Question 3 - Was he the son or the grandson?

Genesis 11:12 NKJV - "Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begot Salah."

Luke 3:35-36 “Shelah, Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxads.

Answer:

                Luke 3:23 says Jesus is son of Joseph and Joseph is son of Heli. But we know that Joseph is not biological father to Jesus but he is considered as father to Jesus. In the same way Joseph is not biological son of Heli but he is considered as son of Heli. Likewise, there are some people whose names are mentioned as fathers in the list of generations even though they are not biological fathers.

Based on Genesis 11:12, We understand that Arphaxad lived 35 years and gave birth to Salah. As per Luke 3:35-37, Cainan is considered as son of Arphaxad. That means Cainan is the adapted son of Arphaxad. In the same way, Cainan received and raised Arphaxad’s son Salah as his own son. That is the reason for including in generation list as Arphaxad as Cainon’s son because Holy Spirit knows about all righteous persons. So Salah is considered as son of Cainan(through adaption) and the son of Arphaxad (through biological birth).

Another example Genesis 48:1, 5-6: Here Jacob considered the sons of Joseph as his own. In this we need to consider that Joseph sons as adapted sons of Jacob.

Luke 3:35-37 included the names of fathers who gave birth to their sons as well as father’s who adapted their son’s.