah from the line of David.
More important is His divine nature.
The Messiah's mission was not limited to an earthly kingdom, but rather to establish the Kingdom of God, which transcends earthly boundaries and is open to all nations and peoples. Jesus’ divine nature was conceived through the Holy Spirit as the Son of God. This alone should qualify Him to fulfill the messianic prophecies in ways that transcend any human genealogy.
The Bible reveals that He fulfills the messianic prophecies through His divine nature and His role as the Savior and King of all people, establishing the Kingdom of God.
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