Discrepancy in Biblical Geneologies

This morning I attended a creationist lecture by Dr. Tommy Mitchell of Answers in Genesis. I was actually impressed by his ability as a speaker. He was soft spoken, told jokes, and appealed to the congregations emotions.

I was a little late. The service started at 9:30. I got there just as they were introducing him. I was having trouble finding a seat, so I looked up toward the front of the auditorium and there was a whole row of empty seats right up front! (What is it about people not wanting to sit up front in church?) So I walked right up there and sat right on the front row in the middle. I was so close I could have seen the lettuce in Dr. Mitchell's teeth, if there was any. The only person willing to sit in the front row was an atheist! That is so beautiful. I was also the only one I noticed taking notes.

Like I said, Dr. Mitchell is a good speaker. However, he is wrong on several points. I could write a very long article on each one of his points. My thoughts are still not organized on it. Before I get into the meat, I'm going to have to go over my notes better. So Today, I'm going to debunk one of his very minor points.

Dr. Mitchell claimed that he knows that the earth is only 6000 years old because if you count backward through the geneologies in the bible, you get the age of the earth. (See here.) To strengthen his claim, he said that there are no discrepancies in biblical geneologies. Well, I'm afraid there are. Two of the gospels give lengthy geneologies of Jesus. The Matthew Geneology starts at Abraham and ends with Jesus. The Luke Geneology goes backward starting at Jesus ending at Adam. So, from Abraham to Jesus, these two geneologies should agree. Right? Look at this and see.

Matthew 1:2-16  Luke 3:23-34
Abraham          Abraham
Isaac            Isaac
Jacob            Jacob
Judas            Juda
Phares           Phares
Esrom            Esrom
Aram             Aram
Aminadab         Aminadab
Naasson          Naasson
Salmon           Salmon
Booz             Booz
Obed             Obed
Jesse            Jesse
David            David
Solomon          Nathan
Roboam           Mattatha
Abia             Menan
Asa              Melea
Josaphat         Eliakim
Joram            Jonan
Ozias            Joseph
Joatham          Juda
Achaz            Simeon
Ezekias          Levi
Manasses         Matthat
Amon             Jorim
Josias           Eliezer
Jechonias        Jose
Salathiel        Er
Zorobabel        Elmodam
Abiud            Cosam
Eliakim          Addi
Azor             Melchi
Sadoc            Neri
Achim            Salathiel
Eliud            Zorobabel
Eleazar          Rhesa
Matthan          Joanna
Jacob            Juda
Joseph           Joseph
Jesus            Semei
                 Mattathias
                 Maath
                 Nagge
                 Esli
                 Naum 
                 Amos
                 Mattathias
                 Joseph
                 Janna
                 Melchi
                 Levi
                 Matthat
                 Heli
                 Joseph
                 Jesus

They do agree until you get to King David. From there on, they are completly different. The Matthew Geneology goes through all the Kings of Judah, until the Babylonian Captivity. The names after David in the Luke Geneology look to be made completely up, except for Zorobabel, who was the Jewish hero that rebuilt the temple. The two geneologies even disagree as to what the name of Jesus' grandfather was. These two geneologies can not be for the same man. No way Jose (who is one of Jesus's ancestors according to Luke)!

Hey! Am I the only one to notice that both geneologies have Joseph as Jesus' father? Shouldn't the geneologies end with Mary the mother of Jesus because Joseph isn't Jesus' father? How can Jesus be descended from King David through Joseph? The authors of the gospels both messed up on this one.