Christians often claim that Mary, the mother of Jesus, descended from the tribe of Judah.
But there is nothing in the New Testament that proves this.
1. What the New Testament Actually Says
The closest “hint” about Mary’s ancestry is in Luke 1:5, 36, where her relative Elizabeth is identified as a descendant of Aaron—the priestly line of Levi.
If you have evidence from the New Testament that Mary came from Judah, “bring your evidence, if you are truthful” (Qur’an 2:111).
2. Why People Thought Jesus Was from Judah
When some in first-century Judea called Jesus “son of Joseph” (Matthew 13:55; Luke 4:22; John 1:45),
they assumed Joseph was his biological father.
But the New Testament itself teaches that Jesus had no human father, so the assumption collapses.
3. Jesus and the Kingdom of God
Jesus never set out to establish a personal earthly kingdom.
In the Lord’s Prayer he teaches, “Our Father, who art in heaven… Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done” (Matthew 6:9-10).
The kingdom belongs to the Living God—HaShem / Adonai (YHWH)—not to Jesus himself (see Mark 1:15).
4. “King of the Jews”?
Jesus never boldly declared, “I am the King of the Jews.”
When Pilate questioned him, Jesus answered only, “You say so,” adding that “My kingdom is not of this world” (Mark 15:2; Luke 23:2; John 18:36).
The Sanhedrin framed his mission as political sedition to provoke Roman action, but Jesus consistently pointed to God’s kingdom, not his own throne.
5. From Man of God to “Divine King”
Calling Jesus a divine king was a later Gentile development, shaped by Hellenistic ideas of demigods.
Jesus himself said he could do nothing apart from the Father (Matthew 11:27; Mark 14:36; Luke 10:22; John 5:19, 30; 8:28; 12:49; 14:10).
The Genealogy Problem
The New Testament presents two different genealogies for Joseph:
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Matthew 1:16 – Joseph is son of Jacob and descends from King Solomon, son of David.
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Luke 3:23 – Joseph is son of Heli and descends from Nathan, another son of David.
Both Gospels insist Joseph is not Jesus’ biological father, yet they give contradictory family lines.
So the issue is not repetition; it’s conflicting branches.
Repeated Names in Jewish Genealogies
Some claim that the Qur'an “mixed up” Mary, the mother of Jesus with Mariam, the sister of Moses. But in Jewish tradition, a repetition of names is normal and intentional to preserve tribal identity.
Examples from the priestly line of Levi:
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Amariah appears multiple times (1 Chron 6:7; 1 Kings 4:2).
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Ahitub recurs (1 Chron 6:8; 1 Sam 14:3).
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Zadok and Azariah/Uzziah reappear across generations.
Mary’s Parents and the Protoevangelium of James
Luke 3:23 names Heli as Joseph’s father.
Christian tradition later said Mary’s father was Joachim, her mother Anne—information first found in the Protoevangelium (Gospel) of James, a 2nd-century text never accepted into the New Testament.
By the 4th century these names were widely honored, yet the Church never canonized the book because it is late, legendary, and non-apostolic.
The “Son-in-Law as Son” Theory
Some modern commentators claim Luke is really giving Mary’s genealogy, with Joseph called a “son” of Heli as a son-in-law.
But no evidence exists in Jewish records or Temple genealogies that formal registers ever listed a son-in-law as a literal son.
This explanation is a post-biblical invention, a patchwork attempt to solve an 1,800-year-old puzzle:
Why do Matthew and Luke give two irreconcilable genealogies for Joseph?
Conclusion
From a Jewish or Muslim perspective—where genealogy is serious business—the New Testament’s handling of Jesus’ ancestry raises real questions.
Mary’s tribe is never identified as Judah, Joseph’s lines conflict, and the “son-in-law” solution is a much later Christian fabrication.
God knows best.
Have sources or counter-evidence? Share them in the comments—if you be truthful (Qur’an 2:111).
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