[imardmd1]

For me, if one of these problems comes up, I try to reconcile it. If I can't, I don't ignore it, but I don't let it shake my faith. ... etc

"Amen!" at least twice. The way is the Word, not the Greater Catechism, or some other uninspired, errant document. But history can sometimes solidly refute speculation, particularly Augustus' bronze tablets for all to see across the known world and across time, irrefutable.

Mary's genealogy is given specifically, though not explicitly stated, where Joseph was not the father in the flesh, her descent from David through Nathan (tribe of Jdah/scepter) cannot be questioned.

But my position here is that Jesus' flesh had no component of her flesh -- that she was a faithful, holy host with a Christ-like yielding of her body ("Lo, I come to do Thy Will, O God!"), accepting a perfect seed implanted by The Holy Ghost -- just as a virgin today could become the host of another couples' seed -- and trusting The God to vindicate her submission against any assertion of illegitimacy.

[Biggirl]

Well there are two family histories in the infancy chapters. The Gospel of Mathew’s family history is of that of Joseph’s, Mary’s is covered by the Gospel of Luke’s.

[don-o]

But my position here is that Jesus' flesh had no component of her flesh -- that she was a faithful, holy host with a Christ-like yielding of her body

If that is the case - that Mary was a "holy incubator" then our Lord would have had some type of flesh that was other than human.This view (Nestorianism) of the Incarnation was condemned by the Third Ecumenical Council.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I think a good explanation is that the genealogy in Matthew is Joseph's genealogy, which would establish Jesus' legal claim to the throne of David, since, being Joseph's legal (though not biological) heir, he would legally be of the House of David.

Luke's genealogy is through Mary, and goes back to David as well, and further, goes all the way back to Adam.

Mary is the biological mother of Jesus, not just an incubator. For one thing, to be our Savior, He must be true God and true Man. To be true Man has has to actually be the Son of Man, an offspring of the human race, with real ancestors. He has to be one of us according to the flesh (Romans 1:1-3)

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle,
set apart for the gospel of God,
which he promised beforehand
through his prophets in the holy scriptures,
the gospel concerning his Son,
who was descended from David
according to the flesh."

This fulfills the wonderful prophecy in Genesis 3:15. God says to the serpent:

"I will put enmity between you
and the Woman;
between your seed
and her seed.
He shall crush your head
And you will lie in wait for his heel."

This refers to the coming Savior, and he must be the seed of the woman. This is clearly foretold in Scripture. This is further explained by St. Paul in Galatians 4:4:

"But when the fullness of time
had come,
God sent forth His Son,
born of a Woman,
born under the law."

Further, the Archangel Gabriel tells Mary (Luke 1:31)

"Behold, Mary,
you will "conceive in the womb
and bring forth a Son."

Conception happens when the mother's "seed" or ovum is fertilized (thereafter called a zygote or embryo) and the young embryo implants itself in his mother's womb. Mary didn't just "bear" Him, she conceived Him --- the "seed of the woman", her offspring, was Jesus --- therefore Mary was His true, bodily, genetic, biologically procreative mother.