Another common supposed contradiction about the father of Joseph. Mat 1:16 And Jacob fathered Joseph, the husband to be of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. Luk 3:23 And Jesus Himself was beginning to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) son of Joseph, son of of Heli There are 2 principal theories that solve this discrepancy. 1. That both genealogies are Joseph's. Mathew exhibiting him as their legal heir to the throne, that is naming the successive heirs of the kingdom from David to Jesus that reputed son of Joseph; while Luke gives the Joseph's private genealogy or actual descent. This theory is very elaborate set forth in Lord Arthur Hervey's work called "The Genealogies of our Lord" 2. Another explanation is that Mathew gives Joseph's genealogy and Luke gives Mary's, genealogy. Heli is Joseph's father inlaw. Either answer will remove the discrepancy, however we should probably use the second for the following reasons: 1. The early church seems to support the second 2. It is indirectly confirmed in Jewish tradition 3. The theory shows us in what way Jesus was the "son of David" If Mary was the daughter of Heli, then Jesus was strictly a descendant of David, not only legally, through His father, but actually, by direct personal descent, through his mother. 4. The second theory offers a very simple explanation.