About other gods-question for theists

[Jenny A]

Does not address why it's Joseph's line, rather than Mary's given the virgin birth. Also really lame. Really, really lame. The Bible does not use the female line anywhere else for a man's genealogy. Why start here with Joseph's?

It gives explanation:

". . . Here is the precise purpose of Matthew’s genealogy: it demonstrated Jesus’ legal right to inherit the throne of David—a necessary prerequisite to authenticating His Messianic claim. . . ."(https://www.apologeticspress.org/Alleged...rticle=932)

Again, while both bloodlines might be necessary to fulfill the prophecies, the Hebrews didn't track decent through the female line for any purpose. If one of the genealogies was Mary's one would expect that to be explicit. And even if it was explicit, it would be an enormous departure from Hebrew tradition.

Further, Joseph's bloodline wouldn't give Jesus a legal right to anything let alone a throne. Jesus was not Joseph's son (at least not according to the Bible). The Hebrews were patriarchies and did not recognize any kind of inheritance through the female line. They also didn't recognize hereditary rights of bastards, which Jesus was.

The prophesy doesn't tell us when to start counting.

"...from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks..." Start counting at the decree.

As I noted in the quote above, which decree? There are a number of contenders. decree from Cyrus in 539 BC. (see Ezra 1:1-4); the decree from Darius in 519 BC. (see Ezra 5:3-7) he decree from Artaxerxes to Ezra in 457 BC. (see Ezra 7:11-16); the decree from Artaxerxes to Nehemiah in 444 BC. (see Nehemiah 2:1-8. There's only 100 years to choose between them. You choose Nehemiah but but your Bible takes four guesses.

Further, as I noted before, the prophecy doesn't specify weeks or years or any particular unit of time.

You can make it fit. But prophecies are not of value unless they are clear. This is about as good as Nostradamus.

AND You still haven't figured out the Herod question. Lek appears to have given it up.