The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. Matthew 1: 1-17 ESV
Matthew 1: 1-6 Lineage of the Messiah
Matthew, also known as Levi, a tax collector, is the author of the book that shares his name. It is the first of the four NT gospels. The word gospel comes from the Anglo-Saxon word godspell, which means "a story about God", or "a good story", which is in line with referencing it as "the good news".
8When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. 9As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him. 10Later, as Jesus was dining at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples.… Matthew 9: 8-10
13Once again Jesus went out beside the sea. All the people came to Him, and He taught them there. 14 As He was walking along, He saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Levi got up and followed Him. 15While Jesus was dining at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Him and His disciples—for there were many who followed Him.… Mark 2: 13-15
Matthew opens up his gospel with the lineage of Christ, and it is fitting that Matthew, once known as Levi, would give the genealogy, since he was a tax collector, and the people paid their taxes and did the census based upon their tribes. Now, this may look like a string of boring names, and one would wonder, how would this ever grab the attention of any reader as an opener? Well, if you read the OT, like many of Matthew's Jewish audience had, you would know that there were many prophecies associated with Messiah's lineage. He was predicted as the Seed of the woman, as a Jew, and from the line of David, who was from the tribe of Judah. So these things are no simple matter of mere pedigree, but of prophetic accuracy, and here there is even a story within the story, a lot to unpack.
Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham - Jesus means "the Lord is Salvation", and Matthew is going to establish Christ's claim to the throne of David, and also His preeminence as the substance of the Abrahamic covenant. He is the sacrifice upon which all of history hangs. Unlike Abraham's son, Isaac, Christ will not escape the sacrifice, nothing will be offered in His place, there is no fit replacement. If He does not go to the cross then all of human history ends and God has failed.
1Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you. 2I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”… Genesis 12: 1-3
Abraham was the father of Isaac - Abraham is the patriarch to whom God made Himself known in Ur of the Chaldea. He was a man living amongst idolaters, a man whose faith started out small, a man who used lying as a means of self preservation. He is listed among the faithful in Hebrews 11, but that faith did not come from himself. God proved himself not only different, or spiritual, but the Creator and Sovereign over all. He breathed life into Sarah, Abraham's wife's dead womb, a lifeless place that had never produced. God waited till the time was past conceivable, when she was old and no longer in cycle, and Abraham himself was almost a hundred.
…11Now this matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son Ishmael. 12But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned. 13But I will also make a nation of the slave woman’s son, because he is your offspring.”… Genesis 21: 11-13
1Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered. 2“Take your son,” God said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.” 3So Abraham got up early the next morning, saddled his donkey, and took along two of his servants and his son Isaac. He split the wood for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had designated.… Genesis 22: 1-3
…7Then Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” “Here I am, my son,” he replied. “The fire and the wood are here,” said Isaac, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two walked on together. 9When they arrived at the place God had designated, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, atop the wood.…
11Just then the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 12“Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”…
…13Then Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram in a thicket, caught by its horns. So he went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14And Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. So to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” Genesis 22: 7-14
Isaac the father of Jacob - Jacob was a liar and a deceiver, but God humbled him and changed his name to Israel, which means "prince of God" and "wrestles with God". His became the title name for the nation, while his sons became the twelve tribes.
Jacob the father of Judah - Judah is the kingly line that God chose. Messiah has to come from the tribe of Judah.
…9Judah is a young lion—my son, you return from the prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? 10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his. 11He ties his donkey to the vine, his colt to the choicest branch. He washes his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.… Genesis 49: 9-11
By Tamar - It is interesting that heredity is always determined by the line of the father, but we will see the names of four women in this genealogy, and as J Mac points out, every name in here is a reflection upon grace. No self respecting Jew would ever include these names or their stories, especially when it was unnecessary for determining heredity. Tamar was the daughter in law of Judah, who dressed up like a prostitute to deceive her father in law, who should not be going in to a prostitute to commit adultery, but he does. The crime for "playing the harlot" was death, to be burned in this case, and this doesn't even touch on the issue of being with the wife of his son, incest.
…12After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah. 13When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14she removed her widow’s garments, covered her face with a veil to disguise herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that although Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife.…
…15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute because she had covered her face. 16 Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “What will you give me for sleeping with you?” she inquired. 17“I will send you a young goat from my flock,” Judah answered. But she replied, “Only if you leave me something as a pledge until you send it.”… Genesis 38: 12-17
…24About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!” 25As she was being brought out, Tamar sent a message to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these items belong.” And she added, “Please examine them. Whose seal and cord and staff are these?” 26Judah recognized the items and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.… Genesis 38: 24-26
Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab - We all know Rahab as the harlot Rahab, this was her profession, she was a prostitute who became a proselyte and married into Judah's line. It is an interesting line of questioning that the Pharisees pose to Jesus and His disciples, "how is it that y'all hang out with prostitutes and tax collectors?" They knew the stories of His genealogy, the failures of their OT heroes and kings, that since the fall, God has had nothing but sinners to work with here, it is this reality that the self righteous find difficult to accept.
…15While Jesus was dining at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Him and His disciples—for there were many who followed Him. 16When the scribes who were Pharisees saw Jesus eating with these people, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17On hearing this, Jesus told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”… Mark 2: 15-17
…37When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume. 38As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume. 39When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”…
40But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said. 41“Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”…
…43“I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied. “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. 44And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived.…
…46You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume. 47Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” 48Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”… Luke 7: 37-48
Obed by Ruth - We come to the third woman mentioned in this genealogy, and she is actually a wonderful woman, but she is a Moabite, a nation founded by the incestuous relationship of Lot with his two daughters, after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Moabites were a very proud nation, and the king of the Moabites during Moses' time tried to hire a prophet to curse Israel, and when that didn't work, for all God would let him do was bless, then he showed the king how to bring Israel down from within. Balaam knew that God hated sin, and that the king of Moab wouldn't even have to fight Israel if they fell into idolatry and immorality, so he sent the Moabite women to seduce them. Balaam knew that God would judge His own people, for He was Holy and just. But there is a marvelous and very ancient prophecy given by Balaam about this very lineage.
…16the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open: 17I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth. 18Edom will become a possession, as will Seir, his enemy; but Israel will perform with valor.… Numbers 24: 16-18
And Jesse the father of David the king - Judah's scepter first rises with David, a man after God's own heart, yet a well known sinner, a murderer, a polygamist, an adulterer, a bad father. Those are correct who say this lineage bleeds of grace, for there is none righteous not even one. These are the names that evoke our own cries for mercy, they furnish the grounds, and yet One will come from this line who is without blame, One born to rule, yet born in the shadow of the cross, born to redeem.
…19So shall they fear the name of the LORD where the sun sets, and His glory where it rises. For He will come like a raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD. 20“The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD. 21“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit will not depart from you, and My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and grandchildren, from now on and forevermore,” says the LORD.… Isaiah 59: 19-21
…37“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him. 38So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39Those who led the way admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”… Luke 18: 37-39
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