Matthew 1:1-17
Introduction
As a child, time seemed to pass slowly on Christmas Eve as I anticipated everything Christmas day contained! Yet, my hours of anticipation for Christmas morning dims in comparison to the hundreds of years the Jewish people had to endure while waiting for the coming of God’s promised Messiah. Yet, in God’s perfect timing, He sent His Son, born of a virgin, to be the Savior of the world. His Son’s name, Jesus.
Sadly, many Jews missed the evidence pointing to Jesus or outright rejected him as their long-awaited and desired Messiah. Matthew’s purpose in writing his account of the gospel was to persuade the Jewish people that Jesus was indeed God’s promised Messiah. With his purpose set, Matthew begins with a statement guaranteed to get the attention of and arouse all kinds of emotions in his Jewish readers and hearers.
The King’s Family (1:1-17)
Matthew’s Bold Statement: Jesus is the Messiah, the ancestor of Abraham and David (1:1)
1:1 Immediately, Matthew makes a bold, clear, true, but controversial statement. He declares Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah who would be a descendant of both Abraham and David. For those who had received Jesus as their Savior, these first seventeen verses of Matthew would help strengthen their faith and equip them to answer others when asked about the hope they had within them concerning Jesus. For those still wrestling with Jesus’ identity (John 7:25-27; 8:41, 48) and the Scriptures or placing their faith in Him, Matthew desired these verses to persuade them that Jesus was the Messiah and to follow Him upon placing their trust in Him. After making his bold statement, Matthew presents evidence for Jesus being the descendant of Abraham and David before presenting more evidence of Jesus being the Messiah from the Jewish Scriptures and their prophecies.
The phrase “a record of the ancestors” is typically seen as a heading that not only introduces the genealogical account in 1:1-17 but all of chapters 1 and 2, which outline the origin, or “genesis,” of Jesus with significant connections to Jewish history and prophecy. Just as the first book of Scripture discloses the beginnings of the universe, the first book of the New Testament reveals the origins of the Messiah. Matthew wastes no time in trying to prove to his fellow Jews that Jesus is indeed their long awaited Christ by stating that Jesus is a descendant of Abraham and David!
Littered throughout the Old Testament (The Jewish Scriptures) are prophecies about the person and the work of the Messiah. Prophecies concerning the person and work of the Messiah are known as Messianic Prophecies. You can find the first of these forecasts about the Messiah in Genesis 3:15. Other Messianic prophecies are found in the covenants God made with Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; 17:1-8) and King David (2 Samuel 7:1-29; esp. 7:16). The Jewish people rightly understood their Scriptures in that the Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham and King David and the disciple points to Jesus as their fulfillment.
Matthew’s Bolstering Evidence for His Bold Claim (1:2-17)
The basic organization of Matthew’s record of Jesus’ ancestry
The first significant section of Matthew focuses on Jesus’ genealogy, substantiating his claims that Jesus is the son of Abraham and David. Matthew divides Jesus’ family tree into three segments, as stated in 1:17, each beginning with a pivotal moment: the time of Abraham, the reign of David, and the Babylonian exile. The genealogy culminates in Christ’s arrival in 1:16. Verse 17 concludes this section of chapter one by reiterating each title the former tax collector used in verse one in his claim about Jesus.
The Babylonian exile is prominent in the genealogical record, possibly because Matthew portrays Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of Israel’s restoration from exile. However, despite the importance of the exile, David is the central figure throughout the genealogy. The numerical value of the Hebrew consonants in his name (DVD) equals fourteen (4 + 6 + 4), a detail that likely explains the emphasis on the number fourteen in Matthew’s genealogy. When breaking down Matthew’s list, we see that each of the three divisions contains fourteen generations (1:17). Matthew also records David’s name as the fourteenth entry. Though the number of generations in the three sections is thirteen, fourteen, and thirteen, ancient counting methods often alternated between inclusive and exclusive reckoning. Such variations were standard in literary conventions of the time.
Luke also includes Jesus’ genealogy (Luke 3:23–37). Luke’s record and Old Testament narratives reveal that Matthew omitted some names to achieve this symmetrical structure. However, the text allows for this creative freedom while maintaining historical accuracy. The verb translated in the NLT as “was the father of” (more literally “begat”) could also mean “was the ancestor of.”
A surface reading of Jesus’ genealogies in Matthew and Luke will reveal notable differences. However, these differences can be explained by understanding that Matthew records Joseph’s family tree, and Luke presents the family lineage of Jesus on Mary’s side. Matthew shows that Jesus is the legal heir to David’s throne, while Luke proves He is the biological heir to the throne.
