Mt 1:1-17. GENEALOGY OF CHRIST. ( = Lu 3:23-38).
1. The book of the generation--an expression purely Jewish; meaning,
"table of the genealogy." In
Ge 5:1
the same expression occurs in this sense. We have here, then, the
title, not of this whole Gospel of Matthew, but only of the first
seventeen verses.
of Jesus Christ--For the meaning of these glorious words, see on
Mt 1:16;
Mt 1:21.
"Jesus," the name given to our Lord at His circumcision
(Lu 2:21),
was that by which He was familiarly known while on earth. The word
"Christ"--though applied to Him as a proper name by the angel who
announced His birth to the shepherds
(Lu 2:11),
and once or twice used in this sense by our Lord Himself
(Mt 23:8, 10;
Mr 9:41)
--only began to be so used by others about the very close of His
earthly career
(Mt 26:68; 27:17).
The full form, "Jesus Christ," though once used by Himself in His
Intercessory Prayer
(Joh 17:3),
was never used by others till after His ascension and the formation of
churches in His name. Its use, then, in the opening words of this
Gospel (and in
Mt 1:17, 18)
is in the style of the late period when our Evangelist wrote, rather
than of the events he was going to record.
the son of David, the son of Abraham--As Abraham was the first
from whose family it was predicted that Messiah should spring
(Ge 22:18),
so David was the last. To a Jewish reader, accordingly, these
behooved to be the two great starting-points of any true genealogy of
the promised Messiah; and thus this opening verse, as it stamps the
first Gospel as one peculiarly Jewish, would at once tend to conciliate
the writer's people. From the nearest of those two fathers came that
familiar name of the promised Messiah, "the son of David"
(Lu 20:41),
which was applied to Jesus, either in devout acknowledgment of His
rightful claim to it
(Mt 9:27; 20:31),
or in the way of insinuating inquiry whether such were the case (see on
Joh 4:29;
Mt 12:23).
JFB.
Brief Summary: Matthew chapter one traces the genealogy or lineage of Jesus through Joseph and Mary back to Abraham. Matthew chapter one also talks about the birth of Jesus, and the struggle of Joseph about Mary's pregnancy and the angel appearing to him in a dream encouraging him to not be afraid to marry Mary. Matthew attributes all this to the fulfillment of Scripture in Isaiah.
Detailed Summary: Matthew chapter one reveals a detailed genealogy of Jesus tracing his ancestry from Abraham the first Hebrew down through Joseph, his legal father. He begins by calling Jesus the Son of David, who was the greatest king of Israel, making this a royal descent and proving Jesus to be the king of the Jews. Matthew goes on and records His virgin birth having been conceived by the Holy Spirit. He had no human father by blood but He was the Son of God by blood descent. Joseph was considering what he should do regarding her pregnancy and an angel appeared to him in a dream calling him son of David, and encouraging him that all that happened was true and to be strong and marry her. He was to name his son Jesus, for He shall save his people from their sins. Matthew is quick to mention that the virgin birth of Christ was in direct fulfillment of the Word of the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 7:14. Joseph did as was commanded him and knew her not until after she gave birth to her firstborn Son and called His name Jesus.
Key Concept: Jesus was the virgin born king by royal descent and Son of God with no human father by blood (Matthew 1:18)
Key Verses:
Matthew 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son
of David, the son of Abraham.
Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:
When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came
together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Matthew 1:20-21 for that which is conceived in her is of the
Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call
his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Important Related Verses:
2 Samuel 7:11-13 Also the LORD telleth David that he will make
thee an house. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt
sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which
shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his
kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will
establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call
his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is
given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his
name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of
[his] government and peace [there shall be] no end, upon the
throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to
establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even
for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Interesting Notes:
Matthew mentions four women in his genealogy: Tamar, Rahab,
Ruth, Bathsheeba who were all associated with some sort of
immorality. Tamar (incest), Rahab (harlotry), Ruth (a descendant
of Moab who committed incest) and Bathsheba (adultery). Christ's
greatness was in Himself not his geneaology.
Women were never mentioned in Jewish genealogies.
Matthew begins the genealogy by calling Jesus the Son of David
making it a royal genealogy because Jesus is the King and
rightful heir to David's throne. This could not have happened
through Mary's genealogy alone.
Matthew's genealogy proves Jesus was the Son of Abraham. God
promised that Abraham's "seed" would bless the whole world.
All the Jewish genealogical records were lost in the first
century with the destruction of the Temple. No Jew today could
rightfully claim to be a descended of king David.
There is no example of history that records such a historical
genealogy. There is no logical explanation except that God
prepared the Jewish people, and their scrupulous keeping of
genealogical records, to preserve an accurate account which His
Son would make an entrance into this world.
Matthew divides the Old Testament from Abraham to Jesus as three
14 generation periods. Numerically the number of David (dvd) in
Hebrew is 14.
Jesus had no human father by blood making him the last Adam, the
Son of God.
Matthew records that Joseph did not have intercourse with Mary
until after she gave birth to Jesus. This could indicate that
Joseph and Mary had other children.
One scholar said, "Jesus had a sinless human nature joined to
deity."
The name Jesus means Yahweh is Salvation.
The Dream of St. Joseph by Rembrandt
The Name Jesus In Ancient Hebrew Text
"Yeshua" in First Century Hebrew Text. This is how the name "Jesus"
would have been written in ancient Hebrew documents. The four letters or
consonants from right to left are Yod, Shin, Vav, Ayin (Y, SH, OO, A).
Jesus is the Greek name for the Hebrew name Joshua or Y'shua which means
"The LORD or Yahweh is Salvation".
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