Let’s be honest, there are a lot of people mentioned in the Bible. Some of them even have the same or similar sounding names. The Bible is not strictly chronological, so the same person can appear in multiple books rather distant from each other in a standard Bible. It’s no wonder many young people never read the genealogies or even try to figure out how the various people are connected to one another.
Genealogies were and are still very important in the Jewish religion. They understand knowing how people connect to one another can add to the story in scripture. They can be just as helpful to Christians. There is a special richness understanding some of the genealogies add to scripture. For example, knowing several non-Jewish people are in the lineage of Jesus helps us see the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s Kingdom was always part of the plan.
Understanding the genealogies can also create questions. Since Seth was still alive when Noah was born, why had the people forgotten how powerful God was when Seth had personally heard the stories from Adam and Eve? Or why was Jesus descended from Judah instead of Joseph? Although we don’t always know the answers to those questions, the very fact students ask them shows a new level of engagement with what is in scripture.
Genealogies often have little jewels of stories hidden within them like the prayer of Jabez, that are worth discussing. Kids and teens aren’t going to be excited about reading random lists of names though, so how can you help them get the extra information they can learn from understanding them a little better?
Family trees are a very visual way of representing genealogies. You can purchase or find online various depictions of the family tree of Jesus from Adam, with some even showing the various Apostles and their connection to a particular tribe of Israel. Some are very large and complex and some are a little more simplified. You can even help your Bible students create their own version of the family tree of Jesus.
We have introduced upper elementary and teen Bible students to the family tree of Jesus multiple times over the years. Without fail, students love it. They often appreciate having access to it before and after class so they can look for familiar names and see how people connect. The trick is making it seem like a mystery they can solve and making it fun and engaging for them.
Talk through some of the connections. Show them where to find them. Discuss any significance of those connections. Ask students to find various people on the diagram and figure out how they connect to one another. Or point out various connections and have students determine why the connection might have significance. Finding out Ruth was King David’s great-grandmother on the family tree, for example, helps them remember it better than hearing it as a verbal postscript to a lesson on Ruth. Realizing she wasn’t Jewish, can help them understand God’s plan for Gentiles went back much farther than Peter and Cornelius.
Taking time with your Bible students discussing the genealogies can give them a better understanding of how people in the Bible connect to one another. It can also improve their understanding of various scriptures, concepts and prophecies. It’s worth taking a class or two periodically to introduce them to the family tree of Jesus.