Lexical Summary Rhésa: Rhesa Original Word: Ῥησά Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Rhesa. Probably of Hebrew origin (apparently for Rphayah); Resa (i.e. Rephajah), an Israelite -- Rhesa. see HEBREW Rphayah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originprobably of Hebrew origin Definition Rhesa, an Isr. NASB Translation Rhesa (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4488: ῬησάῬησά (Lachmann Ῥησά (so Pape, Eigennamen, under the word)), ὁ, Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel: Luke 3:27. Topical Lexicon Usage in Scripture Luke 3:27 records the only New Testament occurrence: “the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri” (Berean Standard Bible). Position in the Lukan Genealogy Rhesa stands between the renowned governor Zerubbabel and the otherwise unknown Joanan. This placement situates him two generations after the Babylonian exile and anchors Jesus Christ’s ancestry firmly within the restored community of Judah. Luke’s genealogy traces the line from David through Nathan (Luke 3:31) rather than Solomon, presenting Jesus as the promised Son of David while highlighting God’s faithfulness to preserve a righteous remnant. Historical Background Zerubbabel led the first wave of returnees to Jerusalem (Ezra 2:1-2; Haggai 1:14). As Zerubbabel’s son, Rhesa would have grown up in the formative years of the rebuilt temple and city walls, during the Persian period when Judah was still a small province within a vast empire. His name is absent from Old Testament genealogies, suggesting that Luke preserves a family tradition otherwise lost to history—evidence of the evangelist’s careful research (Luke 1:3). Theological and Ministry Significance 1. Continuity of the Davidic Covenant: Every link from David to Christ testifies that “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). Rhesa’s inclusion shows that even obscure individuals serve God’s overarching redemptive plan. Comparisons with Other Genealogies Matthew 1:12 follows the line of Zerubbabel through Abiud, whereas Luke proceeds through Rhesa. The divergence likely reflects distinct lines of descent: Matthew supplies the legal royal succession culminating in Joseph, while Luke traces the physical lineage (often associated with Mary). Together they display complementary strands that converge in Jesus Christ without contradiction. Lessons for Believers • God remembers every name and fulfills every promise. Key Related Passages Ezra 2:1-2; Haggai 1:12-14; Zechariah 4:6-10; 1 Chronicles 3:17-19; Romans 11:29; Isaiah 11:1. Forms and Transliterations Ρησα Ῥησά Ῥησὰ ρήσει ρήσεις ρήσιν ρητίνη ρητίνην ρητίνης ρητόν Resa Rēsa Rhesa Rhesá Rhēsa RhēsáLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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