The Watchtower—Study Edition  |  December 2017

Questions From Readers

Questions From Readers

In ancient Israel, was the line leading to the Messiah tied to the right of the firstborn?

We have at times made comments to that effect. That seemed to agree with what we read at Hebrews 12:16. That verse says that Esau did “not appreciate sacred things” and “gave up [to Jacob the] rights as firstborn in exchange for one meal.” This appeared to suggest that when Jacob gained the “rights as firstborn,” he also came in line to be an ancestor to the Messiah.​—Matt. 1:2, 16; Luke 3:23, 34.

However, a review of Bible accounts shows that a man did not need to be a firstborn son to be an ancestor of the Messiah. Consider some of the evidence:

Of the sons of Jacob (Israel), his firstborn by Leah was Reuben. Later, Jacob’s first son by his favored wife, Rachel, was Joseph. When Reuben became guilty of misconduct, the right of firstborn passed to Joseph. (Gen. 29:31-35; 30:22-25; 35:22-26; 49:22-26; 1 Chron. 5:1, 2) Still, the Messianic line came down through neither Reuben nor Joseph. It was through Judah, Jacob’s fourth son by Leah.​—Gen. 49:10.

 Luke 3:32 lists five later links in the line leading to the Messiah. Each man seems to have been a firstborn. Thus Boaz fathered Obed, whose son was Jesse.​—Ruth 4:17, 20-22; 1 Chron. 2:10-12.

However, Jesse’s son David was not a firstborn. He was the last of eight sons. Yet the line of the Messiah was through David. (1 Sam. 16:10, 11; 17:12; Matt. 1:5, 6) Similarly, the next link was Solomon, though he was not David’s firstborn.​—2 Sam. 3:2-5.

This is not to say that being firstborn was of no importance. The firstborn son held an honored position and often became the next head of the household. He was also the son who inherited a double portion of property.​—Gen. 43:33; Deut. 21:17; Josh. 17:1.

But the right of firstborn could be transferred. Abraham dismissed Ishmael, passing the firstborn’s right to Isaac. (Gen. 21:14-21; 22:2) And as noted, the firstborn’s right was transferred from Reuben to Joseph.

Now let us return to Hebrews 12:16, which reads: “Watch that among you there is no one who is sexually immoral nor anyone who does not appreciate sacred things, like Esau, who gave up his rights as firstborn in exchange for one meal.” What point was being made?

The apostle Paul was not here discussing the ancestry of the Messiah. He had just urged Christians to ‘make straight paths for their feet.’ Thus they would not ‘fail to obtain the undeserved kindness of God,’ which sadly could happen if they engaged in sexual immorality. (Heb. 12:12-16) If they did that, they would be like Esau. He failed to “appreciate sacred things,” and he literally gave in to what was profane.

Esau lived in patriarchal times, and he may even occasionally have had the privilege of offering sacrifices. (Gen. 8:20, 21; 12:7, 8; Job 1:4, 5) But with his fleshly bent of mind, Esau gave away all such privileges for a bowl of stew. He may have wanted to avoid the suffering foretold to come on Abraham’s offspring. (Gen. 15:13) Esau also showed himself inclined toward the profane, lacking appreciation for sacred things, by marrying two pagan women, to his parents’ grief. (Gen. 26:34, 35) What a contrast he was to Jacob, who made sure to marry a worshipper of the true God!​—Gen. 28:6, 7; 29:10-12, 18.

Consequently, what can we conclude about the line of descent leading to Jesus, the Messiah? Sometimes that line passed to and through the firstborn son​—but not always. The Jews recognized this and accepted it, as when they admitted that the Christ was to descend through David, Jesse’s last son.​—Matt. 22:42.

Owa Ọkhẹ (Na Ruẹ Vbe Iko)  |  December 2017

Inọta Ne Emwa Nọ

Inọta Ne Emwa Nọ

Vbe ẹghẹ nẹdẹ vbe otọ Izrẹl, uniẹn ọmọ nọ mwẹ ukpo ọmọ ọdiọn ọkpa, ẹre Mẹzaia la rre ra?

Ma ka guan kaẹn ẹmwẹ na nẹ vbe ẹghẹ eso nọ gberra. Ẹmwẹ ne ima ka taa keghi guaẹro ighẹ ẹmwẹ nọ rre ebe Hibru 12:16. Uviẹn nii keghi kha wẹẹ, Isọ ma “zẹ ye ẹmwẹ orhiọn.” Ọ keghi “rhunmwuda ekan unu ọkpa mu ukpo ọmọ ọdiọn ne ọ ye khiẹn.” Ako na rhiẹre ma wẹẹ, ọ khọ wẹẹ, vbe Isọ ghi mu ukpo ọmọ ọdiọn khiẹn ne Jekọb nẹ, ẹre Jekọb na do khian erha odede ọghe Mẹzaia.—Mat. 1:2, 16; Luk 3:23, 34.

Okha ni rre Baibol rhiẹre ma wẹẹ, ẹre ọmọ ọdiọn ọkpa, ẹre ọ mwẹ asẹ ne a ya re erha odede ọghe Mẹzaia. Gia guan kaẹn eso vbọ:

Vbuwe emọ ikpia hia ne Jekọb biẹlẹ, e Rubẹn ne Lia biẹ nẹẹn, ọre ọmọ ọdiọn. Ọ ghi sẹ ẹghẹ, e Rekiẹl ne amwebọ e Jekọb keghi biẹ e Josẹf, nọ re ọmọ okpia ọghẹe nokaro. Sokpan e Rubẹn ghi ru awua, ukpo ọmọ ọdiọn keghi khian ọghe Josẹf. (Gẹn. 29:31-35; 30:22-25; 35:22-26; 49:22-26; 1 Krọ. 5:1, 2) Ọrheyerriọ, e Mẹzaia ma la uniẹn Rubẹn ra e Josẹfi rre. Uniẹn Juda nọ re ovbi e Jekọb ne ukpogienẹ ne Lia biẹ ẹre Mẹzaia ghi la rre.—Gẹn. 49:10.

