Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 1:15

15 And Eliud begate Eleazar, and Eleazar begate Matthan, and Matthan begate Jacob.

Here are divers Objections made to this last part of the Genealogy, and in a great measure caused from the difference between Mathew and Luke; but I shall not attempt any Reconciliation of those Differences, till I come to Luke, ch. 3. There is no Abiud reckoned amongst the Sons of Zorobabel, 1 Chron. 3.19.20. and for the others named, we have no certain Account of them, in any part of the Holy-writ. From the time of Iehojachim were above five hundred years to the Birth of Christ: Of which seventy were spent in the Captivity of Babylon, Zorobabel was alive at the end of the Captivity, Ezra 5.2. and, as it appears, the Ruler of the Iews tho not under the Title, and stile of King. For Eliakim, Azor, Sadoc, Achim, Eliud, Eleazar, Mathan, and Iacob. Tho we have no mention of them, in any Canonical Books of Holy-writ, but only this, yet Mathew's Credit in the Church of God, ought to out-weigh any other Writings, pretending any thing contrary to what he saith; we are therefore obliged to believe they all lineally descended from David, but living in a private State, and Condition, and Holy-writ not extending its History beyond Zorobabels time (the time when the Iews came out of Babylon) it is no wonder that we have no better means then we have, from Holy-writ to know their lineal Descent from the Royal Family. That Mathew in what he wrote was guided by the unerring Spirit, and that he had Rolls of Pedegrees which we want, we have reason to believe. This is enough for us Christians, who own the Books of the New as well as the Old Testament, to be wrote by Persons divinely inspired, so as to them we have nothing to do, but to reconcile Mathew and Luke both, whom we own to have had the same infallible Inspiration and Direction. If Iews or Pagans argue from any other Topick then this, it is enough to tell them, That the Iews kept exact Genealogies, and more especially as to the Descents in the Tribes of Iudah and Levi, that they might never be at loss as to the Messiah whom they expected, as the Son of David, nor yet as to the true High-Priest. Tho these Records, and Rolls of Genealogy be now lost, yet we have no reason to believe they were so in Mathews time, of which Genealogies (as to this part) doubtless what Mathew saith was but a Copy, directed by that Holy Spirit, by which he was inspired.