A brief look at Matthew’s genealogical record
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Judah are the focus of Genesis 12–50, while the other male names in Matthew 1:2–6a correspond to the genealogy listed in 1 Chronicles 2:3–15. The names from Solomon to Josiah (vv. 6b–11) align with 1 Chronicles 3:10–14, noting that Azariah is another name for Uzziah (compare 2 Kings 15:1–2 with 2 Chronicles 26:3) and that Matthew’s list includes omissions.
In verses 12–16, Jeconiah is an alternative form of Jehoiachin. He, along with Shealtiel and Zerubbabel, appears in 1 Chronicles 3:17–19, where Zerubbabel is described as Shealtiel’s nephew. This detail might suggest that Shealtiel died childless, transferring the line of succession to his brother’s family as suggested in Ezra 3:2 where Zerubbabel is legally regarded as Shealtiel’s son.
The remaining names from Abiud to Jacob are not paralleled elsewhere, but ancient Jews carefully preserved genealogical records, making it plausible that Matthew drew from now-lost sources.
Meh
Perhaps you feel like this little girl looks in the image above. If so I get it. Most people don’t have an interest in their own family tree so going through these first seventeen verses of Matthew can be tough. However, stay with me to the end – remember all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for our lives as His people (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Ancestory.com, PBS, Chris Rock, and Jesus’ Family Tree
According to Anastasia Harmon, a former employee of Ancestroty.com, family history has transformative power. She emphasizes how uncovering personal and ancestral stories can ignite an emotional and identity-shaping experience. Despite initial apathy, she says individuals often become deeply engaged when they discover unexpected or meaningful connections to their heritage.
As an example, she points to Chris Rock’s discovery of his great-great-grandfather’s resilience. The comedian first became aware of his great-great-grandfather’s accomplishments on PBS’s family history show, “African American Lives 2,” in 2008. Chris’s familiar laid-back and flippant demeanor, which has made him a successful comedian and actor, quickly changes when Henry Louis Gates reveals a piece of paper to him.
The paper is a copy of Chris’ great-great-grandfather’s volunteer enlistment paper for the US Colored Troops in the Civil War. Near the top of the document is the name of Chris’ ancestor, Julius Tingman, a name he had never heard before this sit-down with the show’s host. Henry Louis Gates went on to explain that Chris’ ancestor enlisted to fight for the Union Army after being a slave for twenty-one years. Not only was his relative willing to fight for himself, his peers, and his descendants, but he did so excellently, as evidenced in his promotion to corporal within just a few months of serving.
Julius’s life would be inspiring enough if this were the end of his accomplishments, but there is more. By the time he died in 1917, Julius had gone from being a slave with no possessions to owning 65.5 acres of land. He was also elected into the South Carolina legislature when he was 27.
Chris told Oprah that if he had known about his ancestors’ successes earlier, it might have changed his aspirations. “If I’d have known I’d come from politicians and people of intellect, I would have probably tried to get into the intellect business,” Chris joked.
After learning about his family history, Chris also said he can make sense of certain things. “The things I’m doing with my life, they make sense.” “Let’s just hope that everybody learns where they come from so their lives can make more sense.”
This discovery about his family tree transformed Chris’s perspective on life. It shattered his life-long beliefs about his potential as a child and ignited an emotional and identity-shaping experience for Chris. He admits that if he had known this part of his family history sooner, his life’s path could have taken a different route, but he also accredits his gift of gab as a comedian to being passed down to him from his great-great-grandfather as a politician; a career where the gift of communication is vital too.
Just like our family histories can ignite inspiration, provide clarity, shape our identity, and help determine our destiny, Matthew’s record of Jesus’ family tree has been and continues to transform lives. Matthew hoped that this ancient Ancestory.com would help his peers make sense of Jesus’ life and person by connecting them to Messianic prophecies and historical evidence and, as a result, transform their lives. Yet, the Bible is alive and active, and its content still changes lives today—this passage is no exception!
What Does Matthew’s Record of Jesus’ Family Tree Teach Us?
God is Faithful
During my most recent devotional read of Matthew chapter one, the Holy Spirit provided me with a teaching to believe. This list of names teaches us that God is faithful. The LORD is faithful to keep His promises (Psalm 145:13b). Jesus’ birth is a fulfillment to the covenants the LORD made with Abraham and David. It is through Jesus that God has chosen as means to bless all the peoples on earth (Acts 3:17-26, especially vv 24-25; Galatians 3:1-14, especially vv 8-9). Jesus will be the kingly descendant of David who will rule, establishing the Davidic dynasty for eternity (Acts 2:25-32).
