Folks, please excuse the shaky camera etc ... our offices got hit by a bad windstorm here in OK, which damaged our roof and let in a lot of water.  I'm still not back into my regular office for a few weeks and so ... hence the "low-tech" look -- and sound (turn it up real high) -- to this vid-answer.

God bless ... and thanks for your patience ... Dr Jackson

 

Hey DrJ,

My dad was reading the book of Matthew and noticed that, even though Matthew says there were 14 generations between the captivity and Jesus, if you count them, he only lists 13. I know the Bible is infallible and cannot contradict itself, but I would be grateful for an answer to this.

God bless, Andy

Dear Andy, 

Perhaps he was counting the original name as one of the generations.  We do this in statistics too ... we ask for how many data points are in the list and then we calculate    n - 1  for the number of data points always.  It depends on whether you count like Adam as his own generation for instance ... or if you only say that his offspring are the F-1 generation.  See what I mean?  Count the first person in the list or count the standing generation at the time of the captivity ... I'll bet that makes it work out.  It's like the brazen laver in the Temple thing ... the measurements in the Bible seem to refute Pi as being 3.0 ... until ... you realize that it says that the metal it was made of was "a hand's breadth" in thickness.  Add that in and ... you get the 3.12459 that is expected!  Amen.  I hope this helps Andy.  Say "hi" to your parents for me.  Your friend, Dr Jackson