"For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!"
Romans 5:17 (NIV)
Luke places his genealogy behind the baptism of Jesus. Many wonder at this placement, but you have to rule out carelessness and lack of order, for Luke is very careful and orderly in his writing. It is easy to identify the different sections of the first four chapters of Luke for he opens each section with a historical description, identifying either time or place, and sometimes both, and then closes each section with physical movement (i.e: 1:23, 1:39, 1:56, 2:20, 2:39, 2:51, 3:20, 4:1).
The baptism of Jesus, the declaration of His divine Sonship by the Father, the anointing of Jesus by the Holy Spirit and the genealogy are in the same section of text and are therefore related to each other by subject. Luke's identification of Adam as the son of God makes his intent clear - Luke is contrasting Adam with Jesus. He has given us the Father's testimony that Jesus is the Son of God. He then reminds us that Joseph and every other human is a son of Adam, who also was the son of God, but a son of God who chose his own will over God's will and brought death into the world.
Luke's next section records that this "second" son of God chose God's will over the desires of his flesh. Clearly a contrast! Some would say, "Who cares? So what?" To which I reply, "Whom to you want to imitate today? Adam or Jesus?" I don't know about you, but I want to imitate Christ Jesus. I want to reign in life; not surrender to death. I want to please God, not cause Him pain! I want to live my life in the power of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Give me Jesus, not Adam!
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