You are right!  Only Matthew and Luke give the genealogy of the Lord in their Gospel accounts.  It is generally accepted that Matthew included the genealogy of Joseph while Luke included the genealogy of Mary.  No, Mark and John do not include any genealogies.  Why? 

It is important to see that there are four accounts of the Lord in the four Gospels.  These books present Christ to us in different aspects of who He is.

Matthew presents Christ as a KING.

Mark presents Christ as a SERVANT.

Luke presents Christ as a MAN.

John presents Christ as the SON OF GOD.

Matthew’s genealogy of Christ begins with Matthew 1:1, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”  Presenting Christ as the son of David, this genealogy then goes back to Abraham and traces the generations through David and Solomon and down to the Lord Jesus as we read in Matthew 1:16, “And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.”  In presenting Christ as King, we see that the Lord Jesus was descended from David, the first true king of Israel.  So, we see the valid credentials of the Lord Jesus that He was of the household of David, from the line of Judah from which the kings properly descended.  Of course, the Lord was much more that a king of men.  1 Timothy 6:15 describes the Lord as, “…the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.”  In Revelation 19:16 the Lord is called the “…KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Luke’s genealogy of Christ begins with Luke 3:23, “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.”  Because Luke is presenting Christ to us as the perfect man, he traces the Lord’s genealogy all the way back to Adam…the first man.  We read at the end of the Lord’s genealogy in Luke 3:38, “Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.”  This genealogy was not given at the first of the book like the one in Matthew.  This was given after the Lord’s baptism where we are told that the Lord Jesus was “about thirty years of age.”  This was Joseph’s age when he stood before Pharaoh in Egypt (Genesis 41:46).  This was David’s age when he began to reign in Israel (2 Samuel 5:4).  This was the age when the priests were to enter upon the full execution of their office (Numbers 4:3).  So, as following the natural order for service in the scriptures, the Lord’s genealogy shows Him in His characteristic as a man…the perfect man!

So, the Lord’s work and position as King and as a man were authenticated in their respective lineages. 

Mark presents the Lord as a servant.  In that character we witness the Lord as one who serves.  A servant needs no genealogy.  There is no pedigree to be known to be a servant.  Genealogies were of great importance for inheritance rights, but a servant inherited little or nothing and anything received was a gift from his master…not based on his lineage.   The book of Mark does not focus so much on the Lord’s teachings, parables or revelations of divine truth, but instead it mainly shows forth His ministering works done in love for His Father and surrender to His will.  As a faithful servant, the Lord says of Himself in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (serve), and to give his life a ransom for many.”

John presents the Lord Jesus as the Son of God.  That is obvious in the first few verses of John.  John 1:1-2 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.”  We then read in verse 14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  The Word is God and was with God…the Word is Jesus, who took on flesh and blood so that He might die for sinners such as you and me.  Yet, the Lord was and is 100% God!  God has no genealogy. His authority does not come from the legal line of David or in His Jewishness, but in His divinity. Jesus’ Divine nature has no genealogy.  We can’t trace the Son of God to His beginning because He has no beginning nor end.  In fact, He IS the beginning!  Revelation 22:13, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”

I hope this helps you see why the Lord presents His genealogy in Matthew and Luke, but not in Mark or John. (CC)  (513.4)