 Ebe Luk 3:32 keghi hae ye ugan arhunmwu isẹn ne Mẹzaia la uniẹn iran rre. Dọmwadẹ iran kegha re emọ ọdiọn. E Boaz ẹre ọ ghaa erha Obẹd, Obẹd na gha re erha e Jese.—Rut 4:17, 20-22; 1 Krọ. 2:10-12.

Sokpan, e Devid ne ovbi e Jese ma gha re ọmọ ọdiọn. Irẹn ẹre ọ gha re alagbodẹ vbuwe emọ ikpia erẹnrẹn ne Jese biẹlẹ. Ọrheyerriọ, uniẹn e Devid ẹre Mẹzaia la rre. (1 Sam. 16:10, 11; 17:12; Mat. 1:5, 6) Uniẹn e Solomọn ẹre Mẹzaia vbe la rre agharhemiẹn wẹẹ ẹi re irẹn ọ ghaa ọmọ ọdiọn ọghe Devid.—2 Sam. 3:2-5.

Ọna ma rhiema wẹẹ ukpo ọmọ ọdiọn i mwẹ esa nọ ye. Ukpo ne kpataki ẹre ọmọ ọdiọn na zẹ vbe ẹgbẹe. Erha gha wu, irẹn ẹre ọ ghi re uhunmwuta ẹgbẹe. Ukhukhu eva ọghe emwi ne erha wu sẹrae, ẹre ọmọ ọdiọn re vbe ukhu.—Gẹn. 43:33; Diut. 21:17; Jọs. 17:1.

Ọrheyerriọ, a sẹtin mu ukpo ọmọ ọdiọn ne ọmọ ọvbehe vbuwe ẹgbẹe. Agharhemiẹn wẹẹ Ismẹl ẹre ọ gha re ovbi Ebraham ne ọdiọn, Ebraham keghi mu ukpo ọmọ ọdiọn ọghe Ismẹl ne Aizik. A ka vbe ya unu kaẹn ban wẹẹ, ukpo ọmọ ọdiọn ọghe Rubẹn keghi do khian ọghe Josẹf.

Nia, gia dọlegbe gha rrie ebe Hibru 12:16, nọ khare wẹẹ: “Wa mwẹ ẹwaẹn, ne ọmwakọmwa ghẹ ya khian ne ọ gbe alama ra ne ẹi zẹ ye ẹmwẹ orhiọn, zẹ vbe ne Isọ ghaa ye, ne ọ na rhunmwuda ekan unu ọkpa mu ukpo ọmọ ọdiọn ne ọ ye khiẹn.” De olika ẹmwẹ ne Pọl hoo nọ rhie ladian mwa?

Ẹi re uniẹn ne Mẹzaia la rre ẹre ukọ e Pọl guan kaẹn mwa. Ọ ka rhie ibude ne Ivbiotu e Kristi ne iran “gha la odẹ ne ọ diae khian” ne iran “ghẹ ya fi iyeke gbe ẹseọhẹ Osanobua.” Emwi vbenian sẹtin sunu daa iran deghẹ iran na yin uyinmwẹ alama oghẹ. (Hib. 12:12-16) Iran gha yin uyinmwẹ vberriọ, iran ghi yevbe na ghee Isọ. Isọ ma “zẹ ye ẹmwẹ orhiọn,” ọ na ẹre ọ zẹe ne ọ na ru emwi awua.

Ẹghẹ Ebraham kevbe Aizik ni re erha odede ẹre Isọ ya gha rre agbọn. Nọnaghiyerriọ, ẹi mwẹ Isọ ma tobọre zọese. (Gẹn. 8:20, 21; 12:7, 8; Job 1:4, 5) Sokpan, ne Isọ na rhie aro tua emwi ikpakpa, ọ keghi mu ukpamuyọmọ nọ hiunsi fua rhunmwuda evbare. Ughaghe te ọ vbe gha hoo nọ la irẹn ban ighẹ oya ne a taa yotọ wẹẹ ivbi Ebraham gha re. (Gẹn. 15:13) Isọ keghi ru awua vbe ọ viọ ikhuo eva ni ga ẹbọ rọnmwẹ. Uyinmwẹ na keghi si akhiẹ ye evbibiẹ ọre egbe. Ena hia rhiẹre ma wẹẹ, Isọ ma zẹdẹ gha gbọyẹmwẹ ye emwi orhiọn. (Gẹn. 26:34, 35) Te Jekọb wa lughaẹn ne Isọ. Ikhuo ni ga e Jehova ẹre Jekọb rhiere, agharhemiẹn wẹẹ ọ ma gha khuẹrhẹ nẹẹn.—Gẹn. 28:6, 7; 29:10-12, 18.

Zẹvbe ne a nanaẹn dee sin, de emwi kpataki ne ima miẹn ruẹ vbe nọ dekaan uniẹn ne Mẹzaia la rre? Ma ruẹ ọre wẹẹ, ẹi wa re uniẹn ọmọ ọdiọn ọkpa ẹre Mẹzaia la rre. Ivbi e Ju wa vbe yi ọna ẹro. Iran ẹre ọ ya unu iran tae wẹẹ, uniẹn Devid nọ re alagbodẹ Jese, ẹre Kristi la rre.—Mat. 22:42.