Christ's Genealogy Trivia Quiz

Answer: Matthew and Luke

Matthew and Luke both have genealogical lists, though Matthew's begins right away and Luke's is not introduced until just before Christ enters his public life.

Answer: Luke

Some have argued that the genealogy given in Luke is the genealogy of Mary, not of Joseph. For instance, "The Catholic Encyclopedia" says, "St. Luke's genealogy only seemingly includes the name of Joseph. It is based on the received Greek text, on (os enomizeto ouios Ioseph) tou Heli, 'being the son (as it was supposed, of Joseph, but really) of Heli'.

This parenthesis really eliminates the name of Joseph from St. Luke's genealogy, and makes Christ, by means of the Blessed Virgin, directly a son of Heli." Mary was descended from David through his son Nathan, Joseph through his son Solomon.

However, others have argued that both genealogies do belong to Joseph. St. Augustine, for instance, "suggested that Joseph, the son of Jacob and the descendant of David through Solomon, might have been adopted by Heli, thus becoming the adoptive descendant of David through Nathan." (Again, according to "The Catholic Encyclopedia")

Answer: God

Luke 3:38: "the son of Adam, the son of God." Matthew's Gospel, however, goes back only to Abraham.

Answer: Four

Five are mentioned, but only four by name: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Mary, the wife of Joseph. Bathsheba is alluded to as the wife of Uriah.

Answer: Rahab

Matthew 1:5 clearly states that Rahab was the mother of Boaz. This Rahab is traditionally associated with the harlot Rahab who hid the spies, but some commentators have pointed out that Joshua takes place too long before Judges and therefore a different Rahab must be meant.

However, because all of the women mentioned in Christ's genealogy appear to have questionable backgrounds (Ruth, for instance, is a foreigner, a Moabite, and Tamar posed as a prostitute), it seems likely to other commentators that the Rahab of Joshua is indeed meant. Perhaps some generations were skipped in the genealogy and Rahab is therefore not the actual mother of Boaz but a further ancestor.

Answer: She was not Jewish by birth

Ruth was a Moabite, though she followed her Jewish mother-in-law, married Boaz, and gave birth to Obed, the grandfather of David.

Answer: Bathsheba

Bathsheba is referred to as Uriah's wife, and she is mentioned in Matthew's genealogy, which traces the lineage through her son Solomon.

Answer: Pharez

Zarah was Pharez's brother. Tamar posed as a prostitute and slept with her father-in-law Judah. As a consequence, she gave birth to Pharez: "And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez." (Genesis 38:27-29)

Answer: Salmon

Solomon was David's son. Jesse was David's father. Obed was Jesse's father. Boaz was Obed's father. And finally, Rahab (Rachab) and Salmon were Boaz's parents.

Answer: Seth

Abel was murdered by his brother Cain, who was then banished for the act. Adam and Eve had a third son, Seth, from whom Christ is descended.

Answer: Noah

Noah, as far as we know, had only one wife. Lamech was the first person in the Bible who is named as a multiple husband. David had several wives, including Michal, Abigail and Bathsheba. Solomon is renowned for his numerous wives and concubines, and the fact that he permitted most of them to continue with their own faiths.

Answer: Shem

Shem was the father of the Semites, and therefore an ancestor of Christ. Japheth is generally considered to be the father of the Indo-Europeans.

Answer: Abraham

Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, though he did not have to. He told his son that God would provide for the sacrifice. Christ is considered the Lamb of God, and this near-sacrifice thus prefigures Christ's crucifixion.

Answer: Judah

Judah was the father of Pharez (also spelled Perez), from whom was descended Salmon, husband of Rahab and father of Boaz. It was prophesied that the messiah would come from the tribe of Judah.

Answer: Enoch

Enoch was the father of Methuselah, the father of Lamech, the father of Noah, the father of Shem, who was the father of the Semitic peoples. Enoch did not die but was translated to heaven. Elijah was also translated, but he is not in Christ's genealogy.