Sons by Adoption

King David is often compared to Jesus, and was known as the “son of David” – a title that Jesus did not deny.

There are many people in Jesus’ genealogy of questionable character, including David. However there is a very unique characteristic that David had no control over that not only made him extremely questionable, but is also a unique comparison that only he shared with Jesus.

Just like Jesus was not conceived by his earthly father, neither was David. Let me show you proof.

David himself said, “I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (Ps 51:5). This means that David was born as a result of an adulteress relationship. The Bible never reveals David’s birth father.

The sad part is that the sin of David’s mother became generational. Psalm 51 is entirely about David’s own adulterous sin that was also passed down to his son. In the case of David and his mother, they were grieved by their sin, confessed, and were forgiven. However with Solomon it proved disastrous since his adultery became idolatry and he ended his days separated from God (see 1 Ki 9:11-13).

David refers to his mother as the Lord’s handmaid, inferring of her repentance and turning to God (see Ps 116:16). Therefore at some point after David was conceived, his mother confessed her sin to God and her husband, Jesse. According to the law of Moses, Jesse had the legal right to send her away with a certificate of divorce, but instead he forgave her and chose to raise her son as his own.

Sound familiar? Before Jesus was born, Joseph had originally planned to send Mary away until an angel advised him not to (Mt 1:18-25).

Just like Joseph raised Jesus as his own son, so did Jesse raise David. This puts a lot of other Scripture into a new perspective.

When Samuel requested Jesse to present his sons so the next king could be anointed, David was not included. It was not because he was the youngest, but because he was not Jesse’s birth son.

David’s brothers treated him harshly when he brought food to them on the battlefield because he was a bastard son. Consequently, Jesus was not in the tiniest bit a bastard son, but He was certainly treated like one.

I had only one doubt about David’s legitimacy that could be cleared up in the genealogies. How was David and Jesus referred to as sons? Scripture clearly states that Jesse was the father of David (see Ruth 4:17). Does this imply a blood relationship? No because in Luke 3 Jesus is called “the son of Joseph” three times in the genealogy.

This provides a huge implication – the genealogical line of Jesus is not only by blood, but also by adoption.

Does this seem plausible? Please share your thoughts.