Dake Bible Discussion Board ⇒ Were Jesus and John the Baptist related, cousins?

[Ironman]

Were Jesus and John the Baptist related? - cousins?

Since Levi and Judah were brothers, all their respective descendants were cousins. In Luke 1:36 (KJV) Elizabeth is called Mary’s cousin. If she and Elizabeth were cousins, then Jesus and John would have been cousins as well.
Marriage between the tribes was only forbidden in cases where tribal inheritance would be jeopardized. (Numbers 36:6-9).

Any Comments!

Haz.

[branham1965]

Howdy Haz,

i was taught from a youngster that they were cousins.


there will never be cousins like The Lord Jesus Christ

and John the Baptist.

[Ironman]

Howdy Haz,

i was taught from a youngster that they were cousins.


there will never be cousins like The Lord Jesus Christ

and John the Baptist.

Thanks billy, my wife asked me this today and I have to be truthful, I have never thought about this question before. Silly me?

[titus213]

This is a good test case of a question brought up in another thread. Where do we draw the line at what we consider to be false teaching?

In the Dake Bible notes he calls attention to the fact that the Greek word used in Luke 1:36 does not mean "cousin" in the sense we use it, but countryman or kinsman. That's true. There is a different word in Greek for "cousin." This is why many Bible translations translate the word as "relative."

Obviously, Mary either was an actual cousin to Elizabeth, or she wasn't. Are those who say she absolutely was a cousin false teachers? If not, is Dake a false teacher for suggesting she was not?

Is this question a "weightier matter" even worthy of labeling those on one side or the other "false teachers?"

Were Jesus and John the Baptist related? - cousins?

Since Levi and Judah were brothers, all their respective descendants were cousins. In Luke 1:36 (KJV) Elizabeth is called Mary’s cousin. If she and Elizabeth were cousins, then Jesus and John would have been cousins as well.
Marriage between the tribes was only forbidden in cases where tribal inheritance would be jeopardized. (Numbers 36:6-9).

Any Comments!

Haz.

[luchnia]

This is a good test case of a question brought up in another thread. Where do we draw the line at what we consider to be false teaching?

In the Dake Bible notes he calls attention to the fact that the Greek word used in Luke 1:36 does not mean "cousin" in the sense we use it, but countryman or kinsman. That's true. There is a different word in Greek for "cousin." This is why many Bible translations translate the word as "relative."

Obviously, Mary either was an actual cousin to Elizabeth, or she wasn't. Are those who say she absolutely was a cousin false teachers? If not, is Dake a false teacher for suggesting she was not?

Is this question a "weightier matter" even worthy of labeling those on one side or the other "false teachers?"

Were Jesus and John the Baptist related? - cousins?

Since Levi and Judah were brothers, all their respective descendants were cousins. In Luke 1:36 (KJV) Elizabeth is called Mary’s cousin. If she and Elizabeth were cousins, then Jesus and John would have been cousins as well.
Marriage between the tribes was only forbidden in cases where tribal inheritance would be jeopardized. (Numbers 36:6-9).

Any Comments!

Haz.

Good thought provoking comments. I would imagine this is not a weightier matter, but certainly another learning opportunity so we are not ignorant. Many of our words have slightly different meanings today.

I would rarely, if at all, consider my countrymen my cousins, yet I can see how they would be my cousins. Kind of reminds you of the term brethren or like Paul was Timothy's father in a sense.

I would think that those that say Mary was absolutely a cousin are just ignorant of this information.

[branham1965]

Haz simply brought this up.we discussed it.i do not know Greek.i don't pretend to and do not want to learn it.
the NASB says relatives , ASV 1901 says kinswoman...

Macarthur says "it seems most reasonable to regard the genealogy of Luke 3:23-28 as Mary's...this would make her a direct descendant of David.yet Elizabeth was a direct descendant of Aaron.therefore Mary must have been related to Elizabeth through her mother who would have been of Aaronic descent.thus Mary was a descendant of David through her father....Macarthur study Bible notes Luke 1.

This is a good test case of a question brought up in another thread. Where do we draw the line at what we consider to be false teaching?

In the Dake Bible notes he calls attention to the fact that the Greek word used in Luke 1:36 does not mean "cousin" in the sense we use it, but countryman or kinsman. That's true. There is a different word in Greek for "cousin." This is why many Bible translations translate the word as "relative."

Obviously, Mary either was an actual cousin to Elizabeth, or she wasn't. Are those who say she absolutely was a cousin false teachers? If not, is Dake a false teacher for suggesting she was not?

Is this question a "weightier matter" even worthy of labeling those on one side or the other "false teachers?"

Were Jesus and John the Baptist related? - cousins?

Since Levi and Judah were brothers, all their respective descendants were cousins. In Luke 1:36 (KJV) Elizabeth is called Mary’s cousin. If she and Elizabeth were cousins, then Jesus and John would have been cousins as well.
Marriage between the tribes was only forbidden in cases where tribal inheritance would be jeopardized. (Numbers 36:6-9).

Any Comments!

Haz.

[Doc]

The AMP says "relative", or "kinsman" but it's all translated from the Greek word "syngenes", and "genos" which appears to have a narrow meaning which strongly (no pun) as Strong's seems to indicate as well as Vine's. I think the indication at the very least seems to be that it's probably true that they were blood related, which does make Jesus and John blood related. "Genos" from where we get "genes", and genetic" from, should be considered. To be honest, I've never considered any other possibility.

Greek Strong's Number: 4773
Greek Word: s???e???
Transliteration: syngenes
Phonetic Pronunciation:soong-ghen-ace'
Root: from <G4862> and <G1085>
Cross Reference: TDNT - 7:736,1097
Part of Speech: adj
Vine's Words: Cousin, Kin, Kinsfolk, Kinsman, Kinswoman


Usage Notes:

English Words used in KJV:
kinsman 7
cousin 2
kinsfolk 2
kin 1
[Total Count: 12]

from <G4862> (sun) and <G1085> (genos); a relative (by blood); by extension a fellow countryman :- cousin, kin (-sfolk, -sman).
Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.

[branham1965]

thank you Doc.

The AMP says "relative", or "kinsman" but it's all translated from the Greek word "syngenes", and "genos" which appears to have a narrow meaning which strongly (no pun) as Strong's seems to indicate as well as Vine's. I think the indication at the very least seems to be that it's probably true that they were blood related, which does make Jesus and John blood related. "Genos" from where we get "genes", and genetic" from, should be considered. To be honest, I've never considered any other possibility.

Greek Strong's Number: 4773
Greek Word: s???e???
Transliteration: syngenes
Phonetic Pronunciation:soong-ghen-ace'
Root: from <G4862> and <G1085>
Cross Reference: TDNT - 7:736,1097
Part of Speech: adj
Vine's Words: Cousin, Kin, Kinsfolk, Kinsman, Kinswoman


Usage Notes:

English Words used in KJV:
kinsman 7
cousin 2
kinsfolk 2
kin 1
[Total Count: 12]

from <G4862> (sun) and <G1085> (genos); a relative (by blood); by extension a fellow countryman :- cousin, kin (-sfolk, -sman).
Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.