The Toledot of Elohim

From the beginning, the Scriptural God commanded biological reproduction—be fruitful and multiply. Reproduce biologically because the generation yet unborn cannot be created by studying or preaching the Torah. But remember that God is King, and they are his children, not yours. But the human beings did not listen. Cain multiplied himself, raising offspring to his own dynasty, dedicating Encoch and his seed—not to God’s commandments—but to buildings of stone. This situation did not last very long. After the flood, God established the oneness of the human race through Noah’s sons, demonstrating his intention that the nations live alongside each other under his rule. Among them was Shem, the forbear of Abraham, “by whom” God said, “all the families of the earth” shall be blessed. All.From the sons of Noah to the settlement in Canaan, the Israelites were destined to live alongside the Gentiles already dwelling in Canaan, yes, Canaan, the term artificially doubled by Luke at the climax of his genealogy. The stage was set from the beginning. Israel was never special or exceptional. They were one nation among many honored by Elohim with the special gift of his teaching. In the same way, the “prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:11) had a special duty when God sent him to complete the work begun by Jonah of sharing this teaching. From Genesis to Revelation—the Bible is not Adam’s story, Noah’s, Abraham’s, or Shem’s, let alone Israel’s; even David needed reminding when the Lord struck down his child by Bathsheba: Elohim is King and Judge. It is his dynasty, and they are his children, not yours. In obedience to Elohim, Jesus, the unremarkable human being, refused the throne. Jesus, the Lord, with no army, property, children, or toledot. Jesus, the last of the prophets, who rejected everything Herod represents and went on to die a loser, in total shame, with no value in human terms. The Lukan genealogy is what the Bible always was, the toledot of Elohim, and such a genealogy begins as it ends, bookended by the uncontested reign of our Heavenly King, who rules from age to age over all the nations.Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Luke 3:37-38 (Episode 488)

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★