Norman
Defender of Truth
I think this is important to all Latter Day Saints and I answered this question that a friend brought up a long time ago. This was my response to his email.
1 Timothy 1:4; 4:7 Titus 1: 14 What were the Fables and Endless Genealogies, that Timothy was referring to?
The Jewish belief at the time of the Savior was, the Jewish Tradition that salvation was for the chosen seed as such was known by genealogical recitations. The Jews had scrupulously preserved their genealogical tables, till the Adven of Christ but we are told, that Herod destroyed the public registers: He, being and Idumean, was jealous of the noble origin of the Jews: and that none might be able to reproach him with his descent.
He ordered the genealogical tables, which were kept among the archives in the temple (Herods temple), to be burned From this time the Jews could refer to their genealogies only from memory, or from those imperfect tables which had been preserved in private hands; and to make out any regular line from these, must have been endless and uncertain.
It is this, that the Apostle Paul refers; I mean the endless and useless labor which the attempt to make out these genealogies, must produce; the authentic tables being destroyed. Pauls denunciation was towards doubtful and untruthful genealogies which had been tampered with for improper purposes.
The Jews also have had reference to the Jewish tendency to take great pride in their ancestory and in their belief that genealogical descent was a proof of Gods favor .compare to John 8:37-45. This Paul says, is a FABLE, Gods favor is given on the basis of righteousness, not ancestry.
This in no way destroys the importance of our deceased ancestors, and family lineage, and the importance of the eternal family unit. For it was by the Family Lineage, that some of the Jews identified their Messiah. And there was a time in the OT, that you could not hold the priesthood without your Geneological record.
Ezra 2:62-63 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. 63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till their stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
Ezra 2:62-63 This passage has reference to those who returned from the captivity who had inter-married among peoples who were not entitled to the blessings of the priesthood. By marrying out of the covenant, some Isaelites lost the right to have their descendents officiate in the priesthood.
These passages, taken out of context, could cause misunderstanding. Paul was not condemning genealogy work itself. The importance of genealogy had been well established from the time of Adam down to Pauls day.
the Jews had scrupulously preserved their genealogical tables till the advent of Christ; and the evangelists had recourse to them, and appealed to them in reference to our Lords descent from the house of David;
Matthew taking this genealogy in the descending, Luke in the ascending, line. And whatever difficulties we may now find in these genealogies, they were certainly clear to the Jews; nor did the most determined enemies of the Gospel attempt to raise one objection to it from the appeal which the evangelists had made to their own public and accredited tables.
Paul himself was aware of the necessity for ordinances for the dead (see 1 Cor. 15:29) and understood the accompanying necessity of genealogical work in this activity. Why, then, would Paul make those remarks about genealogy to Timothy and Titus?
Paul was living in a time of conflict and confusion. False teachers abounded, preaching false doctrines and fables. Two specific problems existed relating to genealogies:
(1) Some apostate teachers recited their genealogies to give credence to their claims as coming with authority. Many Jews had become arrogant because of their illustrious ancestors. Some even flaunted their lineage when opposing the Savior himself: We be Abrahams seed (John 8:33), they said, as if to indicate that they were thereby natural inheritors of the truth.
(2) Some of the apostate Jewish teachers were guilty of manufacturing their own genealogiescreating them in hopes of giving the added weight of authority to their teachings.
Such practices understandably caused a great deal of contention among the Jews, as well as between Jews and Gentiles. No wonder Paul condemned them as fables and endless genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law, and unprofitable and vain.
Bible commentators agree upon this interpretation. The statement to Timothy, says one authority, seems to refer to legends and fictitious genealogies of OT [Old Testament] personages. These fables were idle fancies; things of no moment; doctrines and opinions unauthenticated; silly legends, of which no people ever possessed a greater stock than the Jews.
Regarding endless genealogies, the commentator states that Paul meant those genealogies which were uncertainthat never could be made out, either in the ascending or descending line.