God is Faithful Even When His People Aren’t
Not only is God faithful in keeping His promises to His people, but He is also faithful in keeping them even when they are not faithful to Him! A quick look at Abraham’s and David’s lives proves the point. Yet, they were the rule and not the exception, as Matthew reminds us of the Babylonian exile, in which God judged His people for their idolatry. It’s a relief to know that while God invites us into His work, He will complete His work through us even despite us when required.
God is Gracious
Matthew lists four women in a long line of men: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. Tamar pretended to be a prostitute and slept with her father-in-law. Rahab was a prostitute. Ruth was a widow and a Moabite. Bathsheba was involved in a scandal involving adultery and murder by King David himself. But there’s more, none of these women were Jewish. Rahab, Ruth, and Tamar were Gentiles. Bathsheba married Uriah the Hittite making her part of a Gentile household.
Matthew’s inclusion of these women in the family tree is important for several reasons. For one, their inclusion shows that God has always been the God of all people and all people could be made right with Him by His grace through faith (Genesis 15:6; Romans 3:21-26; 4:1-4; Ephesians 2:8-9). Secondly, women were marginalized in the male-dominated society of those times in general. Still, these women found themselves further on the outskirts of society more than most because of their sexual behavior or presumed sexual actions in the case of Ruth in combination with being Gentiles. Their listing reminds us that Jesus ignores artificial labels; He is the Savior of all people, even the marginalized. God’s grace towards all people, even those scorned by society, through Jesus fulfills God’s commitment to bless all people through one of Abraham’s descendants. Jesus, the son of Abraham, is the one who brings this blessing to the whole world (Luke 2:10-11, 28-32; Galatians 3:1-14; Revelation 7:9-10).
God became human
A subtle truth in Matthew’s genealogy is found in verse 17. The phrase “was the father of” appears 39 times but it is absent when speaking of Joseph’s relationship to Jesus. Instead of Matthew saying that Joesph was the father of Jesus, he informs his audience that Joseph was the husband of Mary and Mary gave birth to Jesus. The absence of the generational phrase found throughout the passage teaches us that Jesus was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:23, 25) and that the Word became human and made His home among us (Matthew 1:20; John 1:1-3, 14).
God works His plans out according to His timeline, not our plans according to our timeline.
Jesus is the One through whom He pours His blessings on the nations. Jesus is also a royal descendant of David. David was one of if not the most fabulous kings of Israel. During his reign, Israel enjoyed freedom and peace from her enemies. Israel enjoyed their freedom and success through Solomon’s reign. Still, the nation split into two kingdoms soon after Rehoboam took the throne in his father Solomon’s place. In 722 B.C., the LORD punished the Northern Kingdom of Israel for their sin and unwillingness to repent by allowing them to be defeated and carried away by the Assyrians. A little over one hundred years later, Judah experienced God’s discipline by being defeated by the Babylonians. Over the next several hundred years, God’s people found themselves almost entirely under the rule of a Gentile power.
The Jews sought a great king who would govern with power, justice, righteousness, and wisdom like David. They also believed that this king, as the Messiah or the Anointed One, would free them from their enemies, the despised Romans. Yet God’s plan for Jesus wasn’t for Him to liberate them from the Romans but to lay His life down on a Roman cross to free people from the power of sin and death!
Since Jesus didn’t meet the Messianic expectations of many, many missed the new era of God’s plan of redemption happening before their very eyes. By beginning his Gospel by calling Jesus the Messiah, the son of Abraham and the son of David, Matthew hopes that the Holy Spirit would reveal Jesus as the long-awaited Christ King who sets all who believe in Him and receive Him free to all who would ever read or hear his words!
Questions for Reflection and Application
What if we imitated God’s faithfulness, grace, and presence in our relationships? How might our marriages, family relationships, friendships, and connections with acquaintances or strangers be different? Write one way that you can imitate one of the attributes of God from this passage in each of your key relationships.
Belief in Jesus the Messiah, the ancestor of Abraham and David transforms our lives. We are transformed from enemies of God into friends of God. Our relationship with God is restored, our eternal destiny changed, and life’s purpose clarified. Have you put all your hope in the Jesus of Matthew’s gospel? If not why not do so today?
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