Matthew Chapter One Study

 

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

1 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. ESV

 

Verse One to Seventeen: This genealogy is the family tree of Jesus adoptive father Joseph and primarily addresses prophecy regarding the lineage of Jesus as a descendant of King David of Israel. This line of family also establishes Jesus legal right to claim to be the Messiah through the genealogy of His adoptive father Joseph.

 

The genealogy is notable in that it includes women in line of descent which was unusual but shows God's mercy and intent to include women and gentiles in the lineage of Jesus the Messiah. Indicating perhaps, that God always had a greater scope in mind for the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the Cross at Calvary.

 

The genealogy mentions the generational duration from His promise and covenant with Abraham through to David ascending the throne of Israel. Then from David to the deportation to Babylon where Israel were taken as punishment for taking on other Gods. after seventy years in captivity, Israel were restored to their homeland. Then from the restoration in Israel to the birth of the Messiah, Christ Jesus. The period between each event being fourteen generations and the total length from the promise to Abraham to the birth of Jesus being forty two generations. This shows God's faithfulness to His people as He honored the promises He made and the covenants that He set in place culminating in the birth of the Messiah.

 

The Birth of Jesus Christ

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. ESV

 

Verses Eighteen to Twenty Five: This section of the passage tells the story of Jesus birth. The important facts are that Mary was a virgin; That the baby was conceived of the Holy Spirit; That God appeared to Joseph, Mary's betrothed, and told him not to fear to marry Mary as the baby in her womb was conceived of the Holy Spirit; The baby would be a son and Joseph was to name Him Jesus; Jesus would save His people from their sins; That the prophecy that a virgin shall conceive and they shall call His name Immanuel would be fulfilled (Isaiah 7:14); Joseph did as the angel commanded and did not sleep with Mary until after the baby was born; He called the child Jesus.