The Family Tree
Opening Prayer
Creator of space, time and history, what a wonder that You entered this world and took Your place as one of us.
Read Matthew 1:1-17
[1] This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: [2] Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, [3] Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, [4] Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, [5] Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, [6] and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, [7] Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, [8] Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, [9] Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, [10] Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, [11] and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. [12] After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, [13] Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, [14] Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, [15] Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, [16] and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. [17] Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Who is included in the genealogy that is of note? Lists of names in the Bible may seem insignificant—it all seems quite far removed from the daily challenges of walking with the Lord. But this genealogy is significant. A genealogy was needed to establish a person’s Jewishness, tribal identity, priesthood or kingship. Matthew’s genealogy is not exhaustive; he has selected the names he uses for a theological purpose. The names are grouped into three distinct eras: the patriarchs (1–6), the kings (6–11), and the post-exiles (12–16). All of the Old Testament is embraced in Jesus’ genealogy.Matthew breaks with Jewish tradition and custom by naming four women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba. These women were also Gentiles—a hint that, while Jesus came to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel, he also came for the Gentiles. But, in including Rahab (a prostitute), Bathsheba (an adulteress), Ruth (a poor widow and Moabite) and Tamar (involved in scandal), Matthew is also showing us that God includes the outsider, the poor, the victim and the sinner within his salvation plans. Lists of names in the Bible may seem insignificant—it all seems quite far removed from the daily challenges of walking with the Lord. But this genealogy is significant. A genealogy was needed to establish a person’s Jewishness, tribal identity, priesthood or kingship.
Matthew’s genealogy is not exhaustive; he has selected the names he uses for a theological purpose. The names are grouped into three distinct eras: the patriarchs (1–6), the kings (6–11), and the post-exiles (12–16). All of the Old Testament is embraced in Jesus’ genealogy.
Matthew breaks with Jewish tradition and custom by naming four women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba. These women were also Gentiles—a hint that, while Jesus came to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel, he also came for the Gentiles. But, in including Rahab (a prostitute), Bathsheba (an adulteress), Ruth (a poor widow and Moabite) and Tamar (involved in scandal), Matthew is also showing us that God includes the outsider, the poor, the victim and the sinner within his salvation plans.
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