We are told that Herod destroyed the public registers; he, being an Idumean, was jealous of the noble origin of the Jews; and, that none might be able to reproach him with his descent, he ordered the genealogical tables, which were kept among the archives in the temple, to be burnt.
From this time the Jews could refer to their genealogies only from memory, or from those imperfect tables which had been preserved in private hands; and to make out any regular line from these must have been endless and uncertain. It is probably to this that the apostle refers; I mean the endless and useless labour which the attempts to make out these genealogies must produce, the authentic tables being destroyed.
It is clear from these commentaries that the Apostle Paul had no intention of condemning genealogy or the need for maintaining genealogical records. Rather, he was referring to genealogies that caused endless dispute, some of which were fraudulent and not to be accepted.
As an Apostle and student of the scriptures, Paul was undoubtedly aware of the important role legitimate genealogy had played from the beginning:
The Lord commanded Adam to keep a book of remembrance and a genealogy, known as the book of the generations of Adam. (See Moses 6:5, 8.) Genealogical records were handed down through the fathers from generation to generation to Abraham, who said, I shall endeavor, hereafter, to delineate the chronology running back from myself to the beginning of the creation, for the records have come into my hands, which I hold unto this present time. (Abr. 1:28.)
Genealogical records were indispensable to the ancient Israelites. All Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. (1 Chr. 9:1.) Local genealogical records were also kept, reckoning people by their genealogy in their villages. (1 Chr. 9:22) Through such records, the Israelites were able to establish lineage, and the Levites were able to prove their right to the priesthood.
Genealogies are listed in several places in both the Old and New Testaments. We are all familiar with the long lists of begats that record parentage and lineage. For example, Genesis lists the generations following Adam. Later, in the first chapter of 1 Chronicles, we find the genealogy from Adam to Abraham; then in succeeding chapters, the generations following Abraham are given. The Saviors own genealogy is recorded twice in the New Testamentonce in Matthew 1:1-17 [Matt. 1:1-17] and again in Luke 3:23-38.
Generation (Matt.10:23b). (Matt.16:28; cp Luke 9:27). (Matt.24:34; cp Mark 13:30; Luke 21:32). (Heb.10:37). (1 John 2:18).
1 Timothy 1:4; 4:7 Titus 1: 14 What were the Fables and Endless Genealogies, that Timothy was referring to?
The Jewish belief at the time of the Savior was, the Jewish Tradition that salvation was for the chosen seed as such was known by genealogical recitations. The Jews had scrupulously preserved their genealogical tables, till the Adven of Christ but we are told, that Herod destroyed the public registers: He, being and Idumean, was jealous of the noble origin of the Jews: and that none might be able to reproach him with his descent.
He ordered the genealogical tables, which were kept among the archives in the temple (Herods temple), to be burned From this time the Jews could refer to their genealogies only from memory, or from those imperfect tables which had been preserved in private hands; and to make out any regular line from these, must have been endless and uncertain.
It is this, that the Apostle Paul refers; I mean the endless and useless labor which the attempt to make out these genealogies, must produce; the authentic tables being destroyed. Pauls denunciation was towards doubtful and untruthful genealogies which had been tampered with for improper purposes.
The Jews also have had reference to the Jewish tendency to take great pride in their ancestory and in their belief that genealogical descent was a proof of Gods favor .compare to John 8:37-45. This Paul says, is a FABLE, Gods favor is given on the basis of righteousness, not ancestry.
This in no way destroys the importance of our deceased ancestors, and family lineage, and the importance of the eternal family unit. For it was by the Family Lineage, that some of the Jews identified their Messiah. And there was a time in the OT, that you could not hold the priesthood without your Geneological record.
Ezra 2:62-63 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. 63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till their stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
Ezra 2:62-63 This passage has reference to those who returned from the captivity who had inter-married among peoples who were not entitled to the blessings of the priesthood. By marrying out of the covenant, some Isaelites lost the right to have their descendents officiate in the priesthood.
These passages, taken out of context, could cause misunderstanding. Paul was not condemning genealogy work itself. The importance of genealogy had been well established from the time of Adam down to Pauls day.
the Jews had scrupulously preserved their genealogical tables till the advent of Christ; and the evangelists had recourse to them, and appealed to them in reference to our Lords descent from the house of David;
Matthew taking this genealogy in the descending, Luke in the ascending, line. And whatever difficulties we may now find in these genealogies, they were certainly clear to the Jews; nor did the most determined enemies of the Gospel attempt to raise one objection to it from the appeal which the evangelists had made to their own public and accredited tables.
Paul himself was aware of the necessity for ordinances for the dead (see 1 Cor. 15:29) and understood the accompanying necessity of genealogical work in this activity. Why, then, would Paul make those remarks about genealogy to Timothy and Titus?
Paul was living in a time of conflict and confusion. False teachers abounded, preaching false doctrines and fables. Two specific problems existed relating to genealogies:
(1) Some apostate teachers recited their genealogies to give credence to their claims as coming with authority. Many Jews had become arrogant because of their illustrious ancestors. Some even flaunted their lineage when opposing the Savior himself: We be Abrahams seed (John 8:33), they said, as if to indicate that they were thereby natural inheritors of the truth.
(2) Some of the apostate Jewish teachers were guilty of manufacturing their own genealogiescreating them in hopes of giving the added weight of authority to their teachings.
Such practices understandably caused a great deal of contention among the Jews, as well as between Jews and Gentiles. No wonder Paul condemned them as fables and endless genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law, and unprofitable and vain.
Bible commentators agree upon this interpretation. The statement to Timothy, says one authority, seems to refer to legends and fictitious genealogies of OT [Old Testament] personages. These fables were idle fancies; things of no moment; doctrines and opinions unauthenticated; silly legends, of which no people ever possessed a greater stock than the Jews.
Regarding endless genealogies, the commentator states that Paul meant those genealogies which were uncertainthat never could be made out, either in the ascending or descending line.
We are told that Herod destroyed the public registers; he, being an Idumean, was jealous of the noble origin of the Jews; and, that none might be able to reproach him with his descent, he ordered the genealogical tables, which were kept among the archives in the temple, to be burnt.
From this time the Jews could refer to their genealogies only from memory, or from those imperfect tables which had been preserved in private hands; and to make out any regular line from these must have been endless and uncertain. It is probably to this that the apostle refers; I mean the endless and useless labour which the attempts to make out these genealogies must produce, the authentic tables being destroyed.
It is clear from these commentaries that the Apostle Paul had no intention of condemning genealogy or the need for maintaining genealogical records. Rather, he was referring to genealogies that caused endless dispute, some of which were fraudulent and not to be accepted.
As an Apostle and student of the scriptures, Paul was undoubtedly aware of the important role legitimate genealogy had played from the beginning:
The Lord commanded Adam to keep a book of remembrance and a genealogy, known as the book of the generations of Adam. (See Moses 6:5, 8.) Genealogical records were handed down through the fathers from generation to generation to Abraham, who said, I shall endeavor, hereafter, to delineate the chronology running back from myself to the beginning of the creation, for the records have come into my hands, which I hold unto this present time. (Abr. 1:28.)
Genealogical records were indispensable to the ancient Israelites. All Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. (1 Chr. 9:1.) Local genealogical records were also kept, reckoning people by their genealogy in their villages. (1 Chr. 9:22) Through such records, the Israelites were able to establish lineage, and the Levites were able to prove their right to the priesthood.
Genealogies are listed in several places in both the Old and New Testaments. We are all familiar with the long lists of begats that record parentage and lineage. For example, Genesis lists the generations following Adam. Later, in the first chapter of 1 Chronicles, we find the genealogy from Adam to Abraham; then in succeeding chapters, the generations following Abraham are given. The Saviors own genealogy is recorded twice in the New Testamentonce in Matthew 1:1-17 [Matt. 1:1-17] and again in Luke 3:23-38.
Generation (Matt.10:23b). (Matt.16:28; cp Luke 9:27). (Matt.24:34; cp Mark 13:30; Luke 21:32). (Heb.10:37). (1 John 2